To prove a false imprisonment claim as a tort in a civil lawsuit, the following elements must be present: There was a willful detention; The detention was without consent; and. The detention was unlawful.
False imprisonment has five elements that all must be proven in order to convict someone. The defendant intentionally detained, restrained or confined someone. This forced the victim to stay somewhere for an appreciable time, however short. The victim did not consent. The victim was actually harmed.
False imprisonment is a “general intent” crime, meaning you don't always have to intend to imprison another person falsely, but rather, your deliberate actions caused them to be falsely imprisoned. In other words, you don't have to actually physically restrain another person to be found guilty of false imprisonment.
The element that is not required for false imprisonment is physical injury. The essential elements include the use or threat of force, confinement or restraint, and intentionality.
The most common defense is consent. In other words, the victim voluntarily agreed to being confined.
If you are referring to the tort of false imprisonment, then the answer is yes. You can file a civil lawsuit against someone or an entity that falsely imprisoned you. However, outside of an extreme situation, the problem is that there are rarely any actual damages. Therefore, a lawsuit is rarely worth doing.
In general, to make out a false imprisonment claim, you'll need to show these four common elements: the intentional restraint of another person in a confined area. the restrained person doesn't consent to the restraint. the restrained person is aware of the restraint, and. the restraint is without legal justification.
Nominal damages will be awarded to an individual who has suffered no actual damages in consequence to the illegal confinement. In cases where an injured offers proof of injuries suffered, s/he will be compensated with damages for physical injuries, mental suffering, and loss of earnings.