Long Beach Police Dog Bite Lawyer

Police in Long Beach and throughout California often rely on K9 units to conduct searches for drugs, explosives, and other dangerous materials, and they are also used to chase and subdue fleeing suspects in some situations. Police officers required to handle K9 units must follow specific rules, and if a police dog bites and injures someone unnecessarily, they need to consult a Long Beach police dog bite lawyer as soon as possible.

Representing Victims of Police Dog Bites in Long Beach

Greg Peacock Law offers compassionate legal counsel to victims of police misconduct of all kinds in Long Beach and surrounding areas of California. When a police officer directs a K9 unit to subdue a suspect, they may only do this when they have probable cause and no other option to safely secure the suspect. If a police dog bites and injures someone due to the officer’s failure to properly control the police dog, this is an example of excessive force.

The team at Greg Peacock Law has a strong record of successful representation in a wide range of complex police misconduct cases in Long Beach. Our firm has the resources and experience necessary to handle the most challenging cases, and we can respond quickly to your request for legal counsel if you believe that you or a family member has been the victim of any type of damaging police misconduct, including a police dog bite.

Filing a Police Misconduct Claim for a Police Dog Bite

Police are permitted to use K9 units to chase and subdue fleeing suspects. When a police dog is instructed to subdue a suspect, they will charge at them and bite them to bring them to the ground so the officer can arrest them. While it is legal for police officers to use trained dogs in this manner, the situation must call for this level of force. The police instructing a K9 unit to subdue a suspect is likely to injure the suspect.

In all excessive force cases, several factors need to be assessed to determine whether the level of force used was justifiable in the circumstances in question. Police dogs may only be used to attack suspects if there is a threat of imminent harm or if the suspect is fleeing or evading arrest. While it is possible for a police dog to fatally injure a suspect, the use of a police dog in subduing a suspect does not automatically qualify as the use of deadly force.

In order to file any type of police misconduct claim in Long Beach, the victim and their attorney must be able to point to existing case law that proves the officer in question violated an established law with their actions. Most police officers have qualified immunity, which protects them from liability for many types of civil damages. Overcoming qualified immunity and filing a police misconduct case requires proving very specific factors.

Police Dog Bites

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Claiming Compensation for a Police Dog Bite in Long Beach

If your Long Beach police dog bite lawyer is successful in overcoming qualified immunity by proving that the use of the police dog in the situation in question was excessive force, it is possible to claim compensation for any resulting damages. Success with a police misconduct case requires proof that the misconduct in question resulted in actual harm, and it is possible for an injured plaintiff to recover various types of compensation if they succeed with their case:

• If you suffered serious physical injuries, it is possible to recover compensation for all of the medical treatment you need to reach maximum medical improvement from your injuries. A police dog bite may result in serious puncture wounds, broken bones, deep lacerations, or various other injuries that require immediate and ongoing medical care.
• When the victims of a police dog bite are unable to work while they recover, they have the right to seek compensation for the income they were unable to earn during this period. Additionally, if they have been permanently disabled by their injuries and cannot return to work, they can claim compensation for the future income they can no longer earn.
• Suffering a police dog attack is a traumatic experience that can result in painful injuries. It is possible for the victim to seek compensation for physical pain, emotional distress, psychological trauma, and humiliation suffered from police misconduct. Your Long Beach police dog bite lawyer can help you determine a suitable amount to include in your claim.
• It is sometimes possible for plaintiffs in police misconduct cases to recover compensation for their legal expenses. They may be able to hold the police officer and/or police department accountable for their attorneys’ fees, court filing fees, and all other expenses related to bringing their claim.
• Many plaintiffs who are harmed by police misconduct are able to recover punitive damages. At the court’s discretion, the plaintiff can receive compensation meant to punish the defendant for egregious negligence or intentional misconduct and to deter similar incidents from happening in the future.

In addition to recovering compensation for these damages, it is also possible that the outcome of a police misconduct case will require the police department to review existing practices and procedures, discipline the officer in question, or even fire the officer. Your Long Beach police dog bite lawyer will explain the various effects your case might have and help you reach a positive outcome.

Reach Out to an Experienced Long Beach Police Dog Bite Lawyer Today

Whether you were hurt by a police dog while the police were arresting you or you were the unintended target of a police dog, you have the right to pursue accountability and compensation for your damages if you have been injured by police misconduct. Greg Peacock Law excels at resolving complex police misconduct cases in Long Beach and has guided many clients through the difficult legal proceedings these cases often entail.

You have a very limited time to file a police misconduct claim, so contact us today and schedule a consultation with an experienced Long Beach police dog bite lawyer you can trust with your case.