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What if a Miami, Florida police officer causes an individual to suffer an eye injury?

What if a Miami, Florida police officer causes an individual to suffer an eye injury?

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While some encounters with police officers are civil, others turn violent when a suspect refuses to comply with an officer’s commands or an officer oversteps their authority and applies excessive force. In the event a Miami police officer abused their power and caused an individual to suffer an eye injury, they or their department may be held financially liable for covering the cost associated with the care the individual needed to have rendered along with the other expenses they incurred.

 

Eye Injuries and their Symptoms

 

The eye is a very sensitive part of the body that can easily become injured with little contact. Depending on the type of incident that occurred, a person’s eye can become bruised, scratched, or punctured.1 Some common types of eye injuries include:

  1. Black eye. An individual might suffer a black eye after experiencing a blow to the face. The area around the eye becomes bruised and may even swell which can interfere with a person’s ability to see clearly, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
  2. Corneal abrasion. If the eye is hit with a foreign object or something like a fingernail, it can scratch the cornea.
  3. Orbital fractures. This is when the bones around the eye socket become fractured and is usually caused by “trauma or blunt force.” This can happen after an individual has been punched in the eye.
  4. Retinal detachment. Trauma to the eye can lead to retinal detachment. This can cause a person to experience permanent vision loss, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

 

Symptoms of an Eye Injury

 

Depending on the type of injury that was sustained, an individual might experience one or more of the following symptoms after suffering an eye injury:

  • Pain
  • Bruising
  • Redness
  • Changes in vision
  • Swelling
  • Changes in eye appearance
  • Inability to see
  • Permanent loss of vision

 

Steps to Take After Suffering an Eye Injury Caused by a Police Officer

 

If an individual suffered an eye injury during their recent encounter with a Miami police officer and they would like to gain a better understanding of their legal rights, they can contact Mario Trespalacios P.A. to speak with a Miami, FL personal injury lawyer. Although police officers have the authority to apply force, even deadly force, they are not authorized to apply excessive force.

Excessive force is any level of force that is deemed unreasonable. An officer who hits a suspect who poses no threat to them or the community and is complying with their commands would be guilty of applying excessive force.

If an individual would like to find out if they have the grounds to sue a police department and for how much, they can contact a Miami, FL personal injury attorney. Mario Trespalacios P.A. is a personal injury law firm located in Miami and offers free consultations.

 

Mario Trespalacios P.A. can be contacted at:

 

9495 SW 72 Street, Suite B-275

Miami, FL 33173

Phone: 305-261-5800

Website: www.mtpalegal.com

 

Source:

  1. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16988-eye-injuries
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Can a person take legal action against a Denver police officer who mistook them for someone else and applied excessive force?

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It isn’t uncommon for police officers to mistake an innocent individual for a criminal whose description they happen to match. Unfortunately, what also isn’t uncommon is for police to apply excessive force when they come in contact with the person whom they believe is responsible for committing a crime. When an individual is mistaken for a suspect and is physically harmed because of an officer’s error in judgment, they may hold the right to sue for the injuries they suffered as a result of the incident.

 

What is excessive force and is it considered illegal behavior?

 

Excessive force is a level of force that exceeds what is considered reasonable. For example, if an officer were to become violent toward an individual who he/she stopped who did not pose as a threat to the officer’s safety, this behavior might be considered excessive force as there was no need for physical force to be applied. When an officer of the law applies excessive force, they or their department can be held liable for their behavior in multiple ways.

 

How to hold a Denver, CO police officer accountable for applying excessive force?

 

There are a few different ways a victim of excessive force can hold a Denver, CO police officer accountable for their misconduct, some of which are described down below.

 

  1. File a complaint with the Office of Independent Monitor (OIM)

The OIM accepts complaints filed against police officers and forwards them to the Internal Affairs Bureau of the Denver Police and/or Sheriff Departments. They are then assigned to a sergeant for review. Although complaints are forwarded to Internal Affairs, the OIM says it does it will monitor to the process to “ensure that it is handled in a reasonable and appropriate manner.”

 

  1. Contact a Denver, CO police brutality lawyer.

Although filing a complaint will help to recognize an officer for their misconduct, it won’t provide a victim with any sort of relief for the pain and suffering they experienced as a result of it. If an individual is looking to recover compensation to serve as a form of relief for the mistreatment they were subjected to, they will need to discuss filing a civil lawsuit with a Denver, CO police brutality attorney.

Civil lawsuits can name a police officer as a defendant and even the department they work for. In some cases, the city may also be held liable for the excessive force an officer applies. Knowing who to sue and how much to sue for is something a qualified Denver police brutality lawyer will be able to determine.

 

Bryan & Terrill Law, PLLC Can Help with Excessive Force Complaints

 

If an individual suffered injuries as a result of excessive force being applied and they are looking to hold a Denver officer liable for compensating them for the damages they suffered, they can contact Bryan & Terrill Law, PLLC for legal help. The attorneys at Bryan & Terrill Law, PLLC can help a victim of police misconduct obtain the justice they deserve and potentially recover compensation for medical expenses, embarrassment, mental anguish, and more.

 

Bryan & Terrill Law, PLLC can be reached at:

 

333 W. Hampden Avenue, #420B

Englewood, CO 80110

Phone: 720-923-2333

Website: www.btlawdenver.com