A new website which tracks all the civil right lawsuits in New York City against the NYPD highlights not only the shocking number of cases filed against the city but the staggering amount of money it has paid out to victims in settlements over the recent past. Indeed, CAPstat has collected data from over 2,300 civil rights cases against the NYPD since 2007. That’s an average of more than 300 cases per year brought against the agency and officers who are supposed to protect and serve the residents of New York.
In that same time frame roughly 800 of those cases have been settled. That means the city has offered the victim financial compensation for their grievances. Why does the city settle out of court instead of trying to win court cases?
First, there is no guarantee that the city will win in court. Indeed, a successful civil rights lawyer in New York City could win a single lawsuit that would cost the city millions.
Second, settling the case in the early stages saves the city substantial sums of money. Thirdly, cases against the City, because of the large number and the court’s tolerance of the city’s delays take so much longer than non-city cases. The injured party although getting less is getting the money so much earlier than if the injured party waited for a trial date.
But how much do individual victims of civil rights violations in New York City stand to get if they file a lawsuit that ends in a settlement? According to the CAP stat data, those 800 or so cases that were settled since 2007 resulted in over $53 million in payouts. These settlements range from a few thousand dollars to settlements in the multi-million dollars.
If you’ve been a victim of NYPD false arrest, false imprisonment or excessive force, contact an experienced Civil Rights lawyer in New York City today. Call the Law Offices of Nussin S. Fogel at 800-734-9338 or 212-385-1122 for your free consultation right now.