Definition of Police Brutality

If you are a victim of police brutality, it is important that you know what to do next. Here are some tips to always keep in mind:

Keep Calm

Don't respond to police brutality with violence or aggressiveness. Remember, rogue police officers will want to get a reaction from you in order to justify their actions. For this reason, try as much as possible to stay calm throughout the incident. 

Stay Compliant

As mentioned before, police officers might be required to use force if the suspect attacks the officer or avoids arrest by fleeing. The last thing you want to do is give rogue officers an excuse to use excessive force against you. 

Remember, the more you resist, the harder it is for you. While this is heartbreaking and difficult to swallow, especially when you know you have done nothing wrong to warrant such brutality, you shouldn't take matters into your own hands.

Instead, stay compliant. Do not give the officers a reason to justify their actions. They will use this reason to defend themselves later. 

Collect Evidence

Any form of evidence can help prove your case. For instance, was there any video recording of the incident? Did anyone watch the incident? Did you suffer any physical injuries during the incident? All these could count as evidence against the rogue officers. 

Collect as much evidence as you can. Don't leave it out even if you're unsure if it counts as evidence. It's better to have your evidence dismissed than not have any evidence at all. 

Contact an Attorney

Because some rogue officers act like they're above the law, you need someone who understands the law to represent you. An experienced civil rights lawyer can help build a strong case against the officer and determine the best course of action.

Contacting a civil rights lawyer after a police brutality incident has many benefits. Here's what such an attorney can do for you:

Case evaluation: An experienced attorney can help review your case to determine whether it counts as police brutality. The law protects police officers up to a certain extent. For this reason, you must ensure you have a valid case before proceeding to the next step. 

A seasoned attorney can help review your case and determine its validity. If valid, they will walk you through the next steps. 

Case investigation: If you have a valid police brutality case, the attorney will help investigate the incident. Remember when we mentioned the importance of collecting evidence? The attorney will review the existing evidence and decide whether to add more or it is strong enough. 

However, it is understandable that you may not be able to collect evidence, depending on how the incident occurred. In that case, an experienced attorney knows where to start collecting evidence against the rogue officer. 

Legal remedy: After building a case against the rogue officers, your attorney will help you pursue the best possible legal remedy for your case. It is important to note that the best legal remedy usually depends on the specific circumstances of your case. 

There are many different legal remedies for police brutality. However, the following three are the most common:

Filing a Complaint 

The attorney might help you file a complaint against the rogue officer or police department.  

Dismissing Charges

If you have been charged with a crime, a criminal defense attorney can petition to have any evidence gathered against you as a result of misconduct dropped. This is because such evidence might have been obtained illegally. 

Filing a Lawsuit

It is illegal for police officers to violate anyone's rights under the color of law. The term 'color of law' refers to when an individual acts in a way that might seem legal but, in actual sense, it is not. Let's look at a rogue police officer's conduct as an example.

When a police officer arrests someone in the streets, members of the public rarely intervene. This is because police officers are required to maintain law and order, and arresting lawbreakers is part of the job. 

However, most people don't realize that it is illegal for police officers to arrest anyone without probable cause. In other words, if there is no reason for arrest, then the arrest should not happen in the first place. 

A successful lawsuit can lead to any of the following remedies or even both:

Injunction: This is a court order that compels one party to carry out a certain act. For example, the injunction could require the police department to retrain its officers, update its policies, etc. 

Monetary compensation: Depending on the nature of your case, you may be eligible for monetary compensation. A good example is if you sustained severe injuries requiring surgeries. In that case, an injunction alone might not be enough to remedy the situation.

For this reason, your attorney might file a claim to have you compensated for your injuries. As a result, you may recover damages such as medical expenses, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, lost wages if you couldn't work due to your injuries, and so on.

Without a case evaluation, it is impossible to tell the specific amount of compensation you may be able to recover, that is, if you have a valid case against a police officer, department, or both. Speaking with an experienced attorney can help determine what to expect as compensation for your injuries. 

A seasoned attorney will review both economic and non-economic damages suffered due to police brutality. It is only after evaluating these factors that your lawyer will inform you about the compensation to expect if you win the lawsuit. 

When you search for personal injury attorneys near you, chances are you will be overwhelmed by the search results. However, given that police officers are protected by law to a certain extent, it is important to work with an experienced attorney when dealing with these kinds of cases.

And when looking for such an attorney, your search ends at Morgan and Morgan.

Morgan and Morgan, the largest personal injury law firm in the country, has over three decades of experience handling these kinds of cases. However, when it comes to cases regarding police brutality, experience is not the only thing to look for when searching for the right attorney. Factors such as the track record, reputation, and the availability of legal resources to pursue such cases are also equally important. 

That's where Morgan and Morgan comes in. Our law firm comprises over 800 personal injury attorneys specializing in various aspects of injury law. That's what you need when seeking the best legal advice and representation. 

For example, there are different ways to approach a police brutality case. There are times when it may be necessary to involve a civil rights lawyer. You may also need a criminal defense attorney if you were charged with a crime. Rather than work with different law firms, Morgan and Morgan gives you access to the country's best team of injury lawyers all under one roof. 

Contact Morgan and Morgan Police Brutality Lawyers

The issue of police brutality is spiraling out of control. It's everywhere in the news, in the streets, and at the heart of our communities. Now is the time to take action against officers who abuse their powers by inflicting injuries on members of the public. 

Remember, police officers are employed by the public. They are public servants. Therefore, you deserve to hold them accountable for their actions. 

If you or your loved one has been injured by a rogue police officer, we might be able to help you fight back. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation case evaluation.