The police serve the public, first and foremost, in an effort aimed at maintaining law and order. We rely on the police to protect us and make us feel secure; sometimes, however, it ends up being the police that are responsible for damages we experience. In instances in which people are injured and suffer damages due to the actions of members of the government, such as a local police force, the law is there to provide both security and justice for those who have been wronged by the very people who are tasked with enforcing security and justice. In this blog we are going to explore two examples of people who have been wronged by their local police department and how they are, in their respective situations, going about seeking compensation from the wrongdoers.
In early August of this year, in Miami Beach, police located and pursued an 18-year old who had been “tagging” (or painting graffiti) all around town. The young man had been able to evade the police up until that point, with the use of a lookout, but on this particular day the chase ended with police in possession of the young man—in possession of his corpse, that is. The police used a Taser gun to stop the young man, who had weaved through back alleys to outrun the police. As a result of being struck by the Taser, the young man was pronounced dead at a local hospital less than an hour later. Now, the family of that 18-year old has filed a lawsuit against the City of Miami Beach and its police chief, claiming that the use of force against their son was unwarranted, given that there was no reasonable basis for the assumption that the 18-year-old proved a threat to the officers or the public. The lawsuit is seeking (currently) unspecified damages in the death of the young man.
All the way across the country, in Los Angeles, another lawsuit has been filed against the local authorities. Recently, an LA woman was arrested by the police on suspicion of public intoxication. However, on the ride to the police station, the woman fell out of the police vehicle and incurred serious injuries, leading to a medically induced coma following the fall. The woman, dealing with a broken jaw and brain injuries, is still trying to recuperate from the injuries she sustained. Thus, she has filed a lawsuit against the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and two officers in particular, whom her attorney alleges were the cause of the injuries, given that they failed to secure her with a seatbelt or even lock the door of the police vehicle from the outside. The woman claims that she still may require brain surgery due to complications from the injury.
This blog is not meant to imply that police forces are dangerous entities not deserving of our trust. In fact, the vast majority of police officers dutifully serve the public. This blog just goes to show, however, that, if in fact you are injured, physically, financially or emotionally by the wrongdoing of another, you have legal recourse, regardless of whom the wrongdoer was.
If you feel you have been wronged by a government agency or department, or any other individual or organization, please reach out to us for a free consultation at 561-266-9191 or daronberg@build.simple.biz.
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