When Should You Hire an Elder Abuse Lawyer?

Your elderly loved one deserves the best of care. Elder abuse is a crime in Massachusetts, and you can press charges when a caretaker or nursing home worker abuses or neglects your elderly loved one. With the help of a skilled elder abuse lawyer, you may also be able to recover elder abuse compensation. People who discover elder abuse often wonder, “When should you hire an elder abuse lawyer?”

It is always worth consulting an attorney for elder abuse to learn more about your options. An elder abuse claim is a type of personal injury claim. This means that there must be a liable party and a source of compensation. Your elder abuse lawyer must also be able to prove negligence and establish what sort of damages your case entitles you to. Here is what you need to know about hiring an elder abuse lawyer to protect your loved one’s rights and well-being.

What Is Elder Abuse?

Elder abuse is a broad term that encompasses both intentional abuse and neglect. Elder abuse can take many different forms. It can refer to causing physical harm, but that is not all it encompasses. Some of the most common types of elder abuse include:

• Physical abuse;
• Sexual abuse;
• Emotional abuse;
• Financial abuse;
• Abandonment; and
• Neglect.

Elder abuse is most often a risk for vulnerable adults over the age of 60. This form of abuse commonly involves individuals who are physically or financially dependent on others or are experiencing declining health or illness.

The High Cost of Elder Abuse

Elder abuse can have a horrifying impact on a loved one. An elderly relative might suffer bed sores due to neglect, broken bones because of physical assault, or internal injuries due to sexual abuse. Many forms of elder abuse have a direct impact on an older adult’s health. In addition to the toll this takes on mental health and quality of life, it also often means that elder abuse causes serious health issues.

Elderly individuals often do not handle injury the same way as younger adults. Even a little force can inflict serious damage. Older adults may be frail, with compromised immune systems. As a result, they can be injured more easily, take longer to heal, and be more susceptible to infection. This means there is a high risk that elder abuse will lead to significant medical costs.

In some cases, elder abuse can even tragically result in wrongful death. This is most commonly a risk when injuries are severe, a serious infection develops, or the abused adult suffers from severe dehydration. Any time the mistreatment of an older adult leads to medical costs and detracts from their quality of life, it is worth taking the time to contact an elder abuse lawyer.

If your loved one has been the victim of elder abuse, Cava Law Firm may be able to help you recover elder abuse compensation. Speak with a Springfield, MA, elder abuse attorney by calling Cava Law Firm at (413) 737-3430 or (413) 781-CAVA (2282) for a free consultation today.

Hiring a Lawyer for Elder Abuse

An elder abuse lawyer is a personal injury lawyer who focuses on cases involving the injury or neglect of elderly individuals. They are also commonly referred to as “nursing home abuse lawyers” because such a high number of elder abuse cases involve abuse in a nursing home setting.

But when should you hire an elder abuse lawyer? Any time you suspect elder abuse, it is worth taking the time to collect the evidence you have and schedule a free consultation with an elder abuse attorney.

A lawyer will review the case and let you know whether they think they can prove negligence and build a case to help you recover compensation. If a lawyer takes on your case, you may be asked to help collect further evidence, such as by providing access to medical records and giving a statement about your knowledge of the abuse.

Your elder abuse attorney can handle the majority of the work on your case. This may entail:

• Collecting medical records, financial documents, and other evidence;
• Building a case for negligence based on how the abuse occurred;
• Identifying case value based on the costs and impact of the abuse;
• Filing a claim with the nursing home insurance provider;
• Negotiating a settlement; and
• If necessary, filing a lawsuit and seeking a court verdict.

Proving elder abuse can be difficult, and it is even more challenging to build a case and negotiate for fair compensation. You need an experienced lawyer on your side to effectively pursue elder abuse compensation.

Elder Abuse in Nursing Homes

Elder abuse can happen in many ways. In some cases, family members are the ones responsible for committing elder abuse. However, elder abuse lawyers most commonly see elder abuse claims that involve nursing home abuse or abuse at the hands of a hired caretaker.

Nursing homes across the country are severely understaffed. This shortage of high-quality workers increases the risk that nursing home residents will be neglected or abused at the hands of poorly vetted workers. Additionally, elder abuse can take the form of one nursing home resident abusing another. A nursing home is responsible for the safety of its residents in all situations.

Contact Our Springfield, MA, Elder Abuse Lawyers Today

Winning Is NO Accident!

No elderly adult should have to experience the ordeal of elder abuse. When it happens, fighting for compensation can at least help you pay for the costs of your loved one’s treatment and provide them with a higher quality of life.

Cava Law Firm is a personal injury law firm located in Springfield, MA. Let our experienced attorneys review your elder abuse case today.

Do not wait to seek compensation for elder abuse. Schedule a free consultation with a Springfield, MA, elder abuse lawyer by calling Cava Law Firm at (413) 737-3430 or (413) 781-CAVA (2282) now.

Attorney Jennifer L. Cava-Foreman

Attorney Jennifer L. Cava-Foreman would like to take the guesswork out of choosing a lawyer by letting the facts and her winning verdicts speak for themselves. Attorney Cava-Foreman is known in the local courts and has firsthand experience with many types of cases ranging from personal injury to criminal defense. Attorney Cava-Foreman understands that every case and every client is different. Whether a client is injured or mixed up in a criminal matter, she will provide the legal advice needed and stand up for her client in court. [ Attorney Bio ]