Philadelphia Excessive Force Lawyers: 4 Signs that You Have Been Treated with ‘Excessive Force’ by a Police Officer

With thousands of arrests occurring every day, not all police-citizen interactions have to involve violence. If law enforcement officials violated your civil rights, you may have a legal claim against the police department and be able to receive financial compensation for your pain. Here are four signs that you may have been treated with excessive force by a police officer:

Too Much Force During Arrest 
Placing someone into custody should not result in serious bruises to the hands, back, or head. If police used excessive force on you while detaining you and placing you in a patrol car, you may have a claim against them in court. This is particularly the case in instances where you sustained serious injuries during the arrest process.

Prison Abuse 
If a prison guard hurt you or otherwise violated appropriate policies, it may be sign that to you have been treated with excessive force. In both jail and prison, you are entitled to basic human rights. A pattern of abuse during incarceration may warrant legal action.

Use of Deadly Force Without Justification 
This is an unmistakable example of using in inappropriate amount of force. If you or a loved one have been shot at or injured with a police firearm because the officers chose to shoot instead of using non-deadly force, you may have a legal claim for excessive force. So long as officers could not have suspected that you were also armed, they had no right to aim their guns at you and pull the trigger.

Overuse of Tasers 
Similar to excessive force during arrest, the use of Tasers is often unnecessary. If police used a Taser on you when less painful options were also available, you may be able to show excessive force in a court of law. Inappropriate and excessive use of Tasers can strengthen your civil rights claim against the police.

Do not let police get away with brutality. Pennsylvania residents who were victims of police brutality should contact the Philadelphia-based Law Office of Patrick Geckle to see if your case is strong enough to file an action in court. Call us at (215) 735-3376 today for a free examination of your unique situation or contact us online.