MP&C Shop Projects

[545_days]

I would invest in a phone call with the local prosecutor in Oregon. The sale of your Father's vehicle to a family member for 25% of market value certainly sounds like elder abuse. There will be a paper trail for both the appointment of the guardian and the sale of the truck. I have no knowledge of Oregon law, but it sounds like it should be an easy slam-dunk for the prosecution.

 

[MP&C]

I would invest in a phone call with the local prosecutor in Oregon. The sale of your Father's vehicle to a family member for 25% of market value certainly sounds like elder abuse. There will be a paper trail for both the appointment of the guardian and the sale of the truck. I have no knowledge of Oregon law, but it sounds like it should be an easy slam-dunk for the prosecution.

We've already had lengthy discussions with attorneys that deal in elder abuse. Sadly, the amount of money you would spend in attorney's fees would negate any recouped money and especially time, since there is little documentation to prove anything. Even with the vehicle, that had been brought up (in her absence) by her local attorney but the guardian lied and told the judge she had been given verbal permission by my wife. Judge either didn't have sense enough to know she was lying if my wife's attorney brought up the theft, or the judge was covering their *** because they were the one to approve the appointment of the guardian without contacting family. Wife spent about 5 wasted trips going to court where the locals requested more time to prepare, full well knowing she was travelling there from the east coast. Not sure she wants another dose of that. So at this point the vehicle issue would be best handled by just reporting the theft of a vehicle, but that's up to the boss lady. I think she's had her fill of the whole situation.

 

[PugetDude]

Looking back through my thread here, it looks like I was remiss in chronicling the latest cross-country trip from Oregon. I've talked to a few of you guys about our ventures in Oregon, but basically we've been flying back and forth for well over a year now to tend to my father-in-law, who had been diagnosed with dementia. He is a combat wounded Vietnam veteran, and although there is a local VA hospital, they do not have the doctors needed for such care. It turned into a real shtshow with the state of Oregon, they had made him a ward of the state and inserted a court appointed guardian, when they legally should have reached out for his next of kin (daughter) first. After all this, it took about 18 months of court battles to get them to transfer guardianship to his own daughter. The state appointed guardian basically had a license to steal for all that time. Some examples, she had researched getting him a new stove for his kitchen as they no longer felt a gas stove was safe for him. In all that time, she has numerous entries of "researching kitchen stove" that in total amounted to about $7500 of research that never did produce a purchase. The newest vehicle he had disappeared, and the guardian never would tell my wife where it went. "Talk to my attorney" was always her response. All said and done, we found it had been "sold" to the guardian's son for about 25% of her stated value, and these funds never were put into his account. Yes, Grand theft auto by a court appointed thief. Some of the 24-7 caregivers that the guardian had hired helped themselves to silver coins and anything else of value. We were late to the party, much of it had been stolen before we got there. I took numerous videos in his woodshop to document what was there, and as it appeared I was the only one cutting grass (monthly basis), I took the tractor keys with me to ensure that wasn't sold when we returned. He had a hand built vintage style speed boat in his shop but we felt safe that it wouldn't disappear as he had built walls around it. We finally got guardianship transferred and was able to get him moved to Maryland. Then the trips could be more focused into cleaning up and selling the house and bringing home any of his personal items that we wanted to keep. He did have a 1999 Ford Ranger pickup, and I had been driving it anytime we visited to check for any maintenance/repairs needed prior to a cross-country venture. I had done a brake job, new front wheel bearings, new serpentine belt, wiper blades, etc. The front tires looked good, but the backs were older and a mismatch, so we installed two new rear tires. The oil had recently been changed, so I left that. But it seemed every time I would run an errand, there was an oil sheen on the driveway when it was damp (this was the mountains of Oregon, after all) and the level would be low. I checked all the typical valve cover and oil pan bolts, and all were snug. Everything seemed to focus on the driver's side of the engine as a source and there I am staring at this brand-new oil filter someone had installed. On a whim I gave it a turn. As it were, it took 1-1/2 turns for it to snug. Subsequent errands, including a 6 hour round trip for a FBMP used topper (for packing more stuff), saw no change in oil level, so I now felt safe that it would make the trip. It's a Ford FN Ranger, what could go wrong?

Oregon.

 

[gearhead1960]

Looking back through my thread here, it looks like I was remiss in chronicling the latest cross-country trip from Oregon. I've talked to a few of you guys about our ventures in Oregon, but basically we've been flying back and forth for well over a year now to tend to my father-in-law, who had been diagnosed with dementia. He is a combat wounded Vietnam veteran, and although there is a local VA hospital, they do not have the doctors needed for such care. It turned into a real shtshow with the state of Oregon, they had made him a ward of the state and inserted a court appointed guardian, when they legally should have reached out for his next of kin (daughter) first. After all this, it took about 18 months of court battles to get them to transfer guardianship to his own daughter. The state appointed guardian basically had a license to steal for all that time. Some examples, she had researched getting him a new stove for his kitchen as they no longer felt a gas stove was safe for him. In all that time, she has numerous entries of "researching kitchen stove" that in total amounted to about $7500 of research that never did produce a purchase. The newest vehicle he had disappeared, and the guardian never would tell my wife where it went. "Talk to my attorney" was always her response. All said and done, we found it had been "sold" to the guardian's son for about 25% of her stated value, and these funds never were put into his account. Yes, Grand theft auto by a court appointed thief. Some of the 24-7 caregivers that the guardian had hired helped themselves to silver coins and anything else of value. We were late to the party, much of it had been stolen before we got there. I took numerous videos in his woodshop to document what was there, and as it appeared I was the only one cutting grass (monthly basis), I took the tractor keys with me to ensure that wasn't sold when we returned. He had a hand built vintage style speed boat in his shop but we felt safe that it wouldn't disappear as he had built walls around it. We finally got guardianship transferred and was able to get him moved to Maryland. Then the trips could be more focused into cleaning up and selling the house and bringing home any of his personal items that we wanted to keep. He did have a 1999 Ford Ranger pickup, and I had been driving it anytime we visited to check for any maintenance/repairs needed prior to a cross-country venture. I had done a brake job, new front wheel bearings, new serpentine belt, wiper blades, etc. The front tires looked good, but the backs were older and a mismatch, so we installed two new rear tires. The oil had recently been changed, so I left that. But it seemed every time I would run an errand, there was an oil sheen on the driveway when it was damp (this was the mountains of Oregon, after all) and the level would be low. I checked all the typical valve cover and oil pan bolts, and all were snug. Everything seemed to focus on the driver's side of the engine as a source and there I am staring at this brand-new oil filter someone had installed. On a whim I gave it a turn. As it were, it took 1-1/2 turns for it to snug. Subsequent errands, including a 6 hour round trip for a FBMP used topper (for packing more stuff), saw no change in oil level, so I now felt safe that it would make the trip. It's a Ford FN Ranger, what could go wrong?

Sorry to hear about the thieving Guardian. No legal remedies to get $$$ back?

Plenty could go wrong on the Ranger, but not rocket scientist hard…most are easy fixes. Enjoy….see link to my thread below for some of the things I’ve had to do to my 98.

 

[Rockable]

Damn, Robert. I had no idea. I can't imagine the anger and frustration for you and Stacey. So sorry y'all had to go through this.

 

[zmotorsports]

Sorry I missed you again Robert, but I sure appreciate you thinning the bugs out for us here.

 

[545_days]

We've already had lengthy discussions with attorneys that deal in elder abuse. Sadly, the amount of money you would spend in attorney's fees would negate any recouped money and especially time, since there is little documentation to prove anything. Even with the vehicle, that had been brought up (in her absence) by her local attorney but the guardian lied and told the judge she had been given verbal permission by my wife. Judge either didn't have sense enough to know she was lying if my wife's attorney brought up the theft, or the judge was covering their *** because they were the one to approve the appointment of the guardian without contacting family. Wife spent about 5 wasted trips going to court where the locals requested more time to prepare, full well knowing she was travelling there from the east coast. Not sure she wants another dose of that. So at this point the vehicle issue would be best handled by just reporting the theft of a vehicle, but that's up to the boss lady. I think she's had her fill of the whole situation.

I agree that a lawsuit is unlikely to be worthwhile. I'm thinking more about prosecution. It would be worth of a call to the DA's office. Who knows, the guardian and/or civil court judge involved might be political rivals that the DA would relish pursuing.

 

[PugetDude]

I agree that a lawsuit is unlikely to be worthwhile. I'm thinking more about prosecution. It would be worth of a call to the DA's office. Who knows, the guardian and/or civil court judge involved might be political rivals that the DA would relish pursuing.

Time wounds all heels.

 

[SilverJimmy]

Sounds like you need a simple solution from Pulp Fiction…. A couple hard hitting dudes from the SouthSide with a pair of pliers and a torch!!!

 

[MP&C]

If for nothing else than keep her from doing it to the next person.

 

[gba2331]

Very sad that vultures exist and prey on the elderly.

Speaking of vultures, I hope you have the title for the boat because MD is not very flexible in this department.

 

[stinkity stoink]

Sorry to hear about youre father in law.
I hear nothing but nightmares about all of the things states do with assets.

 

[MP&C]

Very sad that vultures exist and prey on the elderly.

Speaking of vultures, I hope you have the title for the boat because MD is not very flexible in this department.

I do have the title and the Washington state numbers are going back on it. Not that I plan on anything other than car shows for it…

 

[txvwnut]

Robert I feel your pain in the elder abuse/exploitation department. I have been dealing with a similar issue except it was performed by a family member against my father. I'm coming up on a year of dealing with and still not done.

I would still report the vehicle as stolen as it will force the courts to have to look into the issue of the guardian over stepping their bounds. If there is suspicion of money being taken you will need a forensic accountant for that and those ain't cheap, least not in Texas. The statement of, you'll spend more than you get back is sometimes correct, but if the value amount is high enough you could possibly get the state to take over prosecution as it becomes a felony matter. You still probably won't get any money back but at least they'll end up in jail if the evidence is strong enough.

 

[bugnut]

Robert, the trials and tribulations you and your spouse are experiencing truly ****. Boat is sharp, take care of it.

as for the 22k a month for 24/7 care, (~$30/hr) while expensive, it is cheaper than the rates here locally for Komfort Keepers and such-who provide glorified babysitters-intent on playing on their phone.