Financial abuse of the elderly has been called the “crime of the 21st century.” The average victim of abuse is a female, age 75 or older, with limited resources. Generally, the victim is widowed, frail and vulnerable because of mental or physical impairments. When a loved one is a victim of abuse, there are certain steps that can be taken to stop further abuse. For example, your lawyer can obtain an injunction, a restraining order, an order removing or evicting the abuser from the victim’s home, by filing a complaint against a facility or employee, or removing the victim from the facility. In cases where the victim is incapacitated, it may be necessary to petition the court for the appointment of a guardian, or to file a protective proceeding. In addition, the victim should consider filing criminal charges against the perpetrator of the exploitation.
The Pennsylvania Departments of Banking and Securities Aging have produced a new seven-minute video on elder financial abuse, focusing mostly on “scam artists.” The video follows:
For additional information concerning elder abuse actions, visit: http://vanarellilaw.com/will-contests-probate-litigation-elder-abuse-actions-2/#viiieaa