ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER

Financial Elder Abuse in The Construction Industry

Thieving Contractors Target Seniors

Authorities recently arrested a trio of building contractors in Santa Rosa in Sonoma County accused of stealing close to $1 million from a variety of clients. Included in charges against the three are counts of elder abuse. The case deserves attention and illustrates how cautious seniors, and those who love and protect them, need to be when bargaining for goods and services. If you or a loved one has been the victim of financial elder abuse, at the hands of contractors, caregivers, or any goods and services provider, contact the financial elder abuse attorneys at Evans Law Firm at (415)441-8669, and we can help.

Contractor Fraud

We’ve all read stories of repair, remodeling, roofing and assorted trade contractors absconding with money after leaving jobs unfinished, if started at all. Maybe it’s happened to you. Seniors are particularly vulnerable to this kind of fraud. In California, the criminal and civil provisions of the State’s elder abuse laws afford seniors additional remedies for financial elder abuse and other wrongdoing seniors suffer. Sadly, the law’s protections are after the fact, however, and not preventative.

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Warning Signs

The best protection against financial elder abuse for a senior comes from his or her family and loved ones and professionals who care. If there is a watchword here it is for those who care to stay involved in the senior’s day to day life. Isolation is particularly bad and leaves the senior even more vulnerable to manipulation and fraud. An isolated senior is especially vulnerable to the undue influence and likely to be led into decisions (like signing a contractor’s agreement or writing a big check) that they would not make if they had a second opinion. That’s where family, friends, and qualified professionals come in: to prevent unfortunate choices that result in financial injury and financial elder abuse. Anticipate your loved one’s needs and you can go a long way to avoiding future financial and emotional pain.

Contact Us

If you or a loved one has been the victim of financial elder abuse in Sonoma County or Santa Rosa or in any California county or city, contact the Evans Law Firm elder attorneys at (415) 441-8669, or by email at info@evanslaw.com. We can help guide your case through a jury trial, arbitration, 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.