Our Police Excessive Force Attorneys in Philadelphia, PA, Combat Civil Rights Violations by Law Enforcement
There’s no excuse for officers of the law or other municipal or state employees hurting citizens through their use of excessive force. Across Philadelphia and throughout Pennsylvania, incidents of police brutality and abuse of power cause victims significant harm.
Standing up to powerful law enforcement officers and influential police departments throughout the country isn’t easy. The seasoned civil rights attorneys at Anapol Weiss specialize in officer-involved assaults. We understand the administrative remedies that must be exhausted before a civil case can be initiated. Our attorneys also understand how to seek monetary relief for violations of 42 U.S. C. § 1983, the section of the United States Code that allows for a civil cause of action to be brought against those responsible for the deprivation of civil rights. Our attorneys are accustomed to combating frequently asserted defenses such as government and sovereign immunity. For a free consultation, contact us today.
Police Brutality Lawsuits in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instances of excessive force and other forms of police misconduct are entirely too common in Philadelphia and the surrounding Pennsylvania communities.
Statewide, Pennsylvania has seen 260 killings by police between 2013 and 2021 and 5,018 civilian complaints over police misconduct from 2016 through 2021, according to the Police Scorecard project.
Many of the events that give rise to police brutality claims take place in Philadelphia, which is home to the fourth-largest police department in the United States. Police misconduct settlements cost the City of Philadelphia $20.7 million in 2022, news site Axios Philadelphia reported. The following year, the City agreed to pay a record $9.25 million settlement arising out of excessive force used by local police against hundreds of people during the George Floyd protests that occurred in 2020, as reported by CNN.
These major police brutality settlements illustrate the ongoing problem of law enforcement misconduct and the use of excessive force across Philadelphia and beyond. However, they also show that, with seasoned police excessive force attorneys in Philadelphia, PA, on your side, it is possible to hold officers and police departments accountable and simultaneously push for meaningful reform.
Areas Our Philadelphia Police Brutality Lawyers Serve
Our lawyers against police brutality represent victims of excessive force and other forms of law enforcement misconduct in all areas of the City of Philadelphia and beyond, including:
- Center City
- South Philly
- Southwest Philadelphia
- West Philadelphia
- Lower North Philadelphia
- Upper North Philadelphia
- Near Northeast Philadelphia
- Far Northeast Philadelphia
- Roxborough-Manayunk
- Germantown-Chestnut Hill
- Olney-Oak Lane
- River Wards
Our police brutality lawyers practice throughout the country and are prepared to review your case today at no cost.
What Constitutes Police Brutality?
Police brutality refers to civil rights violations and mistreatment at the hands of law enforcement. Often, instances of police brutality involve excessive force beyond what is warranted by or appropriate under the circumstances.
Examples of law enforcement actions that may constitute police brutality include:
- Unreasonable searches and seizure
- Using inappropriate force to restrain a suspect who is already subdued
- The failure to intervene while observing another officer apply excessive force
- Failing to adhere to state and local policy and procedure while carrying out an arrest
- Applying lethal force to a suspect who is known to be unarmed or is posing no imminent threat to the officer’s or bystanders’ safety
- Failure to render medical care
- Unreasonable use of tasers, pepper spray, and handcuffs
- Hitting, kicking, choking, stomping on, or beating a suspect who is already cooperating, asking for help, or begging for mercy
- Verbal abuse
- Torturing, sexually abusing, or assaulting a suspect who is restrained or in custody
Our team also handles matters involving race discrimination (equal protection violations) carried out by the police, as well as municipal liability claims related to the failure to adequately hire, train, maintain, and supervise employees (Monell claims).
The injuries that can arise out of police brutality are devastating. They include:
- Wrongful death due to causes such as asphyxiation and gunshot wounds
- Broken bones, gunshot wounds, head trauma, organ damage, and other injuries serious enough to require lengthy hospital stays
- Physical damage that causes loss of feeling, function, or mobility, or other internal injuries or nerve damage
- Permanent paralysis
- Mental anguish, embarrassment, humiliation, and other emotional damages
Although law enforcement officers are authorized to use an appropriate degree of force in certain situations, they don’t have a free pass to abuse, injure, or even unjustifiably lead to the death of the local citizens they are supposed to have been protecting. If an officer uses force beyond that which is warranted, they can be held accountable both criminally and civilly.
The Benefits of Having Our Experienced Philadelphia Police Brutality Lawyers on Your Side
Why do you need knowledgeable police excessive force attorneys in Philadelphia, PA, to handle your case? As your interaction with law enforcement has already shown, holding authority figures accountable can be difficult and demands a command of the law.
The police brutality lawyers at Anapol Weiss are intimately familiar with establishing civil rights violations by officers and law enforcement agencies. An attorney can assist you by:
- Undertaking a thorough investigation of the events to uncover any evidence that supports your argument of excessive force, such as potential failed customs and practices of the police force at issue and discriminatory or otherwise harmful policies and procedures
- Calculating and compiling documentation of your damages
- Placing the state entity at issue on notice of the claim; drafting pleadings and exchanging discovery; as well as communicating and negotiating with opposing counsel and the court
- Representing your interests through all legal proceedings
- Answering your questions at every stage of the litigation process
If you’re looking for a lawyer to hold a police department or individual officer(s) believed to have applied excessive force accountable, turn to Anapol Weiss. Our police brutality lawyers take your case seriously and fight aggressively for victims of law enforcement violence.
Contact the Philadelphia Police Brutality Lawyers at Anapol Weiss Today for a Free Consultation
Philadelphia law enforcement should be held accountable for all forms of police misconduct. With distinguished trial attorney Kristen Gibbons Feden leading the practice area at Anapol Weiss, our lawyers can answer your questions and provide a free case evaluation.
For help from a police brutality attorney, contact Anapol Weiss online or call 215-608-9645 today.