Mistreatment
Experienced Mistreatment Attorneys in the Tampa Bay, Florida Metro Area
Chadwick & Chadwick serves Mistreatment in its various forms for claims in Tampa Bay, including Pasco, Hernando, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Polk, Manatee counties and throughout west central Florida.
Mistreatment / Abuse
If you or your loved ones have been mistreated, or you suspect abuse in any of its various forms, you have a moral responsibility to contact someone who can protect both the abused and the rights of the mistreated.
Children
Children are easy victims, but of all children, perhaps none are as vulnerable as foster children.
Foster Children
Fear often prevents foster children from complaining about mistreatment. Abusive adults, or sexual predators, can easily physically, and psychologically, overpower them. Once a child has been removed from the parent, the child is in the County’s care.
If the County, or its agents, act negligently in any areas of mistreatment, or they negligently fail to investigate, supervise or monitor the foster placement, the County can be sued, along with the foster parents, for the harm caused to foster children.
Sexual Mistreatment
Sexual abuse is shattering, forever leaving a child with feelings of anger, shame, fear and disappointment.
Sexual mistreatment may be by a total stranger at a location with inadequate security. However, mistreatment more often comes from one who is close: respected: teachers, coaches, foster parents, day care workers, members of the clergy, doctors, therapists, government employees or police who use their position of authority to coerce sexual compliance.
Bullying / Harassment
Bullying is becoming an epidemic – nationally and in the counties around Tampa Bay: Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco. An alarming 28% of nationwide students between ages 12-18 have experienced bullying at school.
Most bullying occurs at school or traveling to and from school, though it happens in the child’s neighborhood and on the Internet – cyber-bullying.
Bullies make fun of their victims – often a child with special needs – with name-calling, insults, or spreading vicious rumors. Violent bullying includes pushing, threatening with harm or destroying personal property.
Chadwick & Chadwick are especially sensitive to the safety and rights of children. We urge you to contact our caring attorneys immediately, if you experience or suspect child mistreatment, 813-264-1500 toll-free.
Your report of child abuse is confidential and immune from civil or criminal liability as long as the report is made in “good faith” and “without malice.”
Women / Men
Domestic violence is a pattern of behaviors where one partner tries to control the other through physical force, intimidation or threats. The mistreatment may be in different forms.
Physical
Kicking, punching, shoving, slapping, pushing, tripping, burning, biting, spitting, or choking.
Sexual
Forced or pressured sexual acts, criticizing body parts or rape (even if married).
Verbal
Name-calling, taunting, threatening and put-downs.
Emotional
Excessive jealousy, mind games, isolation from family and friends, threats, making the victim feel worthless.
Spiritual
Attacking one’s spiritual or religious beliefs, or intentionally misquoting scripture to justify mistreatment.
Financial
Controlling economic status or basic needs, withholding money and prohibiting one to work
Destructive acts
Destruction of victim’s property, vandalism, harming or killing pets.
Elderly
Mistreatment of an elderly person, often known to the senior, has no demographic or ethnic boundaries. It occurs in Tampa St. Petersburg, New Port Richey and surrounding cities and counties – in poor, middle class and upper-income households.
Financial Mistreatment
Anyone you has access to your personal information, such as bank account numbers, credit cards or checkbook can potentially steal from you.
Physical Abuse
If you or a loved one experiences unexplained abrasions, lacerations, bruises, burns, scalp wounds – to list just a few abuses – you may be a victim of mistreatment.
Emotional Mistreatment
Verbal assaults, intimidation, humiliation and isolation can cause deep mental and emotional trauma in seniors. Acts of rage, abusive treatment and verbal threatening are not acceptable behavior, whether done by a family member or a non-family caregiver.
Neglect
Failure to provide basics needs to the elderly, like food, shelter, medical assistance, heat, air conditioning or personal hygiene products, is elder mistreatment.
For free consultation, please contact Chadwick & Chadwick, attorneys in mistreatment claims, toll free, any hour of the day or night, 813-264-1500.