The types of compensation that you may receive after a civil rights claim are similar to those associated with a personal injury claim.
There are specific and general damages. Specific damages include loss of income, medical expenses for past, present, and future treatment. These types of damages have specific monetary numbers associated with them because you will know how much time you had to take off of work and what the costs of your medical bills were.
There are also non-specific, or general, damages, which include pain, suffering, humiliation, emotional distress, loss of life, loss of use and enjoyment of life. These types of damages do not have a specific amount of money associated with them, but a judge/ jury may determine how much they are worth so you’ll receive fair compensation. You should not have to endure the emotional distress or pain because of another person’s actions.
In police misconduct situations, there are other damages called punitive damages.
What are punitive damages?
In police misconduct cases, punitive damages may provide an additional element of damages that people can claim. They are rare but they’re intended to punish “bad actors,” or people who have not been honest about the incident that has occurred. This is a way to help change that behavior.
Discussing your case with an experienced civil rights attorney will help you understand the specific types of compensation you may receive because each case is treated uniquely.