Being shot can be very traumatizing event. As a Miami shooting lawyer, it is something that I see more and more often these days, unfortunately. If you don’t believe me, a simple media search will get you multiple new incidents every week. Because of that, it is critical that you have a plan in place in the event that you are shot in Miami.
Here are some things you should keep in mind if you ever find yourself the victim of a shooting:
Get to a safe place and away from the threat as soon as possible
The first thing to worry about is your safety. If you are the victim of a shooting, the number one thing you need to do is survive. If you donât look out for yourself, it is likely that no one else around you will be looking out for you under such a stressful situation. Make sure to maintain your situational awareness to the best of your ability, and try to get yourself to a safe place as soon as possible. Most shootings are not mass shootings where the shooter walks in with an intent to kill multiple people. Most shootings are robberies gone wrong, assaults on specific people, or accidents. Because of this, getting to a safe place will not be as daunting as it sounds.
If you are conscious and able call 911
The paramedics will take several minutes to respond, depending on where they are, so the quicker you call them the quicker they will be able to respond with lifesaving first aid. Many gunshot wounds can be devastating. Depending on the caliber and the amount of times you are shot you could be losing a lot of blood. That is why getting emergency medical aid as soon as possible is extremely critical. If no one calls 911, no medical aid may be forthcoming until it is too late. You should never assume that someone else has called 911. You should be the one to call, as soon as possible and provide them with any information they need to get to you as soon as possible. The earlier they can get to you, the higher your chances of survival.
If you are able, apply pressure to the wound to slow down the blood loss
If you have been shot in an extremity, like an arm or a leg, use your clothing to reduce the blood flow to the limb by using it as a tourniquet. Make sure to not apply so much pressure that you cut off all the blood flow to your limb. Completely cutting of the blood supply to the limb for an extended period of time can cause your tissue to die off. While this is better than dying, it is not ideal if you can avoid it. You wouldnât want to lose an arm or a leg if you could have survived with all your limbs by applying a bit less pressure.
Here is a great clip on making a makeshift tourniquet:
Tell the police the details of your shooting
Assuming you fell victim to a shooting while going about your lawful life and not while trying to rob a bank, it is critical that you share all the details of what happened with the police. The police will conduct an investigation that could lead to the criminal prosecution of the shooter. While that is only half of the justice equation when youâve fallen victim to a shooting, it is a very important half. That is because the police investigation could assist your lawyer in getting you justice in the civil realm.
Call a Miami Shooting Lawyer
First off, I know what youâre thinking, what is a shooting lawyer? Is that a guy who kicks down doors and shoots my problems away? No, not exactly. A shooting lawyer is a lawyer that handles shooting injuries. If youâre in Miami youâd want to call a Miami shooting lawyer. This is because a Miami shooting lawyer would be most familiar with the court system in Miami, and also the way the different police departments operate.
But, why would you need a Miami shooting lawyer if youâve fallen victim of a shooting in Miami?
Glad you asked. Most shootings are not only the fault of the person actually committing the shooting itself, but they are also the fault of the property owners in which the shooting took place. For example, letâs say youâre in a store in Miami minding your own business when a person comes in to rob the store. Letâs say the robber gets upset and shoots you, a customer, while the robbery is in progress. Chances are that this was not the first violent crime to happen at that store. Chances are that the owners of the store knew that this shooting was a real possibility. Chances are that they did nothing to help prevent or minimize the incident, even though they knew that it was reasonably expected to happen.
Under Florida law that means that the store-owner is responsible for your injury. That means that the store owner would be responsible for making you whole, which is the lawyer way of saying that they have to pay you enough money to make up for the physical, emotional, and financial losses that you suffered as a result of being a victim of a shooting in their store. Because that is what we call âcivil law,â the police or prosecutors canât help you with that. The only people who can help you with that are lawyers that handle these kinds of cases. Thatâs why after youâre safe, and followed every other tip in this list you should call a Miami shooting lawyer to help get your life back on track.