Great question — the answer is: **not typically**, but there’s some overlap depending on the situation.
### Here’s the breakdown:
#### 🔹 **Criminal Defense Lawyer:**
– Their main job is to **defend people accused of crimes**.
– They step in if **you were charged** with a crime after an incident involving police (like resisting arrest, assaulting an officer, etc.).
– If the police claim *you* did something wrong, then you’d want a criminal defense attorney to protect your rights.
#### 🔹 **Police Brutality / Civil Rights Lawyer:**
– If the police used **excessive force**, leading to **major injuries or needing surgery**, and **you weren’t doing anything illegal** (or the force was clearly beyond reasonable), that’s a **civil rights violation**.
– These cases are often handled by lawyers who specialize in:
– **Police brutality**
– **Excessive force**
– **Civil rights law (e.g., §1983 lawsuits)**
– **Personal injury law**, especially when serious injuries are involved
These lawyers **sue the police department or city** for things like:
– Medical expenses
– Pain and suffering
– Lost wages
– Punitive damages
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### 🔄 When Both Might Be Needed:
If you were **injured by police AND charged with a crime**, you might need:
– A **criminal defense lawyer** to handle the charges
– A **civil rights or personal injury lawyer** to sue for the injuries
Some larger law firms may offer both services or work together with others to cover all your legal bases.
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If this is something you’re going through — or someone you know is — let me know and I can help guide you on next steps or what to look for in a lawyer.
