Chattanooga Nursing Home Physical Abuse Lawyer

Nursing home residents who have been subjected to physical abuse could be entitled to compensation. If you suspect your loved one has suffered from physical abuse, reach out to our dedicated nursing home abuse attorneys. Let a Chattanooga nursing home physical abuse lawyer help you hold the negligent party accountable. Call today and set up a consultation.

How Chattanooga Defines Physical Abuse in Nursing Homes

Any type of violence toward a nursing home patient constitutes physical abuse in Chattanooga. Physical abuse could come in several ways. Caregivers have been known to strike patients with their hands, push patients down onto the floor, and tie them to a chair or bed without medical necessity. Abuse could also be passive in nature like when medical staff refuses care to patients when he or she needs it or when the staff refuses to change patients’ bedclothes or clothing. For more information, reach out to a Chattanooga physical abuse attorney.

Warning Signs of Physical Abuse

Warning signs of physical abuse could sometimes include marks on the body, such as abrasions or bruises. Often, however, bruises on an elderly person cannot always be identified because he or she may bruise easily. One telltale factor is that the mental condition of a physically abused nursing home-patient will likely change.

For instance, the individual often becomes more reclusive, frightful, and have trouble sleeping. If someone notices a person becoming less willing to engage and be around other people, he or she may be seeing a victim of physical abuse. Individuals who have noticed the signs of abuse should contact a compassionate physical abuse lawyer in Chattanooga right away. The person could also contact law enforcement and remove the victim from the nursing home facility.

Which Patients Tend to Be Physically Vulnerable?

The types of patients who tend to be physically vulnerable are those who are unable to understand what is going on around them, unable to follow instructions, or may have a brain malfunction that changes his or her personality. Victims may become belligerent or combative, which may frustrate the caregiver. Sometimes that frustration then leads to physical retaliation by the caregiver, which is illegal.

Use of Force in Nursing Homes

Nursing home staffs are authorized to use force only when patients pose a threat to someone else or his or herself. It is important to note that these circumstances in nursing homes are rare.

Inappropriate use of force would be when a nursing home staff instructs a patient to do something and the patient refuses or does not do it as instructed, but there is no actual threat to the patient or to another person. The staff member may be tempted to use force to teach the patient a lesson to make him or her comply, but that would be an inappropriate use of force.

Contact a Chattanooga Nursing Home Physical Abuse Attorney

When we place a loved one in a nursing home, we expect that he or she is treated with the care and respect that he or she deserves. When this does not happen, contacting a Chattanooga nursing home physical abuse lawyer could be a step in the right direction. Reach out today and see what your options could be.