Police Assault Claims

If you’ve been injured due to the use of unreasonable force by the police, you may be able to institute a personal injury claim against the South African Police Services or the metropolitan police department in your city.

What to do after an assault by the police

You should gather as much useful information about the case as possible. This includes:

the name or names of the offending officer(s)
the names and contact details of any witnesses
reports from attending medical professionals
photographs of any visible injuries.

It’s also important to keep any receipts for medical costs and any other payments you make in relation to the incident.

Note that all personal injury claims have to be made within a pre-determined time limit. For claims against an organ of state, such as the South African Police Service, it may also be necessary to give notice of the intended action within six months of the date on which the cause of action arose.

This makes it essential to begin the claim process as soon as possible after an assault occurs.

Why you need the expertise of a specialist personal injury lawyer

Statutory requirements have to be met before claims are initiated against any government body. Because the South African Police Service is a government agency, police assault claims have their own complexities and require particular expertise.