The Island Packet of Hilton Head, a local newspaper for the area, reported that a caregiver was arrested this week for elder abuse at an assisted care living center.

Sonia King, 41, has been charged with multiple counts of abuse of a vulnerable adult at her workplace, the Brookdale Senior Living center. She has been accused of slapping two women and making verbal threats to choke another woman while she was working on Dec. 31.

A spokeswoman from the center said that King was fired on Jan.10 after they learned about her actions. According to Beaufort County sheriff's deputies none of the victims received life-threatening injuries.

At this time it is not certain as to whether King has retained an attorney for her upcoming court proceedings.

If someone you love has suffered elder abuse then you need to take action.  Contact our law office to work with a San Diego personal injury lawyer.

The Sacramento Bee recently reported that one of the largest elder abuse verdicts ever awarded has been upheld by a Superior Court judge.  In a nursing home abuse lawsuit filed against Horizon West HealthCare, a $29 million verdict was awarded to the plaintiff.  The lawsuit resulted from the 2005 death of a resident at Horizon West HealthCare. 

According to reports, the deceased was named Francis Tanner and she had retired from a life of public service with both the FBI and IRS before arriving at Horizon in 2005.  While staying at the Facility, Tanner suffered a fall that led to her suffering a broken hip, which went undiagnosed by the facility for days.  Eventually, after being bedridden and receiving inadequate care, she died from an infected bed sore.  These types of sores are preventable and commonly occur when there is nursing home neglect.

During the trial, evidence revealed that the facility was understaffed and violated state laws which mandated a minimum number of care hours.  For this reason, a $29 million verdict was awarded after a jury decided that the plaintiff should be given $800,000 for pain and suffering and $28 million in punitive damages.

However, Horizon West HealthCare challenged the verdict was too high, only to have the verdict upheld by a Superior Court judge who said, "this was an overwhelming case. It does not deserve to be retried. That would be a travesty."

Contact us today to speak with a San Diego personal injury attorney about your nursing home abuse case!

In the San Fernando Valley, two men were arrested by law enforcement after they were caught operating a home loan modification scam in Southern California.  The scheme led to the men, 37 year old Joseph Nguyen and 27 year old Matthew Bourgo, obtaining over $30 million.  Both were former employees of ALG Capital Inc. and were arrested on Tuesday for conducting a "bait and switch scam".  Police also arrested 30 year old Sean McConville in Austin, Texas for his role in the illegal operation.

According to the state Attorney General's office, the trio was charged with 38 counts of grand theft, 19 counts of forgery, 1 count of conspiracy to commit grand theft and 3 counts of elder abuse. 

In October 2008, the Attorney General's office started to investigate the men after receiving 70 complaints against ALG Capital.  They say that ALG collected almost $1 million in undisclosed fees and locked homeowners into $30 million in loans with terms that they did not agree to.  Many of the victims included senior citizens.

If you have been a victim of financial elder abuse, now is the time to take action and discuss your legal options with a San Diego personal injury attorney.  Contact our law firm today!

In Rodeo, it is reported that two individuals have been arrested for their roles in an elder abuse case that resulted in the death of one man.  The case, which is nearly one year old, began in July 2009 after an emergency staff member responded to a call placed by 62 year old Charles Frank. 

Frank was a senior and a dependent adult who was living in an unlicensed board and care home, which was located on the 200 block of Mica Drive.  Unfortunately, the injuries Frank suffered from his elder abuse led to his tragic death.  Coroners that looked at Frank's body found signs of severe neglect, but the nature of the senior's injuries remained unclear.

After Frank's death, Vallejo police launched an investigation alongside the state Department of Social Services Community Care and Licensing Division.  When the investigation concluded, the district attorney's office issued a warrant for the arrest of the both the owner and manager of the facility where Frank resided.

On Wednesday, police were able to arrest 42 year old Patricia Ronquillo and 43 year old Gene Bambao.  Both were accused of dependent adult abuse involving death.

If you or someone you care for has been a victim of elder abuse in San Diego, contact us to speak with a San Diego personal injury lawyer!