Octogenarian Wins $880,000 Verdict against Orlando Police Officer
A federal jury has awarded an 86-year-old man, whose neck was broken by an Orlando Police officer during an arrest in 2010, $880,000 in compensation.
The senior’s long road to this verdict began on Sept. 18, 2010 when he and an Orlando Police officer got into a confrontation over the towing of the elderly man’s Chrysler Crossfire from a strip mall on Orange Avenue in Orlando. The officer claimed that the man was drunk, belligerent, and threatened him. The senior citizen said he merely tapped the officer to get his attention.
What’s not in dispute is that during the takedown and arrest, the senior’s neck was broken. He was in the hospital for three months while recovering from his injuries. He later filed an excessive-force lawsuit against the police officer.
The jury found that the officer had violated the man’s civil rights and was responsible for his injuries. Although only the policeman, and not the city of Orlando, was named in the suit, it is likely that the city’s insurer will make the payment.
According to the elderly man, he still can’t move his head from side to side, which limits his ability to drive and has forced him to stop playing golf. He claims that part of the money will go to pay about $500,000 in medical bills.
He told the Orlando Sentinel he was pleased with the verdict and that he felt that justice had prevailed. “I just want to go on with my life,” he said.
The public places its trust in law enforcement officers to act appropriately, and in most cases they do. But, sometimes an officer can go too far and catastrophic injuries can result. If you believe you’ve been injured due to use of excessive force by law enforcement, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact an Orlando personal injury lawyer at Farah & Farah to see if you have a case. We can be reached at (800) 533-3555.
