Financial exploitation of an elder is both immoral and criminal. Continue reading and contact a knowledgeable California financial elder abuse lawyer here at Cowdrey Jenkins, LLP to learn more about how our legal team can help you.
California Elder Financial Exploitation Lawyer
When faced with matters concerning financial exploitation, it is critical that you have a knowledgeable California elder abuse lawyer on your side. The legal team here at Cowdrey Jenkins, LLP has over 30 years of experience litigating elder abuse cases, and we are prepared to help you as well.
Financial Exploitation Defined
Financial exploitation of an elderly person occurs when a person (such as a trusted family member, a caregiver, or a nursing home staff member) takes money or possessions from an elderly person without the elderly person’s knowledge or permission. Unfortunately, certain elders are far more vulnerable to financial exploitation than others.
In most cases, financial exploitation occurs when the elderly person is unable to handle their finances on their own, typically because of mental impairment. When an elderly person is isolated, alone with medical staff/aides, and has a mental impairment, such as dementia, the chance of financial exploitation increases.
That being said, financial exploitation can also occur amongst family members appointed by the elderly person to manage their finances. When appointed parties are dishonest and don’t have their best interests in mind, they may take advantage of the elderly person’s finances by accessing bank accounts, important estate planning documents (wills and powers of attorney, for example), and more. All of the aforementioned actions are considered financial exploitation and elder abuse.
Signs of Financial Elder Abuse
In many ways, financial elder abuse is more difficult to detect than other forms of elder abuse, primarily because financial abuse is not detected until the elder or trusted friend or family member realizes money or property has been tampered with or stolen. Warning signs of financial elder abuse include:
- Random purchases on an elderly person’s credit card
- Theft of cash or other property
- Caregivers asking suspicious questions about an elder’s finances
- Overcharging an elderly person for certain products or services
- Unpaid bills
- Forged checks
- Personal “gifts” or payments allegedly made by an elder to a caregiver
- Contracts, agreements, investments, or other transactions entered into by an elder who lacks mental capacity or was a victim of undue influence, manipulation, or exploitation
Contact a California Financial Elder Abuse Lawyer
The bottom line is that if you are currently facing an issue of financial exploitation, the most important thing you can do is speak with an experienced California financial elder abuse lawyer here at Cowdrey Jenkins, LLP as soon as you can. Contact us today to schedule your initial consultation with our firm.