If you are arrested and become injured while in police custody, you may be able to sue for damages.

Seeking Justice for Personal Injuries That Occurred While Incarcerated

You may be able to sue for personal injuries that occur while incarcerated under certain circumstances. Even though you have been arrested for an alleged crime, the authorities still have an obligation to protect you from physical harm. If your injuries happened due to police negligence, Las Vegas injury attorneys can tell you whether you have a case worth pursuing in court.

Police Brutality

The authorities are allowed to use a reasonable amount of force while making an arrest, but legal action can be taken if the force was excessive and caused you harm. The Eighth Amendment, which protects you from cruel and unusual punishment while incarcerated, can be cited to further strengthen your case. You will likely have an easier time proving your case if any video footage was taken during the incident.

Discrimination

If you were targeted by fellow inmates or guards and suffered physical injuries because of your race, religion or sexual orientation, you may have grounds to pursue legal action based on civil rights violations. Anyone found guilty of this offense may even face hate crime charges, which often carry stiffer legal penalties and can result in greater jail time for the offenders.

Sexual Assault

You should never have to face the physically and emotionally traumatic occurrence of sexual assault while incarcerated. If you were violated in this way, it is important to gather as much evidence as possible so that you and your attorney can attempt to convince a judge or jury to award you compensation.