Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse in Tennessee
Tennessee law requires a
criminal background check for nursing home staff. Yet
staffing shortages and budget issues mean that nursing home
abuse is still a potential danger in the state. With the
possibility that your elderly relative may fall victim to
nursing home abuse, it is important to learn about your
legal rights and the signs and symptoms of abuse.
What Is Elder Abuse?
Abusive behaviors against
the elderly can include financial exploitation, physical or
emotional abuse, even sexual assault. The National Center on
Elder Abuse, which collects nursing home abuse statistics
and data, reports that up to 30 percent of nursing homes
commit some form of abuse on elderly patients.
Signs of Nursing Home Abuse
Elder abuse is
underreported and more widespread than you might think. If
your elderly relative has become withdrawn or irritable, it
may be due to abuse by a caretaker. Symptoms of abuse at the
hands of a nursing home employee include bed sores,
unattended wounds, unexplained cuts or bruises, sudden
change in patient behavior, unchanged clothing, or a
seemingly overmedicated state. If you notice these changes
in your relative, report them to the facility director, law
enforcement, and the Tennessee Department of Health as soon
as possible.
Tennessee Law and Regulation Protecting
the Elderly
All nursing home residents
in Tennessee are not only covered by state law, but by the
national Nursing Home Reform Act and Americans with
Disabilities Act. These laws require caretakers to give
patients access to medical and personal information, grant
them privacy and confidentiality, allow patients to
participate in their own care, give freedom and respect
(this means no unwanted restraints or "punishments"), and
respect their personal property and possessions.
Failure to uphold the
basic rights of nursing home residents in Tennessee can
constitute abuse and can degrade the quality of an elderly
patient's quality of life or even lead to an earlier death.
If You Suspect Elder Abuse Has Taken
Place
Even though state
resources, such as the Tennessee Department of Health, can
address nursing home abuse at the licensing level, you may
wish to pursue criminal or civil litigation against the
abusive caretaker and/or facility. This requires the
services of an attorney experienced with cases of elder or
nursing home abuse in Tennessee. Your Tennessee nursing home
abuse lawyer can help determine how to file your claim,
advise on the inherent legal issues, and support you as you
seek monetary compensation for personal injury and pain and
suffering.
Support for Elder Abuse Victims
Concerned about nursing
home abuse? You are not alone. There are many support groups
and Web sites with information about what is and is not
acceptable in Tennessee nursing homes. For the last word on
legal issues related to nursing home abuse in Tennessee,
consult an experienced Tennessee nursing home abuse
attorney. Your attorney will be your first resource as you
attempt to protect an elderly loved one.
(Source:
http://injury-law.freeadvice.com/)
Contingency Fees
We represent families in
nursing home negligence and elder abuse cases in Nashville,
Brentwood, Franklin, Cookville, Nolensville, La Vergne, Mt.
Juliet, Hendersonville, Donalson, Hermitage, Spring Hill,
and other communities in the counties of Davidson,
Williamson, Maury, Cheatham, Robertson, Sumner, Wilson and
Rutherford. We do not charge a fee for personally consulting
with you about your case. Protecting your rights is
important to us, so we cover all expenses until the end of a
case and then we are paid a portion of the funds recovered
plus costs. If we are unable to recover compensation for
you, you do not owe us a fee. This is called a "contingency
fee" arrangement and is common among attorneys who handle
nursing home negligence and elder abuse cases. For further
information about an elder abuse or neglect cases in
Tennessee please contact us at our office in Nashville at 888-452-3043.
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