Chicago Police Brutality Lawyers
Police brutality and police misconduct occur far too frequently in the United States. Tragic cases like George Floyd, Daunte Wright, Rashard Brooks, Philando Castile, Alton Sterling, Eric Garner, and Tamir Rice have demonstrated the urgent problem of excessive and inappropriate use of force by police officers, especially against Black Americans and people of color.
The Chicago Police Department has one of the highest rates of police brutality in the U.S. and a poor reputation for punishing offenders. That is why Hammond Law LLC holds violent police officers accountable when they cause physical and emotional injuries, economic loss, and wrongful death.
What Is Police Brutality?
Police brutality involves improper use of physical force by a law enforcement officer, although most cases that make headline news in Cook County and across the country involve inappropriate use of deadly force. Law enforcement officers are supposed to be trained to use force only when necessary. Still, many receive insufficient training, might possess disturbing biases and prejudices, or may be predisposed to violence.
The Black Lives Matter movement has been instrumental in opening the nation’s eyes to the enduring problem of police brutality. Consider the videos from body cams and bystanders’ cell phones that have shown a suspect visibly complaining about being detained or arrested but otherwise complying with the officers’ instructions. Moments later, we see an officer pepper-spraying, striking, or tasing the person or kneeling on their neck. Similarly, police may properly subdue a violent perpetrator using physical force, but after they submit, the officer continues to exert excessive force, causing unnecessary and preventable injury or death.
When Hammond Law attorneys file lawsuits on behalf of individuals and families whose lives are forever changed because of police brutality, our job is to show judges and juries that the defendants violated the “reasonable officer rule.” When we prove a reasonable officer in the same situation would not have applied the same level of force, we can obtain compensation for the harm caused by the offending officer or officers, including physical pain, medical expenses, loss of income and future earning capacity, psychological trauma, and damage to reputation.
Nothing can undo the pain a victim suffers after an act of senseless violence by a police officer, or return a loved one after they die at the hands of an officer who used unjustifiable and deadly force. But by fighting to secure financial compensation and obtain justice for victims of police brutality, Hammond Law can help them move forward after a difficult and chilling ordeal.
Talk to Hammond Law’s Experienced and Compassionate Attorneys
At Hammond Law, we hold police officers responsible for their abuses of power. If you or a loved one has been a victim of unlawful police violence and brutality, you need experienced, courtroom-proven lawyers to hold the officer or officers liable for their misconduct.
When you contact us, we’ll listen to your situation, evaluate the facts and the law, and help you determine how to proceed. Remember, we never charge for the initial consultation, and we do not collect a fee unless we obtain compensation for you. We look forward to the opportunity to assist you. Contact Hammond Law today.