Every year countless people are victims of police brutality and misconduct. Many times, people don’t know that they have rights and can seek justice and compensation for the abuse they suffered at the hands of the police. If you find yourself the in the unfortunate position of being injured by the police, there are some steps you should immediately take.
- Seek Medical Help: If you were not arrested, go to the hospital and get treatment. If you were arrested and are still in police custody, ask to go to the hospital. Without medical records to support your injures, it may hurt your lawsuit and help the police officers’ defense.
- Take Photos & Preserve All Evidence of Injury: If there’s a scratch, wound, or some other kind of visible injury, take photos of it immediately. If they handcuffed you too tightly, photograph the bruises. Also, save any clothing that has evidence of your injuries.
- Call A Lawyer: After getting medical attention, preserving the evidence and taking photos of your injuries, the very next thing you should do is call a lawyer who specializes in police brutality and misconduct cases. A lawyer can advise you of your rights and options as well as the strengths and weaknesses of a potential lawsuit.
- File A Lawsuit: Your attorney can file a lawsuit on your behalf to get you financial compensation for the wrong done to you by the police.
As a Chicago police brutality and civil rights attorney, I’ve handled hundreds of civil rights cases. The most common setbacks to a successful civil rights case are people waiting too long to seek medical attention and not having any evidence of their injuries. The police officers and their attorneys are going to do everything they can to say that you are making it up. Do yourself a favor and take all the steps listed in this article to ensure that you put yourself in a better position to get justice and compensation for the wrong done to you.
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