Cases we take
Premises liability & negligent security
- Negligent security
- Dangerous conditions
- Pools and drownings
- Elevators and escalators
Florida Premises Liability Lawyer
They owned the property.They owned the risk.
Businesses and property owners that invite the public in owe a duty to keep people reasonably safe. When they ignore known dangers, from broken stairs to known crime, Kevin holds them accountable. Kevin Butler is a Florida trial lawyer and a Major in the Florida Army National Guard, and he brings that same discipline to every case. Hablamos español.
5.0★Client reviews
2023-25Super Lawyers Rising Star
FreeUntil we win
Trial lawyer · Since 2016Super Lawyers Rising Star · 2023-2025FJA Eagle MemberMillion Dollar Advocates ForumEnglish · Español
Premises liability & negligent security
What Kevin handles.
Premises cases range from a hotel guest assaulted in a poorly lit parking garage to a child hurt at an unfenced pool. They reward early investigation into what the owner knew and when.
Their playbook
What the insurer will try
- Blame the criminal and deny any duty
- Claim the danger was open and obvious
- Lose video, logs and incident reports
His playbook
What Kevin does
- Pulls prior incident reports and police calls for service
- Examines the owner's own security assessments
- Preserves video and maintenance records early
Types of premises cases
- Negligent security: assaults, shootings and robberies at apartment complexes, hotels, bars, gas stations and shopping centers where the owner ignored known crime.
- Dangerous conditions: broken stairs and railings, inadequate lighting, uneven walkways and code violations.
- Swimming pool and drowning incidents.
- Elevator and escalator injuries.
- Dog bites and animal attacks.
- Falling merchandise and unsafe store displays.
Negligent security in Florida
Florida law provides particular protections for owners of multifamily residential property that meet certain security standards, and it allows a jury to apportion fault to the criminal who committed the assault. Those rules make negligent security cases demanding, and they reward early investigation into prior incidents, police calls for service and the owner's own security assessments.
Florida law
Florida changed the rules in 2023.
HB 837 rewrote parts of Florida's negligent security law. These cases now demand early investigation into prior incidents and the owner's security measures.
Fault
Shared with the criminal
In negligent security cases, a jury can now assign fault to the person who committed the crime, which affects what the owner pays.
Fla. Stat. § 768.0701Presumed
Apartment safe harbor
Owners of apartment properties that meet certain security standards are presumed not negligent, so the owner's measures must be examined closely.
Fla. Stat. § 768.07062
Years · To file suit
The deadline for negligence claims arising after March 24, 2023.
HB 837 (2023)General information, not legal advice. Every case has its own facts and deadlines can change. Call for a review of your specific situation.
Why clients choose Kevin
One lawyer. Your case, start to finish.
At a large firm, your file can pass through a dozen hands before anyone who will stand in front of a jury reads it. At The Law Office of Kevin Butler, the attorney you meet at your first consultation is the attorney who investigates your case, negotiates with the insurance company, and tries the case if the insurance company will not pay what it owes.
$27MMedical malpractice verdict
Served on the trial team that obtained it.
$1.08MConfidential trucking settlement
Resolved in 2021.
8Complex trials
Brought to trial in under three years.
1Attorney · Your case
The lawyer you hire is the lawyer who handles your case to the finish.
Kevin has spent his career on one side of the courtroom: the injured person's side. He has never represented an insurance company. He founded his firm in 2016 and built it on car crash, premises and wrongful death cases, then spent more than three years as a senior medical malpractice litigation attorney at one of the largest injury firms in the country, trying complex cases before Florida juries. In 2026 he returned to his own practice to give clients what large firms cannot: direct access to the lawyer handling their case.
Every case is different. Past results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome.
How it works
What happens after you call.
No intake clerk, no runaround. If your case is one Kevin cannot take, he will tell you promptly so you can protect your rights elsewhere.
- Free consultation
You talk to Kevin, not an intake clerk, about what happened and what your options are. There is no charge and no obligation.
- Investigation
Kevin gathers the evidence early: crash reports, video, medical records, witness statements, and in medical cases, the physician review Florida law requires before a malpractice suit can be filed.
- Demand and negotiation
He builds the case and presents it to the insurance company with a clear demand backed by evidence.
- Trial if necessary
If the insurer will not pay what your case is worth, he files suit and prepares it for a jury. Insurance companies know which lawyers try cases. That knowledge changes their offers.
Your attorney
Kevin Butler
The Army taught him to run a complex operation with discipline and no wasted motion. That is how he runs a case.
Kevin has served in the Florida Army National Guard since 2011 and holds the rank of Major, serving as a Brigade Logistics Officer. He brings that discipline to the courtroom, along with an MBA that lets him read an insurer's numbers the way their adjusters do.
You will have Kevin's direct contact information, and he returns calls. You will get straight answers about what your case is worth, including when the honest answer is that a case is not viable.
Selected to Super Lawyers Rising Stars, 2023, 2024 and 2025.
- 2011Florida Army National GuardNow a Major and Brigade Logistics Officer
- 2015J.D., Florida A&M University College of LawAfter a B.S. and an MBA from the University of Central Florida
- 2016Founded The Law Office of Kevin ButlerCar crash, premises, trucking, wrongful death and medical malpractice cases
- 2023National injury firm, medical malpractice groupSenior attorney carrying 30 to 40 medical negligence cases at a time
- 2023-25Super Lawyers Rising StarNamed in 2023, 2024 and 2025
- 2026Returned to his own firmSo every client works directly with him
Client reviews
5.0
★★★★★
Rated by real clientsClients say the same things again and again: he calls back, he explains every step, and he treats them like family. Here is what they wrote, in their own words.
"Worldclass"
"Kevin kept me calm, advised me every step of the way to the greatest possible outcome."
Kevin Butler did an amazing job!
"He treated me like a 'million dollar client.' He returned every phone call, settled the claim within an appropriate time frame."
This guy is the best!
"Kevin is an awesome attorney. He has integrity and genuine concern for his clients."
Absolutely recommend Kevin
"Kevin was treating me as part of his family making sure everything was done correctly."
Best accident attorney in Orlando
"He answered all of my questions very quickly with little to no wait at all."
What it costs
Free until we win.
Personal injury and medical malpractice cases are handled on a contingency fee. You pay nothing up front, and if there is no recovery you owe no attorney's fees and no costs. The details are spelled out in a written agreement you review and sign before we begin.
60 min
Free first consultation, in person or virtual. Bring your questions and your records.
$0
Upfront. No retainer, no hourly billing, no invoice while your case is open.
Free
Until we win. If there is no recovery, you owe no attorney's fees and no costs.
Questions families ask
What is negligent security?
A claim that a property owner failed to provide reasonable security despite known risks, such as prior crimes on or near the property, and that failure allowed someone to be hurt.
Can I sue if a criminal caused my injury?
Often yes, if the owner failed to take reasonable steps against a foreseeable risk. Florida now lets the jury assign part of the fault to the criminal, which makes early investigation important.
Does this include dog bites?
Yes. Dog bites and animal attacks are a type of premises case, and Kevin also has a dedicated dog bite page.
¿Atienden en español?
Sí. Kevin habla español y puede atender su consulta gratuita completamente en español.
Free, confidential, no obligation