Legal Definitions - maltreatment

Maltreatment describes improper or harmful treatment directed towards an individual, animal, or even property. It occurs when actions or inactions fall significantly below an expected standard of care, resulting from either a lack of knowledge (ignorance), a failure to attend to responsibilities (neglect), or a deliberate intent to cause harm (willfulness).

• Example 1: An assisted living facility consistently fails to provide a resident with their prescribed medication on schedule, leading to a decline in their health, and their personal hygiene is routinely neglected due to understaffing.

  Explanation: This is maltreatment because the facility's actions (or inactions) demonstrate neglect of its duty of care and potentially ignorance of the resident's specific medical needs, causing harm to the resident's well-being.

• Example 2: A pet owner intentionally leaves their dog chained outdoors in extreme weather conditions without adequate shelter, food, or water, despite being aware of the suffering it causes.

  Explanation: This constitutes maltreatment due to the owner's willful act of causing harm and distress to the animal by depriving it of basic necessities and exposing it to dangerous conditions.

• Example 3: A building contractor, despite being paid for a specific type of foundation work, uses substandard materials and an incorrect construction method due to their lack of expertise in that particular technique, leading to structural instability in the new building.

  Explanation: This is maltreatment because the contractor's actions stem from ignorance of proper building practices and neglect of their professional responsibilities, resulting in a faulty and potentially dangerous outcome for the client's property.