San Diego Elder Abuse Lawyer

What Does Elder Abuse Look Like Under California Law?

• Physical abuse can include malnutrition and weight loss, broken bones, untreated bedsores, or other injuries such as bruises and cuts due to health care or nursing home neglect or a purposeful attempt to hurt the victim. Evidence of this could be injuries beyond any pre-existing condition the senior might have and should be documented immediately.

• Sexual abuse – Devastating sexual assault has also been found to occur in long-term care facilities and goes unreported. Any sexual activity forced on a person or done if they cannot consent is a sexual assault and is punishable under California law. Evidence of this crime may look like sexually-transmitted infections that staff cannot explain, as well as injuries on the individual’s body and disheveled clothing.

• Unfortunately, psychological, emotional, and mental abuse is prevalent, with one in three nursing home staff reporting they have emotionally abused a patient, according to a 2020 study done by the World Health Organization (WHO). This type of elder abuse involves yelling, belittling, insulting and verbal harassment. Signs of this abuse can look like depression, anxiety, withdrawal, or social isolation.

• Financial elder abuse – Can be disguised when the individual also experiences health problems such as dementia and their decision-making capabilities are entrusted to another. A caregiver may convince an older adult to sign over control of their social security, give them power of attorney or include them in their estate planning. They may even convince the senior citizen to redo their will and provide them with probate.
• Neglect – Abuse of this sort comes from withholding care and not meeting the older person’s needs, whether intentional or not. Neglect could look like senior citizens not being fed, not getting their medications at the proper times, not receiving good medical care, not being changed or bathed, or left to their own devices. Sometimes accidents can occur when a senior is left to move on their own when they should have assistance.
  

  • Slip and fall accidents are extremely dangerous to the elderly and can exacerbate poor health conditions. The law offices of Mova Law Group – Personal Injury Attorneys also count slip and fall accidents as one of their practice areas. Be sure to consult one of these attorneys if your loved one suffered an injury from a preventable fall.