At Sivin, Miller & Roche LLP, we represent New Yorkers from all walks of life who have experienced police misconduct. Whether you’re a lifelong resident of Jackson Heights or a visitor who encountered trouble near the Brooklyn Bridge, understanding the financial aspects of pursuing justice is crucial. When your rights have been violated by law enforcement in the five boroughs, you may wonder: how much does it cost to sue the police in NYC? Contact us today for a confidential consultation to discuss your case and explore your legal options. Your voice deserves to be heard.

How Much Does it Cost to Sue the Police in NYC?

Suing the police typically costs nothing upfront, as most civil rights attorneys work on a contingency (taking 33-40% of any settlement/verdict). Your attorney usually advances any expenses and recovers only if your case succeeds.

Reasons to Sue The Police in NYC

At Sivin, Miller & Roche LLP, we advocate for individuals whose rights have been violated by law enforcement in NYC. Here are legitimate reasons you may need to pursue legal action against the police:

• Excessive Force: When officers use more physical force than reasonably necessary given the circumstances, causing injuries that could have been avoided.
• False Arrest: When police detain or arrest you without probable cause or proper legal justification, depriving you of your liberty.
• Malicious Prosecution: When law enforcement pursues charges against you without probable cause and with improper motives, often resulting in dismissed cases.
• Illegal Search and Seizure: When police search your person, vehicle, or property without a warrant, consent, or legally recognized exception.
• Civil Rights Violations: When officers discriminate against you based on race, religion, gender, or other protected characteristics during interactions.
• Police Brutality: When law enforcement subjects you to unnecessarily harmful physical treatment, often resulting in serious injuries.
• Wrongful Death: When police actions directly cause the death of a family member through unjustified use of deadly force or negligence.
• First Amendment Violations: When officers prevent you from exercising your rights to free speech, peaceful assembly, or recording police activity in public.
• Deliberate Indifference to Medical Needs: When detained individuals are denied necessary medical care while in police custody.
• Police Negligence: When careless or reckless actions by officers cause foreseeable harm that could have been prevented.

If you’ve experienced any of these violations in New York City, consulting with a police misconduct lawyer can help determine if you have grounds for a lawsuit against the NYPD or other law enforcement agencies.

Do You Have a Claim To Sue the NYC Police?

At Sivin, Miller & Roche LLP, we help New Yorkers determine if their negative encounters with the NYPD constitute legitimate legal claims. Consider these key factors when evaluating your potential case:

• Constitutional Rights Violation: Your Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable searches and seizures may establish a claim if officers searched your home without a warrant or proper exception.
• Physical Injuries: Documented injuries from police interactions, especially those requiring medical treatment at NYC facilities like Bellevue or Kings County Hospital, strengthen your case against law enforcement.
• Improper Arrest: Being handcuffed and detained without probable cause or reasonable suspicion constitutes false arrest, even if charges were later dismissed at the courthouse on Centre Street.
• Excessive Force: Officers using more force than necessary for the situation—such as deploying tasers, batons, or physical restraints when you weren’t resisting—creates grounds for a police misconduct claim.
• Racial Profiling: Being targeted by police primarily due to your race or ethnicity rather than specific suspicious behavior violates equal protection principles and supports a civil rights lawsuit.
• Property Damage: Unnecessary destruction of your property during police interactions, such as breaking doors during a raid in Queens or damaging personal items during a stop in Brooklyn, may warrant compensation.
• Violation of Miranda Rights: Failure to inform you of your rights to remain silent and have an attorney present before questioning can invalidate statements made and support your legal claim.
• Malicious Prosecution: When officers pursue charges despite knowing you’re innocent or lacking evidence, particularly if the case was eventually dismissed in New York Supreme Court.
• Witness Documentation: Having witnesses from your neighborhood in the Bronx, Manhattan, or other boroughs who observed and can testify about police misconduct substantially strengthens your case.
• Timely Filing: Valid claims must be filed within specific deadlines—typically within 90 days for a Notice of Claim and one year for a federal lawsuit—so consulting a police misconduct lawyer promptly is crucial.

If you recognize your experience in these points, contact our firm immediately for a thorough evaluation of your potential claim against the NYPD. The sooner you reach out, the better we can preserve evidence and protect your right to seek justice in New York’s courts.

Compensation You May Be Entitled To From Suing the NYC Police

When your rights have been violated by law enforcement, you may be eligible for the following forms of compensation:

• Medical Expense Reimbursement: Recovery for all healthcare costs related to injuries caused by police, including emergency treatment at NYC hospitals, follow-up care, physical therapy, and future medical needs.
• Lost Wages: Compensation for income you couldn’t earn while recovering from police-inflicted injuries, attending court proceedings for false charges, or during wrongful detention.
• Pain and Suffering: Monetary damages for physical pain endured during and after a police misconduct incident, which can be substantial in cases involving excessive force in neighborhoods from Harlem to Staten Island.
• Emotional Distress: Compensation for psychological trauma, anxiety, depression, or PTSD resulting from police abuse, often requiring testimony from mental health professionals familiar with trauma in NYC communities.
• Violation of Constitutional Rights: Financial remedies specifically for the deprivation of your civil liberties, which courts recognize has inherent value regardless of other damages.
• Punitive Damages: Additional compensation designed to punish particularly egregious or malicious police misconduct and deter similar behavior by other NYPD officers.
• Loss of Enjoyment of Life: Damages reflecting your diminished ability to participate in daily activities, hobbies, or family life as a result of police-inflicted injuries or trauma.
• Property Damage: Reimbursement for personal belongings damaged or destroyed during police encounters, from broken doors during wrongful raids to confiscated items never returned.
• Wrongful Death Compensation: Damages awarded to family members when police actions result in a loved one’s death, including loss of financial support, funeral expenses, and loss of companionship.
• Attorney’s Fees and Litigation Costs: When you prevail in federal civil rights cases against the NYPD, the city may be required to pay your legal expenses in addition to your compensation.

The value of your police misconduct claim depends on multiple factors including the severity of rights violations, extent of injuries, and impact on your life. Our firm has secured significant settlements for New Yorkers from all five boroughs who’ve suffered at the hands of law enforcement, and we’re ready to pursue the maximum compensation you deserve.

How a Police Misconduct Lawyer Can Help Protect Your Rights

Our police misconduct lawyers provide crucial support throughout the complex process of seeking justice against the NYPD and NYC government.

• Case Evaluation: A thorough assessment of your police encounter to identify all potential civil rights violations and determine whether incidents in neighborhoods from Washington Heights to Brighton Beach constitute actionable misconduct.
• Evidence Preservation: Immediate action to secure crucial documentation including body camera footage, surveillance video from NYC businesses, 911 recordings, and medical records from city hospitals before they can be altered or destroyed.
• Notice of Claim Filing: Precise preparation and timely submission of this mandatory document within the strict 90-day deadline required before suing the NYPD, ensuring all legal requirements are met to protect your right to compensation.
• Witness Interviews: Systematic identification and documentation of testimony from people who observed the police misconduct, whether on a busy Manhattan street corner or a quiet residential block in Queens.
• Internal Affairs Navigation: Strategic management of the NYPD’s internal investigation process, ensuring your complaint receives proper attention while protecting you from potential intimidation or retaliation.
• Discovery Management: Aggressive pursuit of all relevant police records, including officer disciplinary histories, department policies, training materials, and command logs that the NYPD often resists disclosing.
• Expert Witness Coordination: Selection and preparation of medical professionals, former law enforcement officials, and other specialists who can provide authoritative testimony about police procedures and your resulting injuries.
• Settlement Negotiation: Skilled advocacy during discussions with city attorneys to secure fair compensation without the lengthy process of trial, while never sacrificing the full value of your police misconduct claim.
• Trial Representation: Forceful courtroom presentation of your case when necessary, utilizing decades of experience litigating against the city in both state courts and federal courthouses in the Eastern and Southern Districts.
• Civil Rights Protection: Steadfast commitment to not only your individual case but to the broader mission of holding the NYPD accountable and improving policing throughout New York’s diverse communities.

If you’ve experienced police misconduct anywhere in NYC’s five boroughs, don’t face this challenging system alone. Our team has secured millions in compensation for victims of false arrest, excessive force, and other violations while helping reform police practices across the city. Contact us today to discuss how we can help protect your rights and seek the justice you deserve.

Stand Up Against Police Misconduct Today

If you believe the NYPD violated your rights, don’t wait to seek justice. At Sivin, Miller & Roche LLP, we fight tirelessly for New Yorkers from all five boroughs who have experienced police misconduct. Contact us today for a confidential consultation to discuss your case and explore your legal options. Your voice deserves to be heard.