Police Brutality Lawsuit Loans

Police Brutality Lawsuits – An Overview

It’s hard to turn on the news nowadays and not hear a story about a police officer overstepping their authority. Some officers assault people out of fear for their own safety; others do it out of bad judgment, and still others are simply abusing their power. Whatever the reason, in most cases, the injured plaintiff has a valid lawsuit. If you need financial help, Uplift can provide police brutality lawsuit loans while you await settlement.

The news stories also illustrate that these cases have something else in common: they can take forever to settle. Fighting a public entity like a police force can take time and money. Oftentimes, plaintiffs do not have the cash to stay afloat while their case proceeds. Fortunately, that’s where companies like Uplift Legal Funding can help.

National Statistics

In 2019, police were responsible for the deaths of 1,098 individuals. Throughout the entire year of 2019, there were only 27 days when police did not kill someone.

Certain populations are disproportionately more likely to be killed by police than others. According to recent data, 24% of all people killed by police in 2019 were African Americans. However, African Americans make up only 13% of the population.

A recent study has shown that police brutality and crime rates are not linked. Several states with extremely high violence rates have low police brutality rates. Likewise, there are states where violent crimes are at an all-time low; however, police brutality is high.

Lack of penalties for police officers

Generally, in police brutality cases, no criminal penalties are imposed. Therefore, in order to seek some form of compensation, victims have to go through the civil justice system. This is because many police departments are self-insured, meaning that if you do go through with a civil lawsuit, you will have to go after the city.

In recent times, police officers have been held more accountable for their actions. This is because cell phones are everywhere and police officers are required to wear body cameras. However, as reported earlier in this article, only 1 out of every 99 police officers is prosecuted for their actions.

Recent events

In 2020, there was a massive uproar over police brutality in America, which disproportionately affects African Americans. As such, there have been multiple protests around the world to end the violence, becoming the world’s largest civil rights movement in history.

Protests began on May 26, 2020, and continued into June 2020. These protests were met with police brutality, but also by police officers who agreed with what the movement was trying to accomplish.

The protests have received mixed interpretations from the media. They began when a man, George Floyd, was arrested. During the arrest, an officer kneeled on his neck while he repeatedly yelled, “I can’t breathe.” After nearly nine minutes of kneeling on his neck, Floyd died. As a direct result of this and the death of Eric Garner, who was killed when he was held in a chokehold for too long, many police departments have banned the use of chokeholds.

Similarly, people are calling for justice for Breonna Taylor, a Black woman who was shot to death by police when they entered her house, assumed she and her partner were dangerous, and opened fire.

On June 15, 2020, the UN held a press conference to address police brutality in the United States. Other countries, such as Norway, Denmark, and Sweden, have held demonstrations and conferences to address racial issues in America.

As of June 15, 2020, the Supreme Court has refused to address the legal doctrine that shields police officers from brutality claims.

For the first time in 20 years, the New Jersey Attorney General updated the use-of-force rules for police officers. Some departments, such as the Dallas Police Department, introduced new policies, one of which requires that police intervene if they see another officer using excessive force.

For a more in-depth description of the major recent events, you can visit this page.

Recent police brutality lawsuits

While there have been multiple police brutality cases, as stated earlier, they typically do not end in a criminal conviction. However, when pursuing a civil lawsuit, plaintiffs tend to receive rather large settlements.

Below, we have listed some recent police brutality lawsuits and their ultimate outcomes:

• Anthony Lamar Smith v. Jason Stockley – Smith allegedly took part in a drug transaction. Stockley shot into Smith’s SUV with his personal AK-47 five times. In the end, the state failed to prove that Stockley did not shoot Smith in an act of self-defense, and Stockley was acquitted of all charges.
• Terence Crutcher v. Betty Shelby – Crutcher’s SUV stalled in the middle of the highway. Crutcher left his vehicle with his arms in the air, and Officer Shelby stated she feared for her life and shot him. She was acquitted of all charges.
• Alton Sterling – While being pinned down outside of a convenience store, Sterling was shot in the back by officers. The civil case was settled in 2021.
• Sandra Bland – Bland was found dead in her cell three days after her arrest. No charges were filed against any of the county employees. Sandra Bland’s family settled the wrongful death lawsuit for $1.9 million.

You can read about more police trials and their verdicts here.

Large verdicts

Criminal charges are filed against only one in every 100 police officers involved in fatal shootings. However, statistics show that officers shoot a minimum of 1,000 individuals per year. If you have been a victim of police brutality, a civil lawsuit might be the only form of justice you receive. Police brutality personal injury cases have resulted in large settlements. This is particularly true if the victim was killed as a result of the interaction.

Below, we list some police brutality personal injury cases that have resulted in large settlements.

• Tamir Rice – A 12-year-old boy, Rice was fatally shot mere seconds after police officers arrived on the scene. He was playing with an air pistol at the time. The city of Cleveland paid a civil settlement of $6 million.
• Michael Brown – An 18-year-old, Brown was fatally shot after an altercation with police officers. Michael Brown’s family ultimately settled with the city of Ferguson for $1.5 million.
• Eric Garner – A 43-year-old man, Garner was placed in a chokehold after police allegedly found him illegally selling cigarettes. He had asthma and died later that day. The city settled Garner’s case for $5.9 million.

Get pre-approved legal funds for your police brutality lawsuit

The good news is that companies like Uplift Legal Funding can help plaintiffs fight the good fight. The type of information that lawsuit loan companies need varies in this type of case, but in general, here is the information they obtain from a lawyer to review:

• Liability information that proves the plaintiff was innocent (this could be a videotape, newspaper articles, a police report, or witness statements).
• Medical records showing the physical injury.
• A complaint, if the lawsuit has been filed.
• Insurance information is helpful, but it is not necessary if the attorney does not have it yet.

This information, along with your application, is all you need to get started. Unsure if you are far enough along to apply? Call Uplift today at (800) 385-3660.

Does Uplift fund people with former convictions?

Yes, Uplift does grant funding to individuals who have been incarcerated. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule.

We understand that your case is particularly emotionally and mentally draining, which is why we will work as fast as we can to get you the lawsuit loan you need.

What is the pre-settlement funding range for police brutality cases?

The amount of funding you qualify for in a police brutality case depends on the value of your case.

Unlike motor vehicle accident lawsuits, there are no templates to determine how much a case is worth. There are many factors at play.

Were there physical injuries or just emotional ones? Did anyone film the incident? Did the plaintiff do anything to make the situation worse? Was the plaintiff doing anything illegal? Were there witnesses? Was the assault racially motivated?

Case values vary widely. In some cases, a plaintiff might think they were wronged when they were actually posing a threat to an officer performing their duty. Many times, however, the plaintiff is cleared of any wrongdoing.

Plaintiffs can be awarded anywhere from tens of thousands to tens of millions of dollars, as in the case of William Jennings. It all depends on the factors listed above.

Is Uplift the Right Company for Me?

Every company offers something it excels at. Uplift prides itself on its customer service. We won’t treat you like just another deal to close. We’ll try to help you get past your awful incident and get the police brutality lawsuit loans you deserve.

Our underwriters are experts in police brutality cases, so you don’t need to worry about your legal funding company taking forever to go back and forth with your attorney. We know speed is very important, so we often get answers to our clients within two days.

The Uplift team looks forward to working with you. Apply online or give us a call at (800) 385-3660.