No one should be forced to endure mistreatment, abuse, or physical injury from wrongful conduct of a government actor such as the police or a corrections facility. If you or a loved one has suffered serious injury or wrongful death due to police brutality, excessive force, or wrongful conduct at jail or prison, we can help.
There is no one-size-fits all approach to civil-rights cases. Each is extremely fact-specific and calls for a deep and thorough investigation prior to filing a lawsuit. Once our pre-suit investigation is complete, our attorneys can begin to strategize about the most appropriate way to litigate your case. Every decision requires careful consideration: how detailed should the allegations be? Should we file the case in state court or federal court? How many and what types of experts should we hire? Who are the friends and family members who can best explain to a jury how you were before and how you are after? We answer all these questions to chart the best path to a just result in each case.
Pictures and Videos Are Gold
As you may have noticed in the media: one of the only ways to hold government wrongdoers accountable is by finding photographs and videos that were taken by the victims or bystanders.
You Have a Right to Remain Silent. Use It
When a police officer questions you during a traffic stop, that interaction is designed with one goal in mind: to get you to produce evidence against yourself. You do not have to consent to a search of yourself, your person, or your belongings. If they do so despite your assertion of your right to silence and your refusal to consent to a search, your civil rights case is stronger.
Document Everything You Remember
If you believe your rights were violated, write down anything you can remember about the encounter: the officers’ names, their badge numbers, which agency they were from, the contact information for witnesses and any other details that seem important.
The law gives people the right to sue when government actors violate their constitutional rights. Even getting to a trial in these cases, however, can be difficult. Qualified Immunity is a doctrine that protects state actors unless plaintiffs can prove not only that their civil rights were violated, but also that the wrongdoers knew or should have known they were violating those civil rights. As such, civil-rights attorneys must thoroughly investigate every case early on to find a viable avenue to liability.
Daniel McLafferty is an amazing attorney. He handled my personal injury claim with amazing intellect, talent, and tenacity.
... their genuine care and assertiveness for you and your case will speak for itself. They get to know you, study your case and represent you with knowledge, dedication, and perseverance.
Jesse paid prompt attention to all details. The support staff’s performance under Jesse’s guidance and client relation was equally professional, timely and high-quality.
Bastion was completely up front with me & made sure I knew the risks of going forward but they both pulled through for me. After battling for 4 years, my case is now won.
Personal Injury is a stressful process, having legal expertise is important. I highly recommend this firm.
Jesse and Dan from Bastion Law are great to work with. They care about their clients and work hard for them. If you’re looking for someone that goes above and beyond for their clients I would contact Bastion Law. The experience has been a good one.
Dan keeps you informed every step of the way and the results exceeded my expectation. I will refer everyone I know to Mr. McLafferty.
Daniel made me feel at ease that everything would be taken care of and he held true to that. I was able to concentrate on healing while Daniel did all the work.
Daniel McLafferty handled my case after I was in a car accident. From the moment I met him, I felt better. Unlike my insurance company, he was actually looking out for my best interests.
Dan fought hard for my settlement and I received much more than I would have if I’d done this on my own. I highly recommend him to anyone in need of a personal injury attorney.
Daniel did a great job- he was always helpful and responded quickly any time I needed him. Great job, great guy.
Daniel took the time to update me each step of the way, and helped translate legal language so that I understood the concepts and what was being asked of me.
Dan is a brilliant attorney- he was knowledgeable about every aspect in our case. He worked tirelessly around the clock to win our case for us.
Dan was very informative, polite and a hard worker. Provided a diligent and fruitful outcome to my case. On top of all his responsibilities while simultaneously listening attentively.