When someone violates your civil rights, they should be held accountable. In most cases, it is a business or an agency that discriminates against you. Our Southfield civil rights attorneys will help you hold them responsible and recover compensation for your related damages.
A Southfield personal injury lawyer at Christensen Law will spare no resources to get you the results you deserve after someone violates your civil rights and causes you to suffer physical, emotional, or financial harm. Contact us today to learn more during a free consultation with our team.
Christensen Law Attorneys Will Fight for Justice in Your Southfield Civil Rights Case
At Christensen Law, you can count on our entire team to approach your case with compassion and understanding. We will listen to your story and put ourselves in your shoes. Our team wants to understand what you are going through and fight to get justice on your behalf. You will tell your story, and our team will listen, protect, and win for you.
Our lawyers instill trust in every client that we will protect them throughout the legal process, build a strong case, and secure their future. You can count on us to put your needs first and pursue the full compensation and other remedies available in your case. We will use all our firm resources to help you get the outcome you deserve, including holding the at-fault party accountable.
Since 1991, our team has a long track record of winning cases for our clients. We prepare every case for trial, even though many settle long before this becomes a reality. We believe this is the best way to ensure we build a compelling case and an effective approach to get our client the justice they deserve.
We handle civil rights cases based on contingency. You will not need to pay upfront fees or other costs when you hire our legal team. We work for a percentage of the money we recover for you instead.
Our Southfield, Michigan, Lawyers Understand Your Civil Rights Protections
The U.S. Constitution, along with other federal, state, and local laws, grants all people living in the United States certain civil rights. These rights include the right to employment, education, housing, policing, and voting without barriers due to certain protected traits.
Under federal law, these protected traits include:
- Race or color
- National origin
- Religion, creed, or ethnicity
- Sex
- Age, applied to those over age 40
- Disability
- Genetic information
According to the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, the state provides some protections beyond those available at the federal level. These include:
- Arrest record and, to a limited extent, criminal history
- Height or weight
- Marital status
The City of Southfield, Michigan, also has its own ordinance that adds specific protections for an individual’s sexual orientation and gender identity.
Even with these protections in place, civil rights violations occur. If this happens to you, contact our team right away. We will review our case and determine how we will help you get justice. You do not have to fight this on your own.
Our Southfield Civil Rights Attorneys Manage a Wide Range of Cases.
Civil rights violations occur in a wide range of ways. Our team can assess your case to determine what happened and what your options are for getting justice. Some of the most common examples of civil rights violations include:
Employment Discrimination
Under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, employers cannot discriminate against workers or potential employees based on their status in a protected category. This means they cannot refuse to hire, terminate, underpay, or create a hostile work environment for someone because of their race, religion, or other protected factors. Additional laws, primarily
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provide additional protections. So do state and local laws.
Education Discrimination
School districts and universities are bound by civil rights laws. However, discrimination can occur based on admission, access to quality education, and more. School negligence and discrimination are serious concerns, and our attorneys manage cases based on them.
Police or Prison Misconduct
Law enforcement officers and others involved in the criminal justice system can violate civil rights in numerous ways. Some examples include the use of excessive force, police brutality, racial profiling, prison discrimination or negligence, false arrest, wrongful imprisonment, and malicious prosecution.
Refusal of Service
Public agencies and private companies alike cannot refuse service based on protected traits. This is discrimination, and it violates the individual’s civil rights.
Harassment or Injury
Sexual assault, harassment, and other hate crimes are a violation of civil rights when they occur because someone belongs to a protected class. For example, sexual assault against someone because they are a member of the LGBTQIA+ community is a violation of their civil rights.
Housing Discrimination
The Fair Housing Act prohibits landlords, public housing agencies, and other parties from creating barriers to housing based on someone’s inclusion in a protected class.
Denying the Right to Vote
The Voting Rights Act ensures no one tries to create barriers for those in a protected class who wish to vote. This includes making it difficult to register to vote, voter suppression, and creating challenges that make it impossible to get to the polls on election day.
Disability Discrimination
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires all public places to meet specific standards of accessibility. It also requires businesses and agencies to make it possible for those with disabilities to receive services.
How Will a Southfield Civil Rights Attorney Help With My Case?
Having an attorney on your side after a Southfield, Michigan, civil rights violation ensures you have someone available who understands the applicable laws, will protect your rights, and knows how to navigate the process to get justice. You gain peace of mind knowing you do not have to handle your complaint and build a case on your own.
Civil rights violations are serious accusations and could allow you to recover a significant sum of money for your expenses and losses, emotional distress, and other damages. Hiring a lawyer ensures you maximize the compensation you receive while building a case to hold the at-fault party responsible.
What Is the Deadline for Filing a Civil Rights Complaint in Southfield, MI?
Generally, you might have only 180 days, or roughly six months, to file a complaint and begin the process of holding the party that violated your rights accountable. Exceptions exist, though. Some people have longer under certain circumstances, such as when there are also state and local laws that offer similar protections.
These deadlines are often complex, and if you miss them, you will not be able to proceed with your case unless you present a good reason why your complaint was delayed. The best option is to ensure you contact our team quickly after the violation occurs, so we ensure you adhere to the appropriate timeline.
What Damages Can I Recover Based on a Civil Rights Violation?
The recoverable damages in a civil rights violation case depend strictly on the circumstances of the case. In general, they could include:
- Economic damages, such as your financial expenses and losses, medical bills, lost income, and legal fees
- Non-economic damages for your emotional distress and other mental and psychological effects
- Exemplary damages, which are awarded in cases where the at-fault party had particularly bad conduct
Some cases also include additional remedies. For example, when the violation created barriers to housing or education, you might gain access to rent the home or admission to the university. If there was employment discrimination, you might be hired for the job or get your job back after wrongful termination. This occurs on a case-by-case basis and might not be something you are interested in after your experience.
When Should I Contact an Attorney About My Case?
We recommend calling our team as soon as possible. There are short deadlines in these cases, and the investigation is often difficult. While there is often evidence to document what happened and build a compelling case to show your civil rights were violated, this evidence is often challenging to identify and collect. Building a case could take time.
We need to preserve evidence quickly and begin to prepare your case as soon as possible after the violation occurs. The sooner you call us, the sooner we will begin protecting your rights and building a strong argument to hold the at-fault party accountable for its actions.
Discuss Your Southfield, MI, Civil Rights Violation with Our Team for Free
A team member from Christensen Law will assess your case and discuss your rights with you today for free. We provide these free case evaluations so you will learn about your legal options and how our Southfield civil rights lawyer will help you navigate the claims process and fight for justice.
Contact our team online or via telephone today to get started.
