ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER
Caregivers Who Prey On Isolated Seniors
Live-In Caregivers As Girlfriends and Boyfriends
Keeping Seniors Hidden In Their Own Homes
The Los Angeles County and California elder abuse attorneys at Evans Law Firm, Inc. see one common denominator in the financial elder abuse cases they litigate – isolation of the victim. Greedy caregivers pounce on isolated older persons (men and women) because those persons may have no one to turn to for help or are lonely and longing for companionship. In many cases, the caregiver ingratiated herself or himself to become a girlfriend or boyfriend of the senior, and, even if the senior still has family, uses that status to isolate the senior claiming he or she only wants to “protect” them. Whenever a live-in caregiver begins any kind of personal relationship with an older person, it’s a recipe for real trouble. If you or someone you know is a victim of financial elder abuse in Los Angeles County or elsewhere in California, call us today at 415-441-8669, and we can help.
Caregiver As Girlfriend
One example from our elder abuse cases illustrates what can go terribly wrong when a caregiver turns into a girlfriend of a failing senior. (Our elder abuse litigators recovered over $2.5 million from the defendant in the case.). The senior was a single man over 65 with a history of health issues, no children, and siblings who lived far way. As his physical condition started to fail, he turned to a caregiver for assistance. The caregiver moved in, took over his financial affairs and his care, including the food he ate, his mobility, and administration of his medications. She kept the older man inside and in his bed most of the time and told the outside world she was his girlfriend. She gained access to his bank accounts by phone and the internet, and got herself named as payable on death beneficiary on those bank accounts and his life insurance policies, and retirement benefits. She wrote checks of his accounts to herself and others in her family. She had herself named as beneficiary of a very large IRA. Moments after he suffered a stroke in his home, she had the victim ”sign” a Power of Attorney and a handwritten “Will” she drafted leaving the home and everything else to her. Following the stroke, the victim’s health declined even more rapidly. Friends and health care providers were turned away at the door or their calls were blocked. Eventually, the senior went into hospice care, where the caregiver continued to administer prescribed medications, including fentanyl and morphine.
Getting The Money Back
The caregiver had kept the financial elder abuse hidden from the family while the victim was alive. Fortunately, the family acted quickly after the victim died and called our elder abuse litigators. (There is a very short window of time to contest bogus Wills or Trusts.). Our litigators brought an action against the caregiver, challenged the bogus Will, beneficiary designations and other financial arrangements the caregiver had orchestrated and subpoenaed all the financial and medical records of the decedent. A settlement resulted in knocking out the phony Will and beneficiary designations, getting the decedent’s sister appointed estate administrator and his siblings (not the caregiver) recognized as beneficiaries of his estate. All bank account balances, the large IRA account, life insurance proceeds, house, and all other property belonging to the victim were returned. The recovery exceeded $2.5 million.
Contact Us
If you or a loved one has been the victim of financial elder abuse in Los Angeles County or elsewhere in California, contact Ingrid M. Evans and the other Evans Law Firm elder abuse attorneys at (415) 441-8669, or by email at <a href=”mailto:info@evanslaw.com”>info@evanslaw.com</a>. Ingrid and out other financial elder abuse litigators will pursue all available remedies against those responsible for the abuse, including recovery of attorneys’ fees and expenses for bringing your case.
