NYPD Shooting Death & Injury Lawyers

Santana Law Firm is a New York City law firm that handles wrongful police shootings that result in death and injury. Our Manhattan and Bronx-based lawyers have helped shooting victims and their families recover millions of dollars in compensation and seek justice for unlawful police deadly force.

The use of a deadly weapon should be a last resort. Yet, due to some combination of poor training, inexperience, and a tendency towards violence, some officers reach for their guns much too quickly. The deadly truth is that gun-happy NYPD cops are often allowed to serve on the force even if they demonstrate an unwillingness to use de-escalation tactics first.

A police officer’s right to use deadly force against you is restricted, even if you have committed a crime. Ethical cops know this and abide by the law. The problem comes when police departments relax their hiring and training criteria and allow unskilled officers with a “shoot-first” mentality onto the force. Department-wide lies and cover-ups mean that many of these officers face no consequences for unlawful shootings.

At Santana Law Firm, we work to hold these officers accountable even when no one else will. Over the last 20 years, our team has taken on the NYPD’s toughest cops and secured millions of dollars in damages for people who have suffered senseless injuries and death at the hands of police. Even if you have been arrested or charged with a crime, you have rights—and those rights must be protected.

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Free, Confidential Case Evaluation

When Can Cops Use Deadly Force?

Legally, police officers can only use deadly force when it is reasonable and necessary. Landmark Supreme Court cases Tennessee v. Garner and Graham v. Connor have established the framework for when police officers are permitted to fire their weapons.

An officer can shoot:

  • 1To protect their life or the life of another innocent party
  • 2To apprehend the suspect, but only if there is probable cause that the suspect poses a dangerous threat
  • 3When there is an objectively reasonable motivation to fire

Additionally, the NYPD handbook states that “the application of force must be consistent with existing law and with New York City Police Department Values, by which we pledge to value human life and respect the dignity of each individual."

Although these guidelines are supposed to limit how often officers can shoot, cops are given broad latitude to use their weapons with little impunity in practice. Police departments argue that their officers must have the ability to make a split-second decision to shoot in order to ensure their safety. Yet this standard has allowed for the killing and injury of thousands of innocent people, and police are rarely criminally charged or even removed from the force for their actions.

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for a consultation

NY Police Shootings Cause Death and Severe Injury

Although most officers never or rarely fire their weapons, the few that do tend to do so repeatedly and recklessly. The consequences of these negligent shootings have a devastating impact on victims and their families.

Common police shooting injuries include:

  • Wrongful death
    Wrongful death
  • Spinal cord injuries
    Spinal cord injuries
  • Brain injuries
    Brain injuries
  • Paralysis
    Paralysis
  • Loss of limbs
    Loss of limbs
  • Loss of organs
    Loss of organs
  • Coma
    Coma
  • Disfigurement
    Disfigurement
  • Blindness
    Blindness
  • Chronic pain
    Chronic pain

These injuries frequently require lifelong medical care that can cost hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars. Victims may be permanently disabled and unable to work or enjoy life as they did before. Children, spouses, and families are left to pick up the pieces when a loved one is severely disabled or wrongfully killed.

Compensation for NYPD Shootings

Although nothing can make up for the pain and suffering of a police shooting, damages can help families pay for medical costs, recover lost wages, and feel a sense of justice. If a police officer or department is found to have acted negligently or violated your civil rights, they may be ordered to pay compensatory damages (designed to compensate you) or punitive damages (designed to punish the behavior and prevent it from happening again).

You may receive compensation for:

If you believe you have a case against a NY police department, you must act quickly to preserve your right to file a lawsuit. In New York State, you must file a Notice of Claim within 90 days after the shooting to initiate the process. After this deadline, it may be extremely difficult to get the justice you deserve.

Do not try to take on the police without the help of a lawyer experienced in police shooting cases. Contact an attorney as soon as possible to maximize your chance of a successful lawsuit.

Santana Law Firm

can guide you through the legal process
and hold police accountable for reckless and negligent shootings.

How Santana Law Firm Will Help You

Pursuing a case against a police officer or department is challenging because of the power police hold. History has shown that the NYPD protects its own and does all it can to conceal incidents of unlawful deadly force. Police reports may be inaccurate, and there is often little evidence to dispute them. To top it off, judges and juries often have an instinct to believe the word of police officers over the word of a victim who has committed a crime.

Police shooting lawsuits are difficult—but not impossible—to win. With a skilled NYC police shooting lawyer on your side, the truth will come to light, and justice can be won.

Santana Law Firm Will:

  • 1Immediately take action to preserve your right to file a lawsuit
  • 2Thoroughly investigate your case to challenge the police’s side of the story
  • 3Scrutinize the officer’s record to find a possible pattern of violence
  • 4Find witnesses and evidence to confirm unlawful shooting
  • 5Work with our network of experts to develop a strong argument
  • 6Develop a strategy to secure the maximum compensation possible

The only way to stop unlawful shootings is to hold police legally accountable for their actions. Filing a wrongful shooting lawsuit not only helps you find closure and justice, but it can help prevent violent officers from harming someone else.

If you or a loved one has been the victim of a wrongful police shooting, contact our office today to schedule a confidential case evaluation. Our lawyers are ready to advocate for you.