Granbury Police Brutality Lawyer

The job of a police officer is unpredictable and exposes them to parts of humanity that are emotionally overwhelming. While they are trained for almost any situation, some police may use too much force. If a police officer uses excessive force and someone gets hurt, the injured person does have options. No one should be brutalized by those they are meant to protect.

In the case of police brutality that you or a loved one may have experienced, it is important to hold the officers involved accountable. Filing a civil claim against those involved could result in financial compensation that you may be entitled to. Increasing your odds of success in these types of claims increase when you hire an attorney from The Law Firm of William A. Walsh. Our police brutality attorneys can review the facts of your case to help determine what you may be entitled to and then represent you in litigation in order to maximize the compensation you deserve.

A person who experiences a violation of their civil rights from a law enforcement officer is said to have experienced a form of police brutality. These violations can occur in physical, mental, or verbal forms.

While many officers perform their job duties and operate within state and federal laws, some officers may act beyond the scope of their duties, violating a person's civil rights. The following are some examples of police brutality:

• Excessive or unnecessary use of force
• Wrongful arrest or detainment
• Forcing wrongful confessions
• Performing an unnecessary vehicle chase
• Abusing their authority (Such as committing sexual assault)
• Causing wrongful death
• Illegally performing a search and seizure
• Falsifying evidence
• Committing prison abuse
• Wrongfully discharging their weapon
• Failing to protect inmates.

There are several options available to you, in addition to any potential legal claim, if you or a loved one feel they have been a victim of police brutality. With the help of an experienced attorney, you should pursue all options available to not only hold accountable the officer or officers involved but also to help spark necessary changes to individual officers and departments. Some of the available options may include the following:

• • Internal complaint - Civilians have the ability and the right to file claims with the police department’s internal affairs department that employs the offending officer. Through their own investigation, they will conclude if there was a civil rights violation committed and what officer discipline may be required, up to and including termination. Like anything, if no one knows there is a problem, they are not given the opportunity to correct it. However, in many instances, it is just a note in the employee’s file.
  • Criminal complaint – Civilians can file formal complaints by going through the Texas District Attorney or through the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department. Once a complaint is filed, the next steps are left up to the state or federal prosecutors to determine if they wish to pursue charges against the offending officer(s). Generally, the trend is to decline to pursue action unless they can determine that the complaint contains serious facts and evidence. Even if charges are pursued, many grand juries fail to indict officers, and the few that are convicted face light penalties from judges.
  • Civil claim - This type of claim is usually the most effective way of holding an officer, or officers, accountable for civil rights violations. Through these claims, complainants not only seek financial compensation from the impacting incident but can also spark the necessary changes within a police department. In some claims, the officer involved and their department can be named. As with the other two options, there is an unfortunate downside, which, in this case, is that officers have a certain “immunity” to such claims because many instances are written off as part of the job.

No matter which route you and your attorney choose to take, you are not responsible to prove that force was used beyond a reasonable doubt; you only need to prove there is a preponderance of the evidence that there was the use of excessive force.

When filing a civil claim, there are certain damages that you could be awarded if you are successful in proving you were the victim of police brutality. Each case is unique and filled with unique circumstances; however, you may be entitled to compensation for any of the following reasons:

• If you sustained injuries, any medical bills associated with them
• Any lost wages for time out of work related to the incident
• Any compensation to make up for reduced earning capacities.
• Pain and suffering or mental anguish you may have suffered.
• Any emotional distress you experienced.
• Any loss of enjoyment in life
• If the claim goes before a jury, you could also receive punitive damages

In addition to these damages, the hope is that your claim can help highlight the deficiencies in hiring or training routines for law enforcement and help a department revisit its policies and procedures to ensure the behavior is isolated and not repeated.

While many respect and appreciate the lifesaving and life-altering work of police officers, there are many situations where a police officer may take advantage of those job elements and justify the wrongful treatment of others behind the veil of the job. One instance of police brutality is one too many, but it is sadly something that has affected the lives of many people across the United States and in Granbury.

There should be trust built with the police, not fear. However, when you or a loved one is mentally, emotionally, or physically hurt by a police officer through their violation of your civil rights, you may be entitled to compensation. If you feel you are the victim of police brutality, contact The Law Firm of William A. Walsh. With the help of our attorneys, we can review your case's facts and help determine the options available to you.