In Texas, elder abuse is referred to any type of mistreatment to an elderly person that causes damages, such as injuries or financial loss. Oftentimes, the abuser is a close family member, friend, or person entrusted to care for the senior.
If you or your loved one has been charged with elder abuse, you could face a hefty punishment. It’s important to contact a bail bond agency in Tarrant County to help you get out of jail quickly, so you can prepare your defense in court.
Here’s what you need to know about elder abuse in Texas.
What Is Elder Abuse?
There are various types of elder abuse in Texas. If you are charged with any one of the following crimes, a bail bondsman in Fort Worth can help.
· Physical Abuse: As the name suggest, physical abuse is when an individual causes injury to an elderly person.
· Emotional Abuse: This occurs when an elderly person is name-called, harassed, intimidated, or there have been threats made to them. Ignoring elders and isolating them from friends, family, and activities could also be form of psychological or emotional abuse, as well.
· Sexual Abuse: This sort of elder abuse in Texas includes non-consensual sexual contact, such as unwanted touching and other similar acts, with an elderly person.
· Financial Exploitation: This includes any act where an elderly person’s belongings are used for personal gains. It could be as simple as stealing money and misusing credit cards, to as far as exploiting/using personal information for financial gains.
· Health Fraud and Abuse: This kind of elder abuse could be due to a wide variety of acts. It could be when an elderly person is intentionally deprived of essentials such as shelter, food, medication, or medical attention. Or it could be when an elderly person is billed for healthcare services they never received.
· Neglect or Abandonment: This occurs when a caregiver refuses or fails to care for an elderly person and fulfill their basic needs. It can also include abandoning a senior who is dependant on a family member or caregiver.
Penalties for Elder Abuse
Elder abuse is taken very seriously in Texas. In fact, the federal government and many U.S. states, including Texas, have statutes to protect older adults from elder abuse.
If you are convicted of elder abuse in Texas, you could be charged with either a first, second, or third-degree felony charges. It all depends on the circumstances and whether it’s a repeat offense. This could mean that you’ll be sentenced to jail time and fines of up to $10,000.
If you have witnessed abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a senior or adult with disabilities, you must report it to the authorities. In fact, it’s a crime not to report it. If a person has knowledge of a situation where elder abuse or neglect has happened and doesn’t report it, they could be charged with a Class B misdemeanor.
How PCS Bail Bonds Can Help
At PCS Bail Bonds, we know that people make mistakes. We are here to help you by offering 24/7 bail bondsman services in Fort Worth/Tarrant County. We offer competitive rates and payment plans, no credit check is required, and everything we do remains completely confidential between our clients and us.
If you need bail bond services in Texas, contact us today to book a free consultation or simply call us at 817-335-1655. Se Habla Español.