Elder Abuse:
Where to Go for Help

Finding A Lawyer

Suing a nursing home is a challenging experience under the best of circumstances. However, finding the right attorney to handle your case can be even more challenging. Many attorneys will not look at elder abuse cases. They assume incorrectly that because the client is old and in poor health, damages will be limited and, therefore, the case will not be worth the effort. Other attorneys may be experts in personal injury or medical malpractice laws, but know little or nothing about the Elder Abuse statutes. CANHR knows that only highly qualified and experienced attorneys can successfully sue the attorneys that are defending the nursing homes' interests.

When the right attorney is located and a case successfully pursued, a nursing home or residential care facility can be held accountable for the pain and suffering it may have caused. Abused residents and their family members can find satisfaction in pursuing justice.

CANHR's Lawyer Referral Service (LRS) — 1-800-474-1116

The Lawyer Referral Service was specifically designed to connect nursing home residents and their family members with qualified attorneys. Certified by the California State Bar since 1985, the LRS has established a special service to counsel individuals who believe that they or a loved one have been the victim of elder abuse and they want to pursue a case in civil court. CANHR's LRS can provide the name of an elder neglect attorney from its statewide network of experienced, qualified attorneys. Services are available on a contingency basis in response to situations such as: Physical Abuse, Sexual Assault, Over-Drugging or Restraint Abuse, Residents' Rights Violations, Neglect, Dehydration, Malnutrition, Pressure Sores / Bed Sores, Medical Malpractice and Wrongful Death.        

The material in this web page deals primarily with abuse as it occurs in institutional settings such as nursing homes and residential care facilities for the elderly. The material, however, is also relevant for abuse that occurs in community settings like homes, apartments, and living arrangements with families.

More information on preventing elder abuse is available from
the California Attorney General's office at SafeState.

For complaints about insurance agents, brokers, or attorneys who are involved with the sale of annuities, visit the California Department of Insurance.