Columbia Excessive Force Lawyer
It doesn’t matter whether you live here in Columbia, out in the rural parts of Missouri, or in one of the major cities, your life and safety are constantly in danger. It seems to be becoming more prevalent that the people who are tasked with protecting the citizens of Columbia, our law enforcement, are actually the ones who are putting many people in danger. Missouri, after all, is 13th in incidents of fatal police brutality throughout the United States.
When you or your loved on suffer excessive force at the hands of law enforcement, you might feel scared and alone. This is doubly true when compounded with the stress and strain of recovering from the injuries they gave you. Going up against law enforcement and holding them accountable is a daunting task, and one that should be done with the help and expertise of an excessive force lawyer in Columbia. An experienced personal injury attorney can help you reach the settlement that allows you to heal.
How Do I Know If I’ve Experienced Excessive Force?
There are many forms of police misconduct, but using excessive force is certainly one of the most common. According to Missouri law, police officers and other law enforcement are allowed to use a ‘reasonable’ amount of force when making an arrest or handling people who have broken the law. What exactly is considered reasonable is largely up to interpretation, but there are a few common occurrences which affects an officer’s decision to use excessive force:
- The flight risk of the suspect
- The type and severity of the crime
- The danger the suspect poses to the public
- The presence of a weapon on the suspect
How Could an Excessive Force Lawyer Help?
In cases where you feel like police officers used excessive force on you, it is your responsibility to bring these grievances up in court. A personal injury claim could help you recover the costs of your medical expenses due to in incident of police violence, as well as your pain and suffering. To successfully bring this to court would be impossible, however, unless you have a personal injury lawyer on your side.
Many aspects of the personal injury process can be confusing, such as submitting paperwork and filing to the court. Your excessive force lawyer can help you with that, making sure things are received at the right time. A personal injury lawyer could also help you review all the facts of your case, not just your behavior, but the officer’s as well. A lawyer could bring things like the officer’s past use of physical force or the usage of a deadly weapon against you as evidence to prove that your pain should be compensated. Through every step of the way, you can rely on an excessive force lawyer to get you through it, so you can focus on healing.
Have You Been Injured? Call the Law Office of Chris Miller
At the Law Office of Chris Miller, we know better than everyone else how scary and isolating experience police violence can be. Unfortunately, it is a part of life that we are all in danger of. If excessive force is used against you, you need someone in your corner who can advocate for you and get you what you need. We can help you with your case and get you the settlement you need. Call us today for a free, confidential consult.