Portland, Oregon: Police Misconduct Attorneys
As a small law firm that primarily focuses on criminal defense matters and personal injury, Raivio, Kohlmetz & Steen, P.C., is uniquely situated to provide highly qualified legal representation to individuals victimized by police misconduct.
Through our criminal defense work, our attorneys are deeply knowledgeable about proper police procedure – which makes us well-qualified to spot improper police procedure when it occurs.
Through our personal injury work, we have advanced experience calculating a financial value for an injury claim and helping our clients achieve fair financial compensation for physical injuries and lost wages as a result of police misconduct.
What Makes a Good Police Misconduct Claim?
For a police misconduct lawsuit to have a chance of success, a person must have suffered a visible injury. A visible injury is either a serious physical injury or a serious violation of a constitutional right.
- Wrongful arrest: In an unlawful arrest, the police make an arrest regardless of the fact that they lack probable cause to make the arrest. The longer a person is held in custody without access to a telephone or an attorney, the more likely it is that a valid wrongful arrest claim exists.
- Excessive force: Even if the police have probable cause to make an arrest, the police must not use excessive force in making the arrest. “Excessive force” is when the police use more force than is reasonably necessary to subdue and restrain the suspect. If a suspect is not resisting arrest and is following commands from the arresting officers, but nonetheless suffers injury, that may be an example of excessive force. Unnecessary use of a Taser, a police baton, or a police officer's sidearm – any of these may be excessive force, depending on the circumstances.
Contact Raivio, Kohlmetz & Steen for a Free and Confidential Initial Consultation
All initial consultations are free. We will discuss fees in depth at the initial consultation and we will work with you to find a fee structure that is appropriate given the nature and complexity of the case against you. We can negotiate flat rate fees or hourly-rate fees, depending again on the type of case.
In all cases, we make sure our clients always understand exactly what fees and costs they will pay for our services.
Contact our office today to schedule a free and confidential initial meeting. Call toll-free to 1-888-311-2016, or send us an e-mail.
