Posts Tagged ‘ ADT Security ’

ADT Alarm Failure Deadly in Minnesota, Leads to ADT Settlement

October 3rd, 2011. By AbiK

Who ya gonna call? Well, if you’ve had an ADT alarm system installed, you’re proababy thinking you don’t need to call anyone if someone should break into your home. After all, ADT is supposed to be right on it, detecting a break-in and alerting the police who should then get to your home more quickly than if you had detected the break-in yourself and tried to dial 911.

Right?

Unfortunately, a for a couple in Minnesota, things didn’t turn out that way. Their ADT alarm system failed—when they needed it most.

In 2006, Teri Lee had been afraid that her ex-boyfriend, Steven Van Keuren, might cause trouble—he’s the reason why she purchased an ADT system for her home. Sadly, Lee’s worst fears came true when Van Keuren entered Lee’s home and shot both her and her new boyfriend, Timothy Hawkinson. Both Lee and Hawkinson died.

Lee’s estate filed a lawsuit against ADT, and recently reached a confidential settlement.

Loss of life by murder is surely what we’d hope would be a freak accident as the alleged result of an alarm system failure. But it’s not all that far out there to envision, is it?… A break-in happens…should be your run-of-the-mill burglary…maybe the thief is looking for some jewelry, or cash…but maybe he finds the homeowner instead…unexpectedly. The outcome could be all the same—death—except legally we just call it different things…it’s a matter of degrees.

But what if it could’ve been prevented? What if there were a reasonable expectation—heck, a contractual expectation—that an installed alarm system should function properly and the would-be victim were still alive? No alarm system that touts itself as your security blanket and knight in shining armor should fail in your hour of need.

Over the past year and a half, LawyersandSettlements.com has received a number of complaints from individuals stating that their ADT alarm systems failed—or that the ADT response time was inadequate. Thankfully, they are all alive to tell their stories.

And, if we go back to 2007, there actually had been a lawsuit filed against ADT alleging slow response times—and it was seeking class action status.

Tags: ADT alarm failure, ADT alarm system, ADT lawsuit, ADT Security, Defective Product
Posted in Defective Products, Emerging Issues, Settlement | 17 Comments »