Abuse comes in many forms. Elders who live in nursing homes can fall victim to a myriad of such mistreatment. One of the subtler methods through which someone in a nursing home can take advantage of a patient is through financial means.
If you believe that a loved one’s missing money or personal items are a result of a nursing home caregiver’s actions, you can act. A Dallas missing money or personal items lawyer with Pintas & Mullins Law Firm can help you work to not only restore what finances have been stolen but to fight for compensation for your loved one’s suffering.
To discuss your case, call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm at (800) 842-6336.
Personal Possessions Going Missing
Everyone forgets where they put their belongings now and then. If your loved one’s belongings are consistently going missing in a nursing home, however, your loved one may have a more serious problem on their hands.
Missing checks, personal items, credit cards, and other valuables can be a sign of financial abuse. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau notes that Americans 60 years old and older fall victim to this type of abuse in large numbers, with elders losing over $2.9 billion in 2010.
If you believe a spouse or a family member is a victim of financial abuse in a nursing home, reach out to Pintas & Mullins Law Firm. We can advise you on your legal options.
Definition of Financial Elder Abuse
Financial abuse is the theft of a person’s finances by another party. In terms of elder care, financial abuse often involves a caregiver abusing the power that comes with that role to take belongings or access finances that they should not have access to.
Many caregivers who are underpaid or who otherwise wish to take advantage of those around them may use an elder’s disabilities or lack of awareness to steal certain meaningful or valuable items. Some of the most common signs of this kind of theft and abuse can include:
- Reports of missing items by a loved one
- The disappearance of money from savings accounts or financial funds
- Bills going unpaid
- Unexplained gift-giving
- Discomfort or avoidant behaviors when in contact with loved ones
Some nursing home residents or elders may be reluctant to let you know whether or not something of theirs has gone missing. You can make it a point of keeping track of items they possess. This way should pride, shame, or disability prevent someone you care for from letting you know about a caregiver’s theft, you can still have an idea as to whether or not your loved one is being provided with the care that they deserve.
For a free legal consultation with a Dallas Missing Money or Personal Items Lawyer serving Dallas, call (800) 794-0444
Preventing Missing Money or Personal Items
If you believe that a loved one may be suffering from financial abuse and does not have the ability to contend with that abuse on their own, then you can take certain steps. Consider, for example:
- Auditing your loved one’s finances: When you conduct an audit, you can gather together a better idea of what your loved one may be spending money on and what unusual spending patterns, in turn, might look like.
- Canceling credit cards: If your loved one does not need to have a credit card in their room or on their property, you have the option of canceling those cards before they can be misused.
- Freezing a loved one’s bank account: If it appears that money may be disappearing from your loved one’s bank account without reason, you can similarly freeze that account until you develop a better understanding of what might be going on.
- Requesting invoices from the nursing home: You can request a detailed invoice if you suspect that the funds allocated for those purposes are being misused.
Also, note that many scammers try to target an older population of people to charge money for unprovided services. If at all possible, you can work to confiscate or otherwise limit your loved one’s exposure to IRS scam phone calls or letters that appear to be from government agencies to allow your loved one to retain as much control over their finances as possible.
Dallas Dallas Missing Money or Personal Items Lawyer Near Me (800) 794-0444
Your Legal Options in a Missing Money or Personal Items Case
Loved ones who fall victim to financial abuse should be entitled both to the restoration of what finances have been stolen and to compensation for non-economic damages. To help your loved one restore themselves in such a way, note that you must be either that party’s spouse or a direct blood relative. If you are in this position, you can work with a Dallas missing money or personal items lawyer. An attorney can advise you on your legal options, which may include negotiating with the potentially liable party or making a legal claim.
When you work with our firm, we can share our thoughts on your potential paths forward. You, in the meanwhile, will pay nothing for the services you benefit from unless you receive compensation for your loved one’s losses since we work on a contingency basis.
Click to contact our Dallas Missing Money or Personal Items Lawyers today
Working with a Dallas Missing Money or Personal Items Lawyer
You cannot always prevent your loved one from falling victim to financial abuse. There are steps, however, that you can take to limit your loved one’s exposure to such mistreatment. You can also reach out to a Dallas missing money or personal items lawyer, who will work for compensation based on your economic and non-economic losses in an instance of financial abuse in a nursing home.
You can reach out for a free case consultation with Pintas & Mullins Law Firm at (800) 842-6336.
Call or text (800) 794-0444 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
