TRENTON -- A federal jury has sided with two New Jersey state troopers accused of using excessive force on a driver experiencing diabetic shock.

Daniel Fried, of Springfield, Pennsylvania, claimed in a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Camden that troopers Paul Brown and Scott Tetzlaff violated his civil rights and caused serious injury after finding him slumped over the steering wheel of his van along Route 72 in Burlington County in November 2010.

Fried claimed the troopers failed to realize he was experiencing a medical emergency, instead treating him like an uncooperative suspect who may have been drunk or on drugs. After a confrontation, the troopers brought Fried to the ground, hit him with a baton and cuffed him, records show.

In police reports, the troopers said Fried was belligerent, refused to remove his hands from his pockets and tried to walk away from the scene, prompting the struggle. They claimed he was "evasive" when they asked him whether he needed medical assistance.

After several years of legal wrangling, the case went to trial on March 16. Last week, the jury rejected Fried's claims, finding the troopers had not used excessive force.

"We are disappointed with the jury's decision and we are exploring our options for appeal," Fried's attorney, Aaron Freiwald, said in an e-mail.

Capt. Steve Jones, a State Police spokesman, said the division was "encouraged" by the verdict, "which verifies the troopers' ability to do their job while protecting themselves and others."

"At a traffic stop, troopers need to control an endless variety of circumstances for everyone's safety, and do it without the luxury of a physician's evaluation," Jones said.

Jones said troopers receive training on dealing with individuals experiencing diabetic shock, various types of mental illness and other medical emergencies.

In 2013, state lawmakers passed a bill allowing diabetics to voluntarily disclose the condition in their driving records to avoid such violent encounters with police.

S.P. Sullivan may be reached at ssullivan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter. Find NJ.com on Facebook.