Tennessee Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect Attorneys

Nursing home residents are highly vulnerable to all forms of abuse and neglect, including physical abuse and sexual assault, emotional distress, neglect, and exploitation.

The most common signs of mistreatment include:

• Black eyes, bruising, lacerations, rope marks, welts
• Broken bones
• Reports of being slapped, kicked, hit, or punched
• Puncture wounds, cuts, open sores, and unexplained injuries
• Unexpected changes in behavior
• Unexplained anal or vaginal bleeding
• Genital infections and venereal diseases
• Unexpected weight loss
• Bruising in the genital area or around the breasts
• Bloodied, stained, or torn underclothing
• Malnutrition and dehydration
• Pressure sores
• Victim reports of being sexually raped, sodomized, or assaulted
• Emotional agitation
• Nervousness around specific individuals
• Withdrawn or non-responsive behavior
• Unsanitary rooms
• Dangerous, hazardous, or unsafe conditions
• Inadequate medical care
• A failure to administer prescribed medications
• Abandonment

Victims are often the most vulnerable adults and children harmed through physical abuse, coercion, threats, intimidation, sexual abuse, emotional assault, isolation, blaming, or financial exploitation.

Many abusive cases go unreported, leading the victim to blame themselves in part or whole for what occurred, followed by the shame of what happened.

• Physical abuse including bullying (intimidation), physical and chemical restraint, aggression, isolation, and endangerment
• Mental abuse involving projection, manipulation, blaming, staring, displays of rage, using the silent treatment, playing the victim card, and gaslighting
• Verbal assault, including screaming, intimidating words, personal attacks, blame games, not apologizing, projecting vocal insults, and derogatory talk
• Sexual abuse and assault involving jealousy and rage, coercion, ultimatums, fear tactics, rape, sodomy, selfish appeals, sadistic acts, degrading sex, indecent exposure, and improper touching

• Personal hygiene
• Basic needs
• Medicines
• Medical care
• Emotional support

Unfortunately, neglect often leads to the patient's health decline struggling to survive.

In severe cases of nursing home neglect, the nursing staff might fail to care for a resident with diabetes, administer pain medications to those in distress, or treat skin ulcers that might degrade into systemic infections.

A decubitus ulcer (pressure ulcers, pressure sore, bedsore) occurs when blood circulation is restricted to skin and underlying tissue by pressure on the body part.

The most common areas at risk for developing a sore are bony prominences that make continuous contact with a chair, mattress, bedding material, or cushion. These areas include:

• Ankles and heels
• Legs
• Hipbones
• Sacrum and buttocks
• Elbows
• Shoulder blades and shoulders
• Neck and the back of the head

Without proper blood circulation, the skin is deprived of necessary oxygen. Within a short period of time, the skin's dermis and epidermis layers are compromised and begin inflaming. During the early stage, skin ulcers usually appear as tiny red dots or noticeable blisters, where the surrounding skin is softer or firmer than the wound.

The medical community categorizes decubitus ulcers in four specific stages. In its early stage, the condition is reversed quickly when appropriately treated. However, at its advanced stage, the condition becomes life-threatening. The stages include:

Stage I – In its initial stage, the wound appears as a reddened area where the skin has been deprived of oxygen. The compromised tissue could quickly heal within days if no additional pressure is allowed at the site until the condition is resolved.

Stage II –Without treatment, the pressure wound can decline to an advanced stage, forming a shallow creator at the affected site. Sometimes, fatty deposits can be seen at the bottom of the small crater.

Stage III –If the pressure wound advances to this critical stage, the shallow crater deepens, exposing muscle tissue below. Usually, at this stage, a knowledgeable team of medical professionals trained to assist patients with a life-threatening wound is required as a treatment intervention. Usually, debridement is performed where any dead or dying tissue is cut away, beginning the healing process.

Stage IV – At this most advanced age, the patient is at risk of dying from bone infection (osteomyelitis) or blood infection (sepsis). Typically, a Stage IV decubitus ulcer involves exposure of the bone, muscles, and tendons. Experienced medical wound specialists must take drastic immediate measures to save the patient's life.

Facility-acquired skin ulcers are often a sign of negligence or inattentiveness by the medical team. The CMS  (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) requires the nursing staff to follow established protocols to reverse nearly every pressure sore during the early stage.

If the patient has been provided quality care, proper nutrition, and hydration, the potential of developing a wound should have been eliminated.

Any family member recognizing that their loved one is suffering a life-threatening pressure ulcer should speak with a nursing home abuse lawyer to take legal action.

The attorneys can hold every responsible party legally accountable for their negligence and ensure that the loved one receives proper health care from outside medical professionals.

Find available injury abuse attorneys to assist with the investigation or prosecution of a nursing home abuse case involving skin sores or other injuries on the pages below:

• Memphis, TN Nursing Home Abuse & Pressure Wound Lawyers
• Nashville, TN Nursing Home & Pressure Sore Lawyers
• Knoxville Nursing Home Neglect & Pressure Ulcer Attorneys
• Chattanooga Skin Sore & Nursing Home Neglect Attorneys
• Clarksville Pressure Sore & Nursing Home Attorneys

Fill out the form here to schedule an appointment with reputable TN decubitus ulcer lawyers.

If you can demonstrate that a facility's negligence resulted in an injury to your loved one, you can recover compensation for both economic and non-economic damages under Tennessee law.

Examples of recoverable compensation include:

• Medical expenses for past and future medical care for the injury
• The cost of your loved one's nursing home care
• Pain and suffering your family member endured due to physical abuse or neglect
• Punitive damages