ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER
Caregivers and Financial Elder Abuse
Caregiver abuse is a real danger for seniors here in San Francisco and throughout California. In a recent example of just how vulnerable some seniors are, prosecutors in Southern California[1] last week accused one caregiver of 82 felony counts of embezzling money from a 92-year-old man with dementia. The caregiver was also accused of physical abuse. The San Francisco and California elder abuse attorneys at Evans Law Firm, Inc. know how devastating financial and physical elder abuse can be and represent seniors and their loved ones victimized by abusive caregivers and others. If you or someone you know is a victim of elder abuse in San Francisco or elsewhere in California, call us today at 415-441-8669, and we can help.
The caregiver charged in the case wrote checks to herself and made ATM withdrawals from the alleged victim’s account totaling $174,000. She told police she used the money to make her house and car payments and buy furniture and other items for herself. The victim stated he was afraid the caregiver would be angry with him if he didn’t do what she told him to do. Prosecutors noted it was “one of the most egregious financial elder abuse cases prosecuted in this office in a long time.”
Our elder abuse lawyers have seen cases equally egregious and frankly worse. Many victims are subject to isolation, neglect and extreme physical abuse along with the financial exploitation. Caregiver tactics vary. Sometimes a caregiver intimidates the elder as here but in other cases they may ingratiate themselves or develop a close relationship with the senior to accomplish their fraud. Seniors with any signs of cognitive impairment are especially vulnerable.
Protecting Your Senior Loved One From Abuse and Fraud
The best protection for a senior is to stay active in his or her life and regularly visit and review statements, records and the mail. Always run a background check and contact references for any in-home caregiver before hiring them. Keep valuables and important papers like a Will or Power of Attorney in a safe place. Make an inventory of property in the home. Report suspicions to the police and Adult Protective Services immediately and call qualified elder abuse counsel. While official reporting is important, you should pursue all civil remedies available to senior victims under California elder abuse law. Our lawyers handle elder abuse cases of all varieties and know the remedies, extra damages, and awards of attorneys’ fees and costs to which you or your victimized loved one is entitled. We fight for seniors every day.
Contact Us
If you or a loved one been the victim of elder abuse in San Francisco 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>. We can help guide your case through investigation, discovery, through a jury trial or toward an equitable settlement. We handle cases involving physical and financial elder abuse, qui tam and whistleblower law, nursing home abuse, whole life insurance and universal life insurance, and indexed, variable, and fixed annuities.
[1] Evans Law Firm, Inc. is not involved in the case in any way.
