A recent study has indicated that the number of homicides increases in correlation with the passing of self-defense laws. The study by an economics professor and PhD student from Texas A&M was conducted to see if the passing of self-defense laws deters crimes. The authors of the study reviewed crime data from state and federal law enforcement agencies for the years between 2000 and 2009 to research the effect of self-defense laws. The study produced surprising results that the laws often bring about the opposite effect with a higher homicide rate. If you believe that your loved one died due to an unjust self-defense law, contact a skilled personal injury lawyer to explore your legal options.

Self-defense laws provide individuals with a broader range of acceptability for their actions. Florida passed its self-defense law in 2005, and fifteen other states followed suit. These “justifiable homicides” are often referred to as “stand your grand” laws or as the “castle doctrine.” These self-defense laws may contain one or more of the following elements:

• An individual is no longer required to flee to an area outside the house
• The individual who commits the homicide is presumed to have acted with a reasonable degree of fear of death or harm to his person
• An individual who acts in self-defense is immune from a civil lawsuit for wrongful death

The most notable finding of the study is that the incidences of justifiable homicides nearly increased twofold between the years 2000 and 2010. The biggest increase occurred in the second half of the decade, which corresponds to the time period in which self-defense laws were typically passed. The study also found that self-defense laws did not deter criminals from committing crimes, such as burglary, aggravated assault or robbery. The study states that self-defense laws cause private citizens to commit justifiable homicides at an increased rate of 17% to 50%. A correlation was also found between the passing of self-defense laws and a significant increase in the rates of murder and manslaughter.

Not all self-defense laws are the same. Some states may bar a family from bringing forth a wrongful death claim while others may not. Additionally, some states have set different guidelines for determining if the person who acted in self-defense responded in a reasonable way to the given circumstances. It is important to discuss your case with an experienced personal injury lawyer who is familiar with the self-defense laws in your state.

A personal injury lawyer can review the facts of your case and inform you if you have a viable claim to make and if compensation is due to you because of your loss. If you live in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Baltimore, New York City, Houston, Tampa, Cincinnati, Columbus, Cheyenne, Phoenix. Nashville, Longview, Tyler or anywhere else in the U.S., Contact an attorney today to schedule a free consultation.