California Elder & Dependent Adult Abuse Attorney

The Elder Abuse and Dependent Adult Civil Protection Act (Welf. & Inst. Code § 15600 et seq.) gives victims of physical abuse or neglect remedies ordinary negligence cases do not carry: with proof of recklessness, oppression, fraud, or malice by clear and convincing evidence, plaintiffs may recover attorney's fees and costs (§ 15657) and damages for the victim's pre-death pain and suffering even in cases where the victim has passed.

Neglect means the failure of a custodial caregiver to provide for basic needs — and it shows up in patterns:

• Pressure injuries (bedsores) that develop or worsen in care
• Falls in facilities that knew the resident was a fall risk
• Dehydration and malnutrition
• Medication errors and chemical restraint
• Wandering and elopement
• Untreated infections and sepsis
• Unexplained bruising, fear, or decline

This firm does not handle medical or dental malpractice claims. Elder abuse claims are different: they target custodial neglect — the failure of a facility to provide basic care — not a physician's exercise of professional judgment. Where a matter is truly a malpractice case, we will tell you promptly and point you in the right direction.

Understaffing is a business decision, and the records prove it — staffing grids, audits, state surveys (Cal. Dept. of Public Health citations), internal incident reports, and chart audits. A firm that prepares the case for trial, with the Act's fee-shifting exposure attached, changes the facility's calculation.