Vulnerable adults in our communities are being taken advantage of and abused. Because, in many cases, they are in a diminished mental or physical state, there are many who would prey on them. Some will physically abuse them, neglect them, steal from them, and manipulate them. All of this behavior is known as elder abuse.
A common form of elder abuse is financial exploitation. This is when a person abuses an elderly adult for their own financial gain. There are many different forms of financial abuse, and if this has happened to you or someone you know, there is justice out there for you.
A San Diego elder abuse lawyer can help you hold these abusers accountable for the wrongful acts they’ve committed.
Examples of Financial Exploitation and Abuse
People can participate in financial exploitation in a number of ways. Simply taking money from an elder’s wallet is a type of financial exploitation. If the elder didn’t know that it was taken or wasn’t in a mental state to give true consent to someone taking the money, that’s financial exploitation.
Some people exploit elders financially because they think they can get away with it. The elder won’t notice the money is missing because of their mental incapacity. Many people are emboldened by the idea that they can get away with theft because the witness won’t notice or can’t be a reliable witness.
Here are some examples of financial abuse of the elderly:
- Theft – stealing valuables and cash from the elderly
- Fraud – convincing an elderly individual to hand over money for a fraudulent scheme
- Real Estate Scams – transferring ownership of properties and other real estate without the person’s knowledge or consent
- Mortgage Scams – a loan taken out by an unauthorized party in the elder’s name
- Insurance Scams – unauthorized changes of life insurance policies, for instance
- Electronic Fraud – emails and other forms of phishing
- Contractor Scams – getting paid to perform a job but not completing the work
Fighting Back Against Financial Abuse
There are many ways that elderly individuals can be financially abused, but here’s how to fight back. You can sue for financial abuse by contacting an elder abuse attorney. Your attorney will investigate your case to determine exactly what happened and who was responsible. We will then go after that party for damages.
In some cases other parties might also be liable for your losses, such as a nursing home, a mortgage company, or an insurance company. If any of these companies were negligent in protecting the elder’s assets, or they knew of the financial exploitation and didn’t act, they might also be held responsible.
Seek Legal Help with Your Financial Elder Abuse Case
Reach out to an attorney at The Kindley Firm, APC, to talk about your case during a free claim assessment. We believe in justice for victims of financial elder abuse and we will do everything possible to see that all those responsible are held to account. Call 619-550-1313 to reach us, or fill out and send in the form below.
