Common Losses from Elder Abuse

The number of seniors who suffer some type of elder abuse is only increasing. Families should keep a close watch for signs and losses from elder abuse and contact a San Francisco elder abuse lawyer for help. 

Senior adults who reside at nursing homes and assisted living facilities are unfortunately subject to various forms of elder abuse. This is usually because these individuals are socially isolated and may not have family members or others nearby who are looking out for their interests and well-being. 

When elderly individuals reside at nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, or other care centers, they are often vulnerable to abuse and neglect at the hands of caregivers who are employed at those facilities. The abuse can take several different forms, including physical, emotional, sexual, and financial.

If you suspect that your loved one might have been the victim of elder abuse or neglect, it is important that you speak and with an experienced attorney as soon as possible. The San Francisco elder abuse lawyers at The Cartwright Law Firm, Inc. could investigate your loved one’s circumstances and may be able to bring a legal claim against the nursing home, assisted living facility, and/or another responsible individual, seeking monetary compensation and damages. 

Please give us a call today to discover more about how we could assist you and your loved one with bringing an elder abuse claim.

Types of Elder Abuse and Neglect

Elderly individuals are often victims of abuse at the hands of caregivers – most especially if they reside at a nursing facility or other elder care center. Some of the most common types of abuse that elderly individuals may experience include the following:

1. Physical abuse – Physical abuse of an elderly individual occurs when a caregiver slaps or strikes the elderly person, often causing the person to sustain serious injuries. If you suspect that your loved one is the victim of physical abuse by a caregiver, you should be on the lookout for physical signs and symptoms, including cuts, abrasions, and bruises on your loved one’s body. If your loved one resides at a nursing home or assisted living center, you should also direct your suspicions to the director or other individual who is in charge.
2. Sexual abuse – Sexual abuse of an elderly individual includes not just unwanted sexual acts with the person, but also sexual harassment. Sexual harassment means unwanted sexual attention, advances, or innuendo that is directed towards another person. As with physical abuse, if you suspect that your loved one has been sexually abused in a nursing home or assisted living environment, you should inform the management as soon as possible. 
3. Emotional abuse – Emotional abuse of an elderly individual includes threatening the elderly person (such as threatening to withhold food or medicine from the individual if he or she fails to do something), ridiculing the elderly person, or otherwise behaving in a malicious manner towards the person. Emotional abuse directed toward an elderly person can result in severe emotional distress, mental anguish, and even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), in some cases.
4. Financial abuse – When elderly people reside at nursing homes and assisted living facilities, caregivers, unfortunately, have access to individuals’ money and financial information. Financial abuse could include a nursing home employee stealing money or credit card information from the senior adult.

In addition to these types of abuse directed at elderly individuals, neglect is also common at nursing homes and other elder care centers. Neglect is a type of abuse and involves a caregiver’s failure to care for the elderly individual in a reasonable and safe manner. Some common types of neglect that often occur at nursing facilities and eldercare centers include the following:

1. Failing to respond to a patient’s symptoms in a timely manner – When an elderly patient complains of various symptoms, the facility and its employees are responsible for responding to those symptoms promptly. When patients aren’t attended to in a timely manner, they could suffer a heart attack, stroke, or other serious medical complication.
2. Failing to properly care for the elderly individual – Nursing homes and assisted living facilities are responsible for providing the proper medical care and treatment to their patients. This includes properly feeding and medicating patients at the proper times. When these facilities do not care for their patients properly, patients can become sick or suffer a serious injury as a result. 
3. Failing to provide the elderly individual with the correct medication – Facilities are also responsible for ensuring that patients are properly medicated and that they are given the correct medications at the proper times. When patients are not properly medicated – or where a medication mix-up occurs – the patient could suffer a severe adverse reaction or even death in the worst-case scenario.
4. Misdiagnosing a patient’s medical condition – When a nursing facility employee, such as a doctor or nurse practitioner, misdiagnoses – or fails to diagnose – a patient’s medical condition, the patient could suffer a serious illness or other adverse medical complication as a result. 
5. Failing to keep the facility clean and orderly – Nursing facilities and eldercare centers are responsible for ensuring that their facilities are clean and orderly at all times – most especially in the age of COVID-19. When patient rooms, hallways, common areas, and other locations within the facility are not kept clean and properly sanitized, diseases can spread among the residents, leading to severe illness and possibly death. 

Pursuing a Claim against the Responsible Facility or Individual

When it comes to proving elder abuse, the victim has the burden of proof and is responsible for establishing all of the legal elements of his or her claim. Elder abuse victims could pursue compensation and damages from the responsible facility, such as the nursing home or assisted living facility. The victim could also pursue compensation from the responsible individual, such as a nurse, nursing assistant, or caregiver. 

Speak with a San Francisco Elder Abuse Lawyer Today

The legal team at The Cartwright Law Firm, Inc. can review all of your legal options with you and help you decide on the best course of action for moving forward with your elder abuse claim. To schedule a free case evaluation and legal consultation with a San Francisco elder abuse attorney, please call us at (415) 433-0444 or contact us online today for more information.