San Antonio Elder Abuse Attorney

Bexar County Elder Abuse Lawyer Serving San Antonio

When you seek care for your aging parent or another loved one, you are putting the trust of their well-being in the hands of individuals or institutions who purport to have their best interests at heart. If guardianship has been established, it is with the understanding that the guardian will make informed, legal decisions for the person they are supposed to help protect. Therefore, it can be shocking to suspect or discover that an individual or a guardian has been abusing their position and that the person who they are supposed to be protecting has been the victim of elder abuse. Your trust is shattered, and you do not know where to turn for answers. If you have seen any signs of elder abuse, it is essential that you seek out a qualified guardianship attorney. A guardianship lawyer can assist with getting elder abuse under control.

Elder Abuse Cases

As our parents or other loved ones age, they can lose the ability to take care of themselves daily. If the burden becomes too great for family members to handle, you may turn to caretakers or nursing homes to help with their care. Sometimes, a guardianship can be established to help care for an aging individual's estate and day-to-day decision-making. Unfortunately, our aging loved ones can also be very vulnerable to those who want to take physical or financial advantage. There are a wide variety of types of elder abuse. These can include:

• Physical Elder Abuse;
• Emotional Elder abuse;
• Sexual Elder abuse;
• Financial Exploitation; and
• Elder neglect.

Signs of Elder Abuse

Signs of elder abuse may be evident to an outside observer, or they may sometimes be hard to detect. If your loved one suffers from memory loss, dementia, or other cognitive issues, it can be even more challenging to discern the facts of the case.

Here are some physical or behavioral signs to look for that may be signs of elder abuse:

• Unexplained injuries, bruises, welts, and scars;
• Broken bones, sprains, or dislocations;
• Broken eyeglasses and frames;
• Intimidated behavior by the elder;
• Torn, stained, or bloody clothing;
• Unexplained bruising and bleeding around private areas;
• Unusual weight loss; or
• Unsanitary and unsafe living conditions.

Outside of physical abuse, there can also be operational or financial abuse that occurs at elder care facilities, with outside caretakers, or by the guardian who is supposed to be taking care of the individual. These types of abuse may be happening without the knowledge of your loved one, but they can also be categorized as elder abuse. These can include:

• Caregiver's refusal to allow access;
• Duplicate billings;
• Evidence of over or under medication (medication refill issues);
• Suspicious changes in wills, power of attorney, titles, policies, and insurance; or
• Problems with a care facility, including poorly trained, poorly paid, or insufficient staff, overcrowding, and inadequate responses to questions regarding care.

Bexar County Guardianship Lawyers for Elder Abuse Cases

As our loved ones age, they should be treated with the dignity and respect that they deserve. Their wishes and the wishes of their family should be respected, and they should remain free from abuse. If you have seen signs of physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, financial exploitation, or neglect of your elderly loved ones, we can help you seek the legal recourse you need. At The Law Office of Ryan C. Moe, PLLC, our attorneys will discuss your case, collect all necessary information, and work with you to put an end to the abuse. Contact our San Antonio elder abuse attorney by email or call our office at 210-861-6000. We serve clients in Bexar County and throughout the San Antonio area, including Seguin, Boerne, New Braunfels, Devine, Castroville, La Vernia, Floresville, Hondo, Jourdanton, and including but not limited to Guadalupe County, Bandera County, Comal County, Wilson County, Atascosa County, Medina County, and Kendall County.