Arizona Citizen Suing Police for Hit-and-Run Incident
A 23-year-old man who was struck by a Prescott, AZ police vehicle is seeking $100,000 in damages including $4,800 in medical bills, $2,800 in lost wages and $92,000 in pain and suffering costs. The victim suffered damage to his left knee and lower leg following the incident. The lawsuit claims the victim was forced to undergo extensive treatment for his injuries including 12 weeks of recuperation time. A police report stated the victim refused medical attention at the time of the collision. The report states the accident occurred as the officer was attempting to make a left turn at an intersection and was momentarily blinded by the glare of the sun.
An investigation was conducted by Prescott Police Department but the lawsuit claims this investigation had an immediate conflict of interest because the officer involved in the incident was also from the same police department. The investigating officer cited the victim for violating a pedestrian control sign but a Magistrate Judge dismissed the citation.
This incident demonstrates that civilians and police officers alike should be held to the same standard according to the law. There is always a chance for conflict of interest to interfere in an investigation, especially one regarding a police officer from the same department. However, if a second investigation shows that the police officer was responsible for the hit-and-run accident, he should be held accountable for his actions despite his position as a law enforcement officer. Nobody should ever be allowed to get away with things simply because of their employment position or their status in society. The victim in this case deserves to have some form of compensation for the pain and suffering he has gone through as a result of this incident.
Negligence is something that will always occur because people are not always consciously aware of their actions and they do not take into account the potential consequences of their actions beforehand. As a result, there is always going to be a case where a person takes some course of action that could be proven to be negligent and harmed another person. If you or someone you love has been injured as a result of this sort of negligence, you should contact an attorney who can help you determine the legal action you can take against the perpetrator.
