This is an important new case, but you do need to read the facts and opinion carefully to determine whether your situation fits. Here is a pdf of the opinion Fenimore v. The Regents of the University of California.

It is arguable that this opinion expands the situations where an elder abuse claim can be stated.

For more than 20 years there has been a tug-of-war between ordinary negligence including medical or care malpractice on the one hand and elder abuse on the other hand. And that tension will continue; however, very slowly the courts are more often holding that elder abuse can be alleged in a medical or care situation where there are systemic deficiencies such as, for example, lack of staffing and inadequate training, particularly where those deficiencies violate a statutory duty, requirement or standard of care.

As the underlying opinion in Fenimore applies in the circumstance of systemic violation of a statutory duty, arguably this case, as it applies to elder abuse, could be cited in a whole host of care and other situations including but not limited to nursing homes, RCFE/assisted living, fiduciary care duties, fiduciary financial duties, and more.

Dave Tate, Esq. San Francisco and California – civil real property and business, trust, estate, conservatorship, power of attorney and elder abuse litigation, and helping fiduciaries and beneficiaries in administrations. http://californiaestatetrust.com, and audit committees and D&O http://auditcommitteeupdate.com.