We live in a time in which reports of police brutality are commonly exposed through the media. Unfortunately, many Los Angeles residents have lost trust in law enforcement and, instead, fear for their lives whenever police are near. If you or a member of your family were victims of police brutality, you might have grounds to file a lawsuit against the police department for attacking you. You must seek legal assistance as soon as possible to take action against LAPD.
You might be afraid of pursuing a claim against the police department; however, you have that right. Many people believe that police officers and entire police departments are above the law. Because of that mistaken belief, many victims of police brutality never take action against those liable for their injuries. If you need to speak with a police brutality lawyer in Los Angeles, you should contact Normandie Law Firm as soon as possible.
Normandie Law Firm is a personal injury law firm dedicated to helping the Los Angeles community. Unfortunately, the incidents of police brutality continue to increase at alarming rates. California statistics for 2016 reveal that almost 160 people died as a result of police encounters. More than one-third of the almost 160 deaths—55 people—were killed in Los Angeles County. Los Angeles accounted for almost 200 police incidents in 2016, more than a quarter of the incidents throughout the state of California. Our California police brutality attorneys stand by the victims of police misconduct. Do not hesitate to seek legal assistance and sue the LAPD for abuse.
You must contact the attorneys at Normandie Law Firm as soon as possible. Our Los Angeles police brutality lawyers will evaluate your claim and give you all the information you need to file a lawsuit. If you were injured by police officers, you might have the right to compensation—contact Normandie Law Firm to begin your legal process as soon as possible.
Types of Police Misconduct
What do you picture when you think about police brutality? Police brutality is often thought of as officers using excessive force to subdue civilians. Whether police officers pile up on a person until he or she is immobile or shoot unarmed people, the majority of civilians would consider the force used to be unjust and unnecessary.
Common examples of police misconduct include the following:
- Misuse of police weapons such as tasers and stun guns
- Use of unreasonable force when handcuffing and restraining civilians
- Choking, kicking, and beating civilians that do not pose a threat
- Use of pepperspray on civilians
- Subjecting restrained civilians to sexual assault, inappropriate touching, or rape
Police misconduct is generally categorized into at least four categories: unlawful arrest, false imprisonment, assault and battery, and malicious prosecution. These categories are described below:
- Unlawful arrest—officers arrest a civilian without having probable cause
- False imprisonment—officers fail to justify a civilian’s detention or arrest
- Assault and battery—officers use excessive force to detain or arrest a civilian
- Malicious prosecution—a civilian was prosecuted without probable cause and with ill intentions
If you were victimized by the LAPD, you have the right to file a claim. You must contact a police misconduct attorney in Los Angeles as soon as possible. The police brutality attorneys in Normandie Law Firm can help you get the information you need to file a claim against the police department that harmed you.
Police Officer Duties
What duty do police officers have to the Los Angeles community? According to the LAPD motto, officers have a duty to protect and serve the community. The following points of duty are highlighted in the LAPD’s mission statement:
- To protect the lives and property of the people in the community
- To reduce crimes and the fear caused by crimes
- To increase public safety and improve quality of life
- To act with honor and integrity while staying true to the highest ethical standards
The LAPD’s mission statement closes with the goal of maintaining public confidence and trust. Unfortunately, Los Angeles police officers constantly go against their mission statement. Every time a report of police misconduct or brutality is made public, fear is instilled in the community and, the trust in the police is broken.
Police offers have the right to use reasonable force to ensure that they can protect and serve the community effectively. However, there is a thin line between reasonable force and excessive force that can quickly lead to police brutality and misconduct. Police officers must also protect and respect civilian’s civil rights. Police officers cannot deprive others of their civil rights as outlined by law. According to the Bane Act, police officers who interfere with a person’s rights through coercion, intimidation, or threats could be sued and lose immunity. For more information about police duty of care, you should contact Normandie Law Firm as soon as possible. You can speak with a lawyer that handles cases against the police department and begin your claim against LAPD.
Injuries Caused By Police Brutality
In severe cases, police brutality and misconduct leads to the death of victims. However, survivors of police brutality and misconduct are often left with many injuries. If an officer uses his or her weapons—guns, tasers, or pepper spray, for instance—victims could be left with gunshot wounds, burns, and facial irritation. Kicking, choking, and beating could lead to broken bones, bruises, and even asphyxiation. If you were injured in an incident with a police officer, you can sue the police department for your injuries.
Steps to Take After a Police Incident
If you were victimized by police brutality and misconduct in Los Angeles, you must ensure that you take the correct action. You must do the following:
- Take photos of your injuries.
- Seek medical attention.
- Gather witness information.
- Seek legal assistance.
If you are unable to do everything listed above immediately after your police incident, you must do so as soon as you can. If a member of your family is with you during your incident, he or she should record or photograph the incident. Even if you do not follow the steps outlined above, you should still contact a police misconduct attorney in Los Angeles for legal guidance.
Compensation Available for Recovery
If you sue the LAPD for sexual assault or any other misconduct, you might be eligible to receive compensation for your injuries. Although each claim is different and warrants varying compensation for each claim, you should be familiar with all categories of compensation available to recover. Many victims of police misconduct are eligible to recover the following forms of compensation:
- Compensatory damages (includes medical costs, lost income, and property damage)
- Aggravated damages
- Exemplary damages
For more information about the different types of compensation you might receive, you should contact a police rate attorney in Los Angeles as soon as possible. If you are interested in speaking with a pro bono civil rights attorney, you should contact Normandie Law Firm as soon as possible.
The Time to File a Claim
Police misconduct and brutality claims are treated differently than personal injury claims. In personal injury claims, you could file a claim directly. If you are interested in suing LAPD, however, you must first file a government claim. What is a government claim, and why must you file one? You must file a government claim—or a tort claim—since LAPD is a government agency. The government claim informs the government that a lawsuit might be filed and allows an investigation to begin before a claim is filed in court. Government claims must be filed within six months of the incident. After the denial of your government claim, you might have another six months to file a lawsuit with the state. If you wish to take your claim to the federal level, you might be subject to a two-year deadline. Since the time you have to file a lawsuit varies, you should contact our police misconduct attorneys as soon as possible. Our knowledgeable police brutality attorneys will give you all the information you need to understand the time in which you must file your claim.
Normandie Law Firm
If you were injured in an incident with LAPD, you have the right to take legal action. You have rights, and if your rights were infringed, you could sue and recover compensation. You should not be afraid of taking legal action against a police department—especially if you were victimized. You must contact an attorney who can handle your claim and help you recover the compensation you deserve. If you were injured by a police officer, you must take action today.
Our law firm is based on the belief that all victims should have access to reliable legal assistance. Because of that belief, our firm offers free consultations and free second opinions to all victims of police brutality. If you or a member of your family were victims of police misconduct, you must contact us as soon as possible and request to speak with our experienced attorneys. During our free consultations and free second opinions, our police brutality attorneys will evaluate your claim and provide you with all the information you need to file your claim successfully. You should expect all your questions and concerns to be answered and address. If you were left with doubts after speaking with an incompetent attorney, you can trust that our police misconduct lawyers will help get your claim back on the right track.
Our free consultations and free second opinions are available as part of our Zero-Fee guarantee—a guarantee that ensures that our clients never have to worry about paying any upfront legal fees for any of our services. Our firm is also strictly based on contingency; therefore, our clients will never be required to pay any fees until our lawyers win their claims. If you do not win your claim, you will not have to pay anything. Contact us as soon as possible to speak with our police brutality and misconduct attorneys as soon as possible.
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