Boston Police Brutality Attorneys
Also, see When Can Police Use Tasers?
Types of Taser Injuries
Police Taser Stun Gun Injury Attorneys, Boston, Quincy & New Bedford.
In the past ten years, hundreds of people have died after being hit by tasers, and hundreds more have been severely injured. Tasers work by delivering thousands of volts to the victim, usually via two dart-like electrodes that can be fired by police officers from a range of up to 15 feet. The immediate effect of this five-second-long electric shock is to disrupt the victim’s voluntary muscle control and set off a series of involuntary muscle contractions, which usually bring the suspect immediately to his or her knees.
People can be injured by tasers in a variety of ways. First and foremost, the intense electric shock delivered by a taser can affect the victim’s heart rhythm, resulting (in susceptible individuals) in fatal cardiac arrhythmias. (In 2009, Taser International advised police officers to aim their tasers well below their targets’ chests, to reduce the possibility of accidental death.) Second, the shock delivered by a taser can exacerbate the dangerous side effects of drugs, either legal or illegal, once again leading to death or serious injury.
Death by taser is a relatively rare event, however, and it is far more common for taser victims to experience electrical burns or scars. It’s also not uncommon for the severe, involuntary muscle contractions caused by Tasers to result in sprained or even broken limbs, especially if the victim falls to the ground from an awkward position.
There have also been cases where Tasers ignited nearby flammable substances (chemicals, gas stations, methamphetamine labs) and the target was severely burned.
Massachusetts Police Taser Injury Attorneys, Free Consultation
If you were a victim of the use of excessive force by police, or suffered severe injuries after being wrongfully tasered by a police stun gun your civil rights may have been violated. Before you assume you have no right to civil justice, call our attorneys today and discuss your case for free.
No matter where you are located, we are just a phone call away. Call us to schedule a free no-obligation case review and consultation at (508) 588-0422 and you will have taken your first step to find out how best to confront this important matter. You can also click here to use our Free Case Evaluation Form.
