Following the furor surrounding the death of Stephan Clarke, who was fatally shot by police in his family’s backyard recently, there has been some suggestion of California limiting the scenarios where police are entitled to open fire on a suspect. Lawmakers are currently looking at reducing the wording of the legislation from “reasonable force” to “necessary force”, meaning that police officers would only be permitted to fire where “there were no other reasonable alternatives to the use of deadly force”, with the intent of reducing the risk of wrongful death by shooting. Under current law, it is very rare for police officers to be charged with injuring, or killing, someone, even where the incident has involved mistaken identity, a trend which the lawmakers in question are looking to change.
Of course, some of those police officers and other law enforcement officials permitted to use firearms oppose these proposed changes, which seem likely to be given the go-ahead. How do you feel about the changes?
Should police officers act in the line of duty be immune from civil or criminal charges, or should they be liable for personal injury caused by their negligent or reckless actions?
Personal Injury Claims in Los Angeles
If you have been injured in a Los Angeles accident, and are starting to worry about the quickly-escalating medical bills landing in your mailbox every day, it is time to stop panicking and get an experienced Los Angeles personal injury attorney on your side. Did you know that you are around 85% more likely to win a favorable outcome in your personal injury claim when you have an attorney on your team?
Without an experienced Los Angeles personal injury attorney handling your case, you could make some errors that may mark the end of your chances of a successful claim. These can include:
- Failing to make the claim in the first place, as you believe the accident was partly your fault. The truth is that, thanks to the legal doctrine of pure comparative negligence applicable in Los Angeles and throughout California, you may still be eligible to claim, if the other party is even partly responsible
- Giving a recorded statement to an insurance company. The #1 rule of handling a personal injury claim is never to give a recorded statement, particularly immediately after an accident, when your emotions may lead to an inaccurate recounting of events. Once you have been recorded, there is no taking it back
- Discussing your injuries with anyone other than the police, your insurance company, your doctor, or your Los Angeles personal injury attorney. Do not let the responsible party or their insurance company trick you into divulging details – your attorney will deal with that on your behalf. You should focus on seeking medical attention immediately, and then taking time to recover from your injuries while your Los Angeles personal injury attorney does the work.
Speak to a Los Angeles Personal Injury Attorney Today
The first step towards recovering the compensation you are entitled to be speaking to a Los Angeles personal injury attorney.
