February 3, 2011 – Great Falls, Montana – According to an article published by the Montana news site www.krtv.com, Tamara Belcourt of Montana has been arrested and charged with “felony elder abuse and/or exploitation”, for the theft of more than $11,500 from an elderly man’s bank account. The man, Jerome Wilson, is an 82-year-old widower who resides at the Park Place Health Care Center in Great Falls. The report alleges that Belcourt was granted the right to act as Wilson’s power of attorney, but that Wilson did not have the capability of granting any such rights, as he currently suffers from Parkinson’s disease and dementia. During an interview with Montana authorities, Belcourt admitted to using Wilson’s money to pay for her children’s expenses. The money Belcourt took was income from Wilson’s pension plan and Social Security benefits.
This issue was discovered when Wilson—who was unaware that his money was being taken—was late on payments for the retirement home at which he resides. An Adult Protective Services case worker discovered that Wilson did not know of the disappearance of the money in the course of interviewing him in connection with the late payments. Elder abuse isn’t limited to cases of physical assault and neglect. Financial abuse is also a form of assault, and it can often lead to serious physical and emotional damages to a victim beyond the economic results. While in this case, the responsibility lies with an individual that the victim trusted with his care, nursing homes have also been known to be liable for financial abuse when it is a member of their staff who commits the crime.
Contacting an Elder Abuse Attorney
If your loved one has suffered serious injury because of elder abuse, an elder abuse attorney can help you to explore the liable parties in your potential claim. Gacovino Lake & Associates we have formed a dedicated network of elder abuse attorneys that serve clients nationwide. Our New York office serves residents of the 5 boroughs, and the rest of the United States, with their auto accident, medical malpractice, defective drug, premises liability, and Workers’ Compensation claims. For experienced help with your personal injury claim, contact us today – 1-800-246-4878.
