Elderly Person Abuse
Elderly Neglect Defense Attorney in Houston: Brazoria, Ft. Bend, Galveston, Harris & Montgomery Counties
Abuse of the elderly is a serious offense that has the potential for strict legal consequences. Senior citizens sometimes become victims of abuse because they may be unable to defend themselves or report their abusers. For this reason, some courts have created enhanced penalty categories for use in elder abuse cases.
Types of Elderly Person Abuse
Abuse of senior citizens can take many different forms in Houston, Texas. Many cases of elder mistreatment involve a person taking advantage of a senior citizen’s mental or physical difficulties. Some elderly people may have trouble communicating or keeping track of their belongings and abusers may try to exploit these circumstances. Some types of elder mistreatment can include:
- Physical abuse
- Emotional abuse
- Financial abuse
Some senior citizens are abused because they cannot defend themselves but they can also be abused by neglect. In cases of nursing home abuse, senior citizens can be emotionally abused by being deprived of social contact with other people. In other situations, abusers may try to trick elderly people into turning over personal financial information.
In all of these situations, senior citizens are targeted for abuse specifically because of their advanced age. This is the definition of nursing home abuse and this kind of behavior can be subject to criminal prosecution and enhanced penalties.
Penalties for Abuse of Senior Citizens
Criminal sentences for instances of mistreatment of elders can vary widely based on the facts of a particular legal case. Some states have established enhanced penalty categories for these situations but this is not the case in all jurisdictions. According to the Texas Penal Code, some typical examples of penalties for senior citizen abuse include:
- A misdemeanor conviction for injury to the elderly can carry a sentence of up to a year in jail and a fine of several thousand dollars
- A felony conviction for mistreatment of the elderly can carry a sentence of 2 to 4 years in prison
If someone has been charged with senior citizen mistreatment, they may establish a legal defense by arguing that they have been falsely accused. A defense attorney may argue that the alleged victim is confused about the identity of the abuser.
Hire a Nursing Home Abuse Attorney
Just about anyone working with the elderly can be accused of mistreatment of elders. However, this doesn’t mean that you should take these accusations lightly. Hire an experienced attorney today and call Greg Tsioros at (832) 752-5972.