ELDER ABUSE CASES ON THE RISE IN SAN FRANCISCO: CALL A LAWYER IF YOU ARE A VICTIM
Elder abuse is the knowing or unknowing mistreatment of an older, dependent adult. It may be hard to spot as many of these cases occur with family members or close friends who are taking care of the elderly adult. Abuse can occur physically, mentally or financially. Many older people might be more susceptible to abuse because they may have a fading memory, or are more willing to trust those caring for them, and may even be unaware, or fail to recognize that they are being abused.
On Friday, December 19, 2008, officials in San Francisco have warned that elder abuse cases are on the rise, not only in the number of cases, but in their severity as well. There were two separate cases that occurred recently in which women in their 80s and 90s were defrauded out of more than $100,000 each. San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris has attributed the rise in such crimes to the hard economic times, and the stress of the holiday season. The Department of Aging and Adult Services received 4,470 reports of elder abuse in 2007 alone. Many of these elder abuse cases arise from financial schemes, such as Ponzi schemes, or annuity scams (for example, reverse mortgages).
If you suspect that an elderly family member has been physically, mentally or financially abused by someone, then please call Greenberg & Rudman LLP now at 1-800-252-9776 (1-800-ALAWPRO) for an immediate and free consultation. Many times, elder abuse cases are silent and unreported. So, help those in need who are seeking justice against those wrongdoers. Visit our website at www.alawpro.com and read more about the areas of law that our attorneys cover.
