Abdallah Law obtained a $750,000 jury verdict for a client who suffered a severely broken leg during an unjustified police foot pursuit in Chicago.
Three other law firms declined the case because they believed it would be too difficult to win. We saw a client who deserved to have his case heard, accepted the challenge, and took the case to trial.
What Happened?
Our client was pursued by a Chicago police officer even though the circumstances did not justify the chase. While attempting to get away, our client tried to scale a fence. The officer kicked the fence and caused it to move beneath him, sending our client to the ground.
The fall caused a severe leg fracture that required surgery and the placement of permanent hardware.
The case presented difficult questions involving police conduct, an officer’s use of force, the justification for initiating a foot pursuit, and the circumstances surrounding our client’s fall.
The City Offered Only $25,000 Before Trial
Before trial, the City of Chicago offered $25,000 to resolve the case.
Abdallah Law rejected that offer and presented the evidence to a Cook County jury. Through police body-camera footage, officer testimony, medical evidence, and a careful reconstruction of the incident, we showed how the officer’s actions caused our client’s devastating injury.
After hearing the evidence, the jury returned a verdict of $750,000 in our client’s favor, 30 times the City’s pretrial offer.
Why This Case Matters
Police officers have significant authority, but that authority carries responsibility. A person’s decision to run does not automatically authorize an unnecessary pursuit or the use of dangerous force.
This verdict demonstrates that difficult police misconduct cases can be won when lawyers are prepared to examine the evidence closely, challenge the official account, and take the case to trial.
Chicago Police Misconduct and Civil Rights Attorneys
Abdallah Law represents people injured through police brutality, excessive force, unjustified pursuits, and other forms of police misconduct in Chicago and throughout Illinois.
We are willing to investigate cases that other law firms may consider too difficult. Our attorneys examine body-camera recordings, police reports, radio communications, department policies, medical evidence, and witness testimony to determine what actually happened.
If you or a family member suffered a serious injury during an encounter with law enforcement, contact Abdallah Law for a confidential consultation.
Result: $750,000 jury verdict
Defendant: City of Chicago
Type of case: Police misconduct, unjustified foot pursuit, and serious personal injury
Pretrial offer: $25,000
Past results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome. Every case depends on its particular facts, evidence, applicable law, and other circumstances.