Elder abuse is one of the least reported crimes that is on the rise in America. And the senior population is also on the rise, leading some lawmakers to reexamine the penalties for elder abuse. As MYNorthwest.com reports, Washington state passed new laws regarding elder abuse.
Washington State attorney general Bob Ferguson championed new laws regarding elder abuse. Stealing from or scamming elder adults now is a new category of crime and the statute of limitations on elder abuse has been extended from three to six years. Often, it takes that long to investigate these kinds of issues and many times, it takes that long before the financial abuse is even discovered.
Elder advocate Rick Gregorek says he often sees the implications of elder abuse in his law practice. He also says that the demographic for this kind of abuse is not set – it runs the gamut from someone stealing grandma’s social security check to family members siphoning millions from the accounts of loved ones.
If a loved one appears to be isolating themselves from the family or a caretaker says that they no longer want to see friends and family, that may be a sign of abuse. Are there unexplained withdrawals from the bank accounts? That may also be a sign of elder financial abuse.
f you believe that you or a loved one has been the victim of elder abuse, contact the law offices of Schenk Smith. We can help you to get the compensation that you deserve. Call us today.
