Police Brutality Attorney Queens

Officers in Queens have a duty to use only reasonable force. When they cross the line, slamming you to the ground, striking you repeatedly, deploying tasers unnecessarily, or causing injury through deliberate violence, they violate the Constitution. At Lovelace Law, I pursue justice for victims of excessive police force and hold NYPD accountable.

Queens Residents Who Demanded Justice for Police Violence

The Moment Officers Turn Violent

One second you’re standing on a Queens street. The next, you’re grabbed and thrown to the ground without warning. Your body hits the pavement hard enough to knock the air from your lungs.

Then the pain explodes.

A baton strikes your body. Your arms. Your legs. Each hit brings fresh agony. Or maybe it’s a taser, electricity shooting through your body, muscles seizing up, nerves on fire. You can’t control your own limbs.

They drag you across pavement. Your skin scrapes off. You feel every rough patch of concrete tearing at you.

Maybe you experienced:

Kicks to your ribs while you’re down and defenseless
Fists connecting with your face, your head, your stomach
The shock that this is really happening – police are attacking you
Screaming in pain and hearing officers laugh or tell you to shut up
Blood in your mouth, vision blurred, body not responding

I’m so sorry this happened to you. The fear that they might kill you and no one will stop them is real and valid.

What officers did to you was wrong. You didn’t deserve it.

+1 (718) 662 8265

How Excessive Force Destroys Lives

The injuries show up first in medical records. Fractures. Lacerations. Contusions. Clinical terms that don’t capture how much it hurts.
You might have needed surgery. Physical therapy sessions that stretch on for months. Medications to manage pain that doesn’t fully go away. Your face might look different now. Your teeth might be damaged or missing. Eye injuries that affect how you see.
Back or neck injuries change how you move through the world. Simple activities become painful reminders of what was done to you.
The financial toll adds up:

Medical debt from treating injuries police caused

Time off work for recovery, leading to financial instability

Permanent physical limitations affecting your career and daily activities

Lost income when you physically can't do your job anymore

But the psychological damage cuts deeper than any physical wound.
Flashbacks hit you when you least expect them. You’re back on that street with fists and batons coming at you. You can’t sleep because the nightmares won’t stop. You avoid entire neighborhoods because you might see a patrol car there.
Depression settles in. Anxiety spikes every time you hear sirens. You can’t trust anyone in authority after police betrayed that trust so completely.
Your children saw your injuries and asked questions you didn’t know how to answer. Physical scars remind you of the attack every time you look in a mirror.
I hear you. I can imagine how horrible this felt. Officers are trained to use minimal necessary force. What they did to you exceeded that standard by a mile.

Your Rights When Police Use Violence

The Fourth Amendment bars unreasonable seizures, including excessive force. That’s not legal theory. It’s your constitutional protection.

Force must be proportionate to the threat and resistance level. An officer can’t escalate to violence just because you talked back or showed disrespect. Words don’t justify physical assault.

Let me walk you step by step through how courts evaluate whether force was excessive.

Key factors that matter:

Striking someone's head is extreme force requiring extreme circumstances
Multiple officers beating one person is rarely justified
Once you're controlled, additional force is typically excessive
Pain compliance techniques must be reasonable and brief
Tasers should be used only when you pose a threat, not for compliance
Officers must stop using force once resistance ends

Your prior behavior doesn’t justify excessive force during the current encounter. I’ve seen officers claim someone’s criminal history or attitude justified violence. That’s not how the law works.

Based on my experience working with the city, I know exactly what arguments they’ll make and how to counter them. I spent eight years as an NYPD detective, so I understand what training officers receive and when they violate it.

Violence Is Not Lawful Policing

Police officers can use force, but only the amount reasonably necessary under the circumstances. When they beat you, deploy weapons without justification, gang up on you, or inflict injuries disproportionate to any resistance, that’s excessive force and a civil rights violation. I document your injuries, obtain video evidence, and build a case that proves officers crossed the constitutional line.

Your medical records tell part of the story. Emergency treatment documentation. Follow-up care notes. Surgery reports. I get all of it and have it professionally analyzed.

Photographs of your injuries matter enormously. I make sure we document them at multiple stages of healing. Fresh injuries. Bruising as it develops. Scars as they form. Visual evidence is powerful.

I file FOIL requests for every piece of video. Officer body cameras. Dashboard cameras. The city doesn't hand these over willingly, but I know how to get them.

Here's how I build proof:

Canvassing for surveillance video from businesses, homes, or city cameras
Locating and interviewing civilian witnesses to the excessive force
Obtaining 911 calls and radio transmissions related to the incident
Reviewing officers' use-of-force reports for false statements
Researching officers' histories including prior complaints, lawsuits, and discipline
Consulting use-of-force experts who evaluate whether force was reasonable

I have experience with all the Queens precincts: the 104th, 105th, 108th, 109th, 110th, 111th, 112th, 113th, 114th, and 115th. I know their patterns and their officers with excessive force histories.

Medical experts analyze your injuries and connect them to specific force used. Timeline reconstruction shows the force was disproportionate. I put together every piece until the picture is undeniable.

Let me be honest with you about what we can realistically expect based on my experience with the city. I'm building the strongest possible case to secure the justice you deserve.

I can help you hold NYPD financially accountable for their actions and the harm they caused.

You're entitled to full compensation for every medical bill. Ambulance costs. Emergency room treatment. Surgery. Physical therapy. Medications. All of it.

Future medical costs matter too. If you need ongoing treatment or your injuries caused permanent conditions, you deserve compensation for that care.

Financial recovery includes:

Lost income from time unable to work due to injuries
Reduced earning capacity if injuries limit future employment
Pain and suffering damages for physical agony caused by the attack
Compensation for scarring or permanent disfigurement
Emotional distress damages for psychological trauma
Loss of quality of life when injuries prevent activities you enjoyed
Punitive damages to punish officers for malicious or reckless conduct

You can recover damages regardless of your criminal case outcome. Even if you were convicted, you still have civil rights. The criminal and civil cases are completely separate.

Let me be clear: conviction doesn't prevent excessive force recovery. I've won substantial settlements for clients who had criminal charges. The question is whether officers used excessive force, not whether you committed a crime.

Why You Must Act Within 90 Days

Listen carefully because this deadline is absolutely critical: you have 90 days from the date of excessive force to file a Notice of Claim.

Not 91 days. Not three months. Exactly 90 days.

This deadline is jurisdictional and strictly enforced. There are no exceptions. Courts cannot extend it. Miss it by one day, and you permanently lose your right to sue NYC.

The clock doesn’t stop for anything:

Immediate action preserves evidence before it disappears. Video footage gets deleted after retention periods expire. Fresh medical documentation strengthens your claim. Witness interviews capture accurate memories while they’re still fresh.

I coordinate civil cases with any criminal defense needs. Protecting your civil rights doesn’t hurt your criminal case. In fact, filing early often helps because we preserve evidence that benefits both cases.

I’m being honest with you: this 90-day deadline kills more good cases than anything else. The city counts on victims missing it. Don’t let that happen to you.

Queens Excessive Force Lawyers with Proven Results

I have a successful track record in police brutality litigation. Not just settlements, but real results that hold officers accountable and compensate victims for their suffering.

My deep knowledge of use-of-force standards and Fourth Amendment law comes from studying the Constitution and from eight years inside NYPD. I know what the law says officers should do, and I know what they actually do instead.

When you work with me:

01 .

You get familiarity with Queens precincts and patterns of excessive force

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Access to top medical and law enforcement experts who testify effectively

03 .

Aggressive approach to deposing officers and challenging their claims

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No upfront fees because I work on contingency for civil rights cases

05 .

Simultaneous handling of criminal and civil matters when necessary

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Responsive representation for Queens community members

I take your injuries seriously and fight for maximum compensation. Your pain is real. Your trauma is valid. I believe you.

I understand what you’re going through because I’ve seen this from both sides. I spent years working inside the system, and now I fight against it when it hurts innocent people.

Queens Police Brutality Questions

What's the difference between lawful force and excessive force?

Lawful force is reasonable and proportionate to the threat you posed. Excessive force is more than necessary under the circumstances. Courts look at crime severity, whether you posed a threat, and whether you actively resisted. I analyze whether officers’ force exceeded reasonable bounds.

Can officers use force if I'm verbally arguing with them?

No. A verbal dispute doesn’t justify physical force. Officers cannot hit you for talking back, cursing, or expressing anger. Force is only justified for physical threats or resistance. Words alone never justify violence.

What if I have a prior criminal record?

Your prior record is completely irrelevant to an excessive force claim. Officers must respond to the immediate situation, not your history. Many brutality victims have criminal records. That doesn’t diminish your constitutional rights or your right to compensation.

How much is my police brutality case worth?

Value depends on injury severity, medical costs, lost wages, and circumstances of the force. Cases range from thousands to millions. Permanent injuries and egregious conduct increase value. I evaluate your specific damages based on experience with similar Queens cases.

What if officers say I attacked them first?

I investigate their claims thoroughly. Body camera footage often contradicts officers’ reports. Medical evidence showing your injuries versus any officer injuries tells the real story. Witnesses can corroborate or refute their version. Officers lie frequently to justify excessive force.

Can I still sue if internal affairs cleared the officers?

Absolutely. NYPD internal investigations are separate from civil lawsuits. Different standards and burden of proof apply. Many successful civil cases involve officers who faced no internal discipline. The department protecting them doesn’t stop you from holding them accountable.

What if I need medical attention while in police custody?

Best practice is to request immediate medical attention while in police custody, so you can get real-time documentation of your injuries. Officers will often try to dissuade you from going to the hospital, by telling you that it will slow down your arrest process. Although this may be true, it’s imperative that you get documentation, because proof of your injuries is how you make your case stronger. The practice of police officers dissuading you from going to the hospital is how they cover up their misconduct.

Your Injuries Deserve Justice

Officers who brutalize residents must be held accountable. Free consultation to evaluate your case. No attorney fees unless we win. Critical 90-day deadline approaching. I believe you and fight for full compensation.