Excessive Force Lawsuit Payouts: A Guide

The payout you can expect from an excessive force lawsuit depends on the specifics. Some cases are worth a few thousand dollars, while others can be worth millions.

This guide provides an overview of a wide range of police brutality cases. Some were worth only thousands, and some were worth millions. As you can see, the underlying facts of each case—the extent of the damages and the extent of the officer’s misconduct—affect the value of each case.

If you have an excessive force claim against the police in New York City, contact NYC police brutality lawyer Cody Warner, P.C. We can discuss your case and develop a strategy to get you justice.

$1,000,000 Excessive Force Lawsuit Payout

On December 12, 2012, Tony Martinez was walking to his family’s bakery in San Diego, California. While walking, Martinez was ordered to stop by Deputy Jeffery Guy of the San Diego Sheriff’s Department. Martinez, who has Down syndrome, continued walking, ignoring Guy’s orders. Guy proceeded to pepper spray Martinez and beat him with a metal baton.

Meanwhile, multiple bystanders informed Guy that Martinez has Down syndrome and can’t understand him. In response, Guy stopped attacking Martinez and took him to the hospital. Evaluations at the hospital reported facial abrasions and injuries to Martinez’s eyes, legs, arms, and back. On June 25, 2015, an excessive force lawsuit settlement of $1,000,000 was granted to the Martinez family from the County of San Diego.

$857,000 Excessive Force Lawsuit Payout

In March 2013, Cassandra Feuerstein was found asleep in her vehicle by officers in Skokie, Illinois. After conducting an investigation, the officers arrested Feuerstein for driving under the influence. Feurstein was then taken to jail, and police began to process her intake. The main processing officer, Michael Hart, shoved Feuerstein into a concrete bench after she failed to comply.

After being released from jail, Feuerstein filed a lawsuit against Michael Hart, claiming excessive force, battery, and officer misconduct. Feuerstein also claimed injuries, including several shattered facial bones and facial nerve damage. She also stated that after the incident, she needed reconstructive surgery, including a titanium plate cheek implant. In 2015, Feuerstein received an excessive force lawsuit settlement of $857,000 from the Village of Skokie.

$600,000 Excessive Force Lawsuit Payout

On July 19, 2021, Jeffrey Burton was seen wandering outside an apartment complex in Huntsville, Alabama. Burton, who has an intellectual disability and the mental capacity of approximately a six-year-old, is prone to wandering. He was nearly half a mile away from his home.

A security guard at the apartment complex saw Burton and contacted the Huntsville Police Department. The guard claimed he saw a strange man walking, possibly high on drugs or experiencing a mental episode. Upon arriving, two officers tackled Burton, which led to him needing medical attention. In May 2022, Burton’s family filed a lawsuit against the officers, claiming excessive force. In 2023, the family received a $600,000 excessive force lawsuit settlement from the Huntsville City Council.

$500,000 Excessive Force Lawsuit Payout

In January 2016, Tony Jennings and his friend were sitting in their car in Syracuse, New York. Simultaneously, Officers Jeremy Decker and Darrin Ettinger, part of the Syracuse Police Department Crime Reduction Team, were patrolling the area. While patrolling, the officers approached Jennings’s car and noticed furtive movements inside. They shined a light into the vehicle and allegedly saw white powder residue on a scale. The officers then ordered the pair to exit the vehicle and began to conduct a search.

Decker then tackled Jennings to the ground and struck him on the side of the head. Decker and Ettinger continued to beat Jennings and placed him under arrest. In 2017, Jennings filed a lawsuit against Decker and Ettinger, claiming excessive force and racial profiling. In August 2023, Jennings received a settlement of $500,000 from the city of Syracuse.

$387,000 Excessive Force Lawsuit Payout

On May 29, 2020, Dounya Zayer attended a protest in Brooklyn, New York. Officer Vincent D’Andraia, who was patrolling the protest, shoved Zayer, causing her to fall back onto the pavement. D’Andraia allegedly shoved Zayer for no reason other than attending the protest.

Zayer later filed a lawsuit against D’Andraia, claiming excessive force and injury. Zayer stated she suffered a concussion as well as lingering pain from the incident. In June 2022, Zayer received a $387,000 settlement from the City of New York.

$350,000 Excessive Force Lawsuit Payout

On July 20, 2020, Guadalupe Marin and her family were driving into a McDonald’s parking lot in San Jose, California. Soon after pulling into the lot, two officers, Matthew Rodriguez and Tyler Moran, approached her car with their weapons drawn. The officers believed they saw this vehicle evading police the prior week, which was the reason for their approach. However, Marin had purchased the car just two days prior and claimed she had not been evading police.

Rodriguez ordered the family to exit the car and instructed Marin to get on the ground. Rodriguez then ordered Marin to crawl forward, which she hesitated to do. After Marin hesitated, Rodriguez kicked her in the abdomen and handcuffed her forcefully. Rodrigugez then dragged her across the pavement, causing her face, knees, and ankles to bleed. A CT scan revealed internal soft tissue damage as well as external bruising. Marin later filed a lawsuit against the officers, claiming excessive force and injury. In June 2024, Marin received a $350,000 settlement from the San Jose City Council.

$300,000 Excessive Force Lawsuit Payout

In 2019, Adrian Burrell witnessed an officer pull over a motorcyclist outside his home in Vallejo, California. The officer, David McLaughlin, held the motorcyclist at gunpoint, prompting Burrell to decide to film the interaction. McLaughlin saw Burrell filming and ordered him to stop. When Burrell refused, McLaughlin approached him, smashed his face into the wall, and shoved him into a pole.

McLaughlin then handcuffed Burrell, causing the skin on his wrists to break and his hands to go numb. Burrell later filed a lawsuit against McLaughlin, claiming excessive force and injury. In 2022, Burrell received a $300,000 settlement from the city of Vallejo.

$200,000 Excessive Force Lawsuit Payout

On February 13, 2019, Scott Osborn crashed into two vacant cars while driving in Columbus, Ohio. Osborn had allegedly hit black ice on the road, causing him to lose control of his vehicle. Multiple officers quickly responded to the collision and approached Osborn. In a state of shock, Osborn quickly exited his vehicle and began to run away.

One of the officers tackled Osborn to the ground, attempting to arrest him. Osborn resisted, and an officer struck him in the torso while another punched him in the face multiple times. The officers then tased, maced, and handcuffed Osborn. After being brought to Grant Medical Center, Osborn was diagnosed with permanent vision loss, bruises, severe head trauma, and physical scarring. Osborn later filed a lawsuit, claiming assault, excessive force, and injury. In September 2023, he received a $200,000 settlement from the city of Columbus.

$130,000 Excessive Force Lawsuit Payout

On April 9, 2020, three police officers entered Alex Hornback’s home in Shepherdsville, Ohio. The officers, Thomas Czartorski, James Cameron Wright, and Kevin Dreisbach, had an arrest warrant for Hornback for missing a district court appearance. Upon entering, Wright handcuffed and arrested Hornback.

Suddenly, Wright grabbed Hornback by the neck and tackled him to the ground. Czartorski and Wright then proceeded to beat Hornback, including hitting him with a flashlight. Although Hornback was not resisting, the officers continued to pin him down forcefully. After the incident, Hornback filed a lawsuit against the officers, claiming assault and excessive force. In January 2023, Hornback received a $130,000 settlement from the Kentucky Police Department.

$55,000 Excessive Force Lawsuit Payout

In August 2020, Eli Winkelman was attending a protest in Austin, Texas. At the protest, she saw someone being arrested, prompting her to start filming with her cell phone. While filming, an officer knocked her phone out of her hand. Winkleman then asked for the officer’s badge number. In response, the officer shoved her, grabbed her by the neck, and threw her to the ground.

As a result of the officer’s force, Winkelman suffered a concussion and severe lingering pain. Winkelman later filed a lawsuit against the officer, claiming excessive force. In 2024, Winkelman received a $55,000 settlement from the Austin Police Department.

$41,500 Excessive Force Lawsuit Payout

On April 17, 2016, Monterey Keith was attending his friend’s memorial service in East Harlem, New York. While at the service, Keith received information that a friend of his had been injured nearby. When Keith arrived on the scene, he asked Officer William Hart if he could ride in the ambulance with his injured friend. The officer responded by shoving Keith and instructing him to back up. Keith complied, but asked again if he could ride in the ambulance. Hart then tackled Keith to the ground and arrested him. After his arrest, Keith filed a lawsuit against Hart, claiming false arrest and excessive force. On January 30, 2020, Keith received a $41,500 judgment from the City of New York.

Need Help? Contact Cody Warner, P.C.

If you believe you have an excessive force claim against the police in NYC, contact us today. We can evaluate your claim and help you get justice.