Elder Abuse Lawyers

Our parents and grandparents deserve dignity, safety, and care — especially when they can no longer fully protect themselves. When nursing homes, assisted living facilities, caregivers, or even family members abuse, neglect, or financially exploit an elder, California law provides some of the strongest remedies in the country. At L&F Brown, we hold abusers and negligent facilities accountable under the Elder Abuse and Dependent Adult Civil Protection Act.


Why Choose L&F Brown?

  • Direct Attorney Access: Families work directly with a Senior Attorney who understands both the legal and the human side of these cases.
  • Aggressive Against Large Facilities: We are not intimidated by nursing home chains or their insurance defense firms.
  • No Upfront Fees: Elder abuse cases are handled on contingency. You pay nothing unless we recover.
Call Us Now: 800-953-0075

Types of Elder Abuse We Handle

California law recognizes several forms of elder abuse, and we handle them all:

  1. Physical Abuse: Hitting, restraining, overmedicating, or sexually abusing an elder.
  2. Neglect: Failing to provide food, water, hygiene, medical care, or supervision — including bedsores, falls, dehydration, malnutrition, and untreated infections.
  3. Financial Abuse: Theft, fraud, undue influence, unauthorized use of funds or property, or manipulation of estate documents.
  4. Emotional and Psychological Abuse: Threats, intimidation, isolation, and verbal abuse.
  5. Abandonment: Desertion by a caregiver or facility responsible for the elder.

Common Settings for Elder Abuse

We pursue cases against the facilities and individuals responsible, including:

  • Nursing Homes and Skilled Nursing Facilities.
  • Assisted Living and Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCFEs).
  • Memory Care and Dementia Units.
  • In-Home Care and Private Caregivers.
  • Hospitals and Rehabilitation Centers.
  • Financial Relationships: Involving family members, fiduciaries, or professionals with access to an elder's assets.

California's Enhanced Protections

The Elder Abuse and Dependent Adult Civil Protection Act (Welfare & Institutions Code §15600 et seq.) provides remedies that go far beyond ordinary negligence law. When we can prove recklessness, oppression, fraud, or malice, elders and their families may recover:

  • Pain and Suffering Damages That Survive Death: An exception to California's general rule barring such damages after a victim passes.
  • Attorney's Fees and Costs: Shifted to the defendant.
  • Punitive Damages: For particularly egregious conduct.
  • Enhanced Remedies: Specifically designed to deter facility-level misconduct.

Warning Signs Families Should Know

If you notice any of the following in a loved one, it may be time to speak with an attorney:

  • Unexplained Injuries: Bruises, fractures, or bedsores without clear cause.
  • Rapid Weight Loss or Dehydration: Often signs of neglect.
  • Poor Hygiene: Soiled clothing, unchanged bedding, or unattended basic care.
  • Sudden Financial Changes: New names on accounts, altered wills, or unexplained withdrawals.
  • Emotional Withdrawal: Fearfulness, anxiety, or unusual quietness around staff or family.
  • Frequent Falls or Medication Errors.
  • Restricted Access: Facility staff discouraging private visits or conversations.

How L&F Brown Can Help

Elder abuse cases require speed and precision — medical records, staffing records, and witnesses can disappear quickly. Our attorneys will:

  • Act Quickly: Preserve evidence, obtain care plans and staffing records, and secure witness accounts before they're lost.
  • Work with Medical Experts: To distinguish ordinary aging from preventable harm caused by neglect or abuse.
  • Pursue the Facility, Not Just the Staff: Corporate owners and operators are often the parties with real responsibility — and real resources.
  • Honor Your Family's Goals: Whether that means a confidential settlement, a public trial, or systemic change at the facility.

Popular Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
  • How do I know if my loved one’s injuries qualify as elder abuse under California law?
    California’s Elder Abuse and Dependent Adult Civil Protection Act (Welfare & Institutions Code §15600 et seq.) covers physical abuse, neglect, financial exploitation, emotional abuse, and abandonment of anyone age 65 or older (or a dependent adult). Warning signs include unexplained bruises or fractures, bedsores, sudden weight loss, poor hygiene, missing funds, or fearful behavior around caregivers. If you suspect abuse, speak with an attorney — we can evaluate whether the facts support a claim.
  • Can I sue a nursing home or assisted living facility, not just an individual caregiver?
    Yes, and in most elder abuse cases the facility itself is the primary defendant. Corporate owners and operators are responsible for staffing levels, training, supervision, and the policies that create conditions for abuse or neglect. California law allows families to pursue the facility — which typically carries insurance and has far greater resources than an individual employee — for recklessness or institutional failures that led to harm.
  • What additional damages are available in elder abuse cases compared to regular negligence?
    Under California’s Elder Abuse Act, when we prove recklessness, oppression, fraud, or malice, you can recover attorney’s fees and costs (shifted to the defendant), punitive damages for egregious conduct, and — critically — pain and suffering damages that survive the victim’s death. This last point is a major exception to California’s general rule and means families can continue a claim even after an elder passes away from their injuries.
  • How quickly do I need to act after suspecting elder abuse?
    As quickly as possible. Evidence in elder abuse cases — care plans, staffing records, medication logs, surveillance footage, and witness accounts — can be altered or destroyed. California’s general statute of limitations for elder abuse claims is two years from the date of injury or discovery of the abuse. Additionally, for cases involving certain defendants, timely reporting may affect your legal options. Contact an attorney immediately if you suspect abuse.
  • Does L&F Brown charge upfront fees for elder abuse cases?
    No. Elder abuse cases are handled on a contingency fee basis — you owe nothing unless we recover compensation for your family. There are no upfront fees or hourly charges. We offer free, confidential consultations for families throughout Los Angeles and the surrounding area, including Glendale, Pasadena, and the San Fernando Valley.
Related Practice Areas
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Abuse & Neglect

Child Abuse

Survivors of child abuse can hold not only the abuser but also the institutions that enabled the harm legally accountable. L&F Brown represents survivors with discretion and determination in civil claims against schools, churches, and organizations.

See how we can help today—
and prepare you for tomorrow.