Brooklyn Police Brutality Attorney

Injured due to excessive force by a police officer?

Police in New York are given the task of ensuring that the public is safe and protected from violence. While most members of the police force uphold their duties without incident, some officers use excessive force when apprehending individuals. If you have been a victim of police misconduct in New York City or police brutality, you have a right to file a claim to compensate you for your injuries. Filing a police misconduct claim can help you procure restitution. Having a qualified injury attorney throughout the legal process can help you get the maximum financial recovery.

Police Brutality in NYC

New York personal injury law requires that all persons, in their private and professional actions, behave in a manner that does not place another person at risk of unreasonable harm. This holds true for police officers. Officers of the law are authorized to use force, but that force can only be what is reasonably necessary to effectuate an arrest or detainment.

Police brutality in NYC and other cities is a serious problem in the United States, as evidenced by many high-profile cases where the victim was severely beaten or killed. When a victim of excessive force by a police officer is injured, they have the right to pursue a civil lawsuit to compensate them for their injuries. An injury lawyer can help you get a police brutality settlement to compensate you for your pain and suffering.

Assault: The Most Common Form of Police Brutality

The most common form of police brutality is an assault. This police misconduct is often characterized as excessive physical force that the officer's claim is necessary. This can include punching the victim, beating the victim with police batons, kicking the victim, or throwing the victim against the ground or another hard surface. Any of this behavior can cause serious and potentially life-threatening injuries to the victim.

In many of these situations, the victim is restrained and cannot properly brace himself or herself against impact from the officers or from the ground. Police officers act as agents of the city government, which makes the city or town responsible for any damage done by the officer in the course of his or her employment. This means that any personal injuries from police brutality should be compensated for as a result of a NY police misconduct lawsuit.

Excessive Force Resulting in the Use of Firearms

In rare but serious cases, police brutality extends beyond the level of a simple assault and involves a shooting. Police officers have very specific rules for when they are allowed to fire a weapon and what reasonable suspicion is necessary to show that they believed the suspect to be dangerous enough to warrant a shooting. If you were injured in a negligent police shooting, you should speak with one of New York’s police brutality lawyers immediately about filing a police harassment claim. Whether you are a suspect or an innocent bystander, police officers have a responsibility to not use excessive force that may harm you.