The role of the government is to maintain law and order. However, that doesn’t mean the government can’t violate human rights. If the government violates your civil rights, you have to defend yourself in court for compensation. That may sound easy. Right? With the assistance of an experienced New York civil rights attorney, especially those at Friedman Levy, will present you to get the compensation you rightfully deserve in court.
Again, you don’t have to worry because there is a Civil Rights Act that ensures a citizen can defend himself/herself in court. This is regardless of your connections or wealth. And if you win the civil rights case, the Civil Rights Act ensures the government will pay your attorney’s fee. Litigation is expensive because the Civil Rights Act encourages you to defend your rights in court – without becoming bankrupt. The attorney’s fee also encourages lawyers to represent people whom the government violates.
How Civil Rights are Violated
There are many ways your civil rights could be violated. These could be sexual harassment, race discrimination, fair housing violations, and more. When you find yourself in one of these situations, there are many questions to ask yourself, depending on the situation. These are questions you need to ask your lawyer to determine whether and how your civil rights were violated. If you find that your civil rights are violated, what should you do?
Informal Negotiations
Like other legal disputes, you can opt to solve your civil rights without filing papers in court. This will also help avoid facing prospects of legal battles that may take long before compensation. A good example is where you experience potential employment discrimination and decide to solve it with your employer. The employer may agree to pay you a certain amount as severance. That becomes an easy way to solve the matter before it gets out of hand.
File Your Claim With The Government
When there is no agreement to solve the civil rights violation, one of the options you have is filing a complaint at the federal or state level. In this case, you will allow the government agency to take steps in enforcing your civil rights. On the other hand, filing a complaint usually triggers an investigation by the agency while the government takes further actions on your behalf. There will be no difference where your case is handled – either at the state or federal level. What plays a significant role are the claims involved – the laws allegedly violated. It is also crucial to note that for some civil rights, you have to first claim with the government before making a private lawsuit.
Private Lawsuit
If you are a victim of a civil rights violation, there is a chance to file a lawsuit against the responsible individuals that led to suffering. After you decide you want to file a lawsuit, the first thing to consider is where you should file a claim. This is something to do at the federal or state court. The choice of where to file a claim will depend on you. These will depend on the specifications of your case and applicable law.
