What is Police Brutality?

In some ways, police brutality looks different in every place it occurs. In other ways, it looks the same every time. Amnesty International describes “police brutality” as a human rights violation by a police officer, such as “beatings, racial abuse, unlawful killings, torture, or indiscriminate use of riot control agents at protests.” This general definition seems to apply to every incident of police brutality that we see in the news. 

Not all police brutality is equal though. Each state’s police officers receive state-specific training and each police department has its own culture. In addition, each police officer has unique motivations and biases. The perfect storm for police brutality can occur when a state’s training has a militaristic bent, its law enforcement culture values aggressive treatment of suspects and other community members, and a police officer is motivated by racism, anger, and/or fear.

Is Alaska Different?

In Alaska, as in other states, police officers receive training that is specific to the community they serve. Since much of Alaska is a frontier, their police officer training may include components that are unique to wide expanses, rural towns, and very cold temperatures, among other things. And,  as in other states, the personal bias of police officers sometimes play a role in the execution of their duties in communities across Alaska, from Juneau to Birch Creek.

Per the United States Census Bureau, Alaska’s population is 731,545, with 65.3 percent of the population being white. That leaves almost 35 percent of the population to be minorities. Alaska Natives make up approximately 15 percent of the state’s population. According to the Washington Post, Alaska is one of three states that have the greatest number of police shootings in the United States. Between 2015 and 2020, Alaska police officers killed 39 people. At least nine of those people were Native, nearly 25 percent of all police killings.

Victims Deserve Justice

Every victim of police brutality deserves justice. The crime committed on them was perpetrated by a person sworn to protect and serve the community. This type of police-instigated crime can cause distrust and fear of law enforcement to bloom in the communities where the crimes occur. So on top of the (sometimes fatal) physical and emotional personal injuries of the actual victims, the local community suffers injury as well. This potentially means that generations of people in a community could live with fear and distrust of police officers.

Justice can be difficult to come by. If you have been a victim of police brutality in Alaska, you deserve justice (and possibly compensation). You may have a legal case for accusing the police officer who hurt you, and you may have a civil case. Proving your case requires legal expertise, knowledge of the judicial system, knowledge of past cases of police brutality, and an ability to communicate in your defense.

Rear enders are the most common type of car accident in Utah and the United States. Every year there are 2.5 million car crashes in the country, and 28% of all of them are rear-enders. If you’ve spent enough time in your life driving, you won’t find that fact surprising. 

Common injuries from rear-end accidents include: 

• Neck injuries
• Head injuries like concussions, contusions, or hemorrhages. 
• Back or spine injuries
• Broken bones
• Torn ligaments in neck or shoulder

If you were rear-ended and are now dealing with a head injury, you are likely entitled to compensation. Get in touch with Truman and Radford, Injury Attorneys today to see what your options are. Truman and Radford are seasoned Utah personal injury lawyers who have maximizing results for clients for over three decades. 

Who is responsible for a rear-ender? 

If you’ve been hit from behind in your car, the good news for you is that almost every single time, the person who hit the other car from behind is responsible for the crash and is liable for damages. 

The main thing for your case (or any car accident for that matter) is to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the other person was negligent in some way. This could be done by proving that the driver: 

• Failed to stop or see your car 
• Was driving recklessly, perhaps speeding or needlessly swerving
• Was tailgating you
• Didn’t yield to the right of way.
• Was impaired by drugs, alcohol, or medication. 
• Was distracted by something, like a phone, map, or something else in their car

Certain situations can be more subjective than others and the driver who hit you may be willing to argue that they weren’t at fault. This is where having a lawyer on your side helps immensely so that you don’t get taken advantage of. 

Compensation can come in the form of: 

• Loss of wages: If you’ve been injured to the point where you can’t work for a prolonged period of time, or perhaps permanently, then you deserve to be compensated for the wages you will miss out on.
• Non-Economic Damages: Head injuries are one of the more life-altering, painful, and stressful injuries to go through. You may be entitled to pain and suffering or mental anguish damages. 
• Medical costs: These can be surgeries, medication, rehabilitation, therapy, medical equipment, and any other future visits to the doctor. It’s important to have an elaborate medical assessment so you don’t miss anything. Never underestimate the costs of a head injury. 

Do you need legal assistance with your head injury from a car accident? 

Get in contact with Truman and Radford right away. With qualified Utah personal injury lawyers like them in your corner, you won’t have to worry about being left behind by the justice system.

Truman & Radford, Injury Attorneys

Tel: 435-692-9000

20 North Main Street, #309

St. George, Utah