Tennessee Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer

Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect in Tennessee

There are over 300 nursing homes in Tennessee that serve more than 24,000 residents, according to KFF. These nursing homes are meant to provide a safe, caring environment for senior citizens throughout the state.

However, when Tennessee facilities fail to meet these standards, nursing home abuse or neglect may occur and put the well-being of residents at risk.

Nursing home abuse can take many forms, including:

• Physical abuse: Violence or unnecessary force against a resident can result in injuries and leave them feeling scared or unsafe within the facility.
• Elder neglect: If staff members fail to meet a resident's basic needs, like providing them with proper nutrition or hygiene assistance, it may be considered neglect. This lack of care can lead to physical and mental decline.
• Sexual abuse: Inappropriate sexual contact between a staff member and a resident may result in injuries, infections, and emotional trauma.

Nearly 30% of Tennessee nursing homes have serious deficiencies that put residents in immediate danger, according to ProPublica. Approximately 80% of facilities across the state were also found to have infection-related deficiencies.

Our Tennessee nursing home abuse lawyers have the resources and experience necessary to stand up to the facilities responsible for your loved one’s injuries and seek justice on their behalf.

Signs of Abuse in Tennessee Nursing Homes

Recognizing the signs of nursing home abuse is crucial to getting your loved one out of a potentially harmful situation. When you visit them or talk over the phone, you should be aware of any shifts in their physical or emotional state.

Signs of abuse in Tennessee nursing homes can include:

• Bedsores or pressure ulcers
• Behavioral changes, like acting withdrawn or agitated
• Dehydration or malnutrition
• Poor hygiene and unsanitary living conditions
• Unaddressed medical issues
• Unexplained injuries, like cuts, bruises, or broken bones
• Weight loss

If you suspect that your loved one is experiencing nursing home abuse, it's important to take action immediately. You can report the abuse to the facility’s administration, a long-term care ombudsman, or the Tennessee Department of Community Health.

However, families should also understand that complaints don’t always lead to immediate action.

Between July 2022 and April 2025, the HFC received more than 13,000 complaints involving nursing homes and assisted living facilities, and 42% of complaints weren’t investigated within the federally required timeline, according to the Tennessee Comptroller's Office.

At Sokolove Law, our nursing home neglect attorneys in Tennessee can also help you take steps to protect your family member and hold those responsible for their suffering accountable.

Who Can a Nursing Home Abuse Attorney in Tennessee Help?

By getting help from our nursing home abuse lawyers in Tennessee, you may be able to secure the compensation needed to relocate yourself or a loved one to a safer environment that can provide the care you deserve.

You may be able to work with a Tennessee nursing home lawyer if:

• You experienced abuse or neglect at a nursing home or long-term care facility
• You’re the immediate family member or estate representative of an elder abuse victim

If your family member passed away due to suspected nursing home abuse or neglect, you may still be able to take legal action by filing a wrongful death lawsuit against the facility where they lived.

How to File a Tennessee Nursing Home Abuse Lawsuit

At Sokolove Law, our attorneys strive to make filing a Tennessee nursing home abuse lawsuit as stress-free as possible. We can handle all of the legal legwork for you, so you can focus on supporting your loved one through this challenging time.

In general, our Tennessee nursing home abuse lawyers can:

• Provide you with a free case review to determine if you may be eligible to take legal action against those responsible for your loved one’s suffering.
• Gather evidence to prove neglect or abuse took place and that the staff or nursing home was responsible. This may include medical records, witness testimony, and more.
• File your nursing home abuse lawsuit in the correct Tennessee court before any legal deadlines pass.
• Negotiate an elder abuse settlement with the defendant(s), which may allow you to receive compensation without going to court.

If a settlement is unable to be reached, our nursing home neglect attorneys in Tennessee are prepared to present your case in court and fight for a verdict on your behalf.

Our Past Tennessee Nursing Home Settlements

We’ve secured more than $327 Million for victims of nursing home abuse and their families nationwide. While the average nursing home abuse settlement is around $400,000, we've recovered much higher payouts for many clients.

Some of our past nursing home abuse settlements and verdicts include:

• $2.2 Million for an elderly woman who suffered a heart attack
• $1.75 Million to a patient who passed away in a fire caused by neglect
• $1 Million to a man whose mother choked to death despite being on assisted feeding
• $890,000 for a victim of nursing home abuse and neglect
• $845,000 to a nursing home resident who was hospitalized for bedsores
• $1.5 Million for a nursing home resident with stage 4 bedsores

Compensation from a nursing home abuse lawsuit in Tennessee can help pay for your loved one’s transfer to a safer facility, medical bills, funeral expenses, and more.

Nursing home abuse case values will vary depending on the unique details of each case, but our experienced lawyers know how to gather the evidence necessary to maximize compensation.

While there’s never a guarantee of results, our Tennessee elder abuse lawyers will fight hard to get you everything you’re entitled to.

Tennessee Nursing Home Statute of Limitations

In Tennessee, a state law known as the statute of limitations gives families a limited amount of time to file a nursing home abuse lawsuit.

The Tennessee nursing home abuse statute of limitations is just 1 year after a loved one’s injury or death, according to TN Code § 28-3-104. This is one of the shortest deadlines in the country.

Because of this strict deadline, it’s important to speak with a nursing home abuse attorney as soon as possible. If the statute of limitations expires, you may lose your right to pursue compensation and hold the facility accountable.

Types of Tennessee Nursing Home Lawyers

At Sokolove Law, our Tennessee nursing home lawyers can help injured residents and the families of those harmed by abuse, neglect, or unsafe conditions seek justice.

Nursing homes are meant to provide care, supervision, and a safe living environment. When facilities fail to meet these basic responsibilities, residents can suffer a wide range of serious and sometimes life-threatening injuries.

We can handle cases involving: 

• Physical abuse
• Neglect
• Bedsores or pressure wounds
• Accidental injuries
• Chemical restraints
• Falls
• Infections or sepsis
• Malnutrition and dehydration
• Medical malpractice
• Medication errors
• Sexual abuse
• Wrongful deaths

Out of all states, Tennessee ranks 49th for nursing home safety and quality, placing it among the lowest-performing states in the country for key measures tied to resident care and facility conditions, according to AARP.

Find out more about the types of cases our Tennessee nursing home injury lawyers may be able to help with.

Tennessee Nursing Home Physical Abuse Lawyer

Physical abuse in nursing homes is far more common than many families realize, with one study finding that approximately 45% of nursing home residents have experienced abuse.

Physical abuse can result in visible injuries like bruises, cuts, or fractures. In some cases, abuse may also cause emotional distress and behavioral changes.

Physical abuse of nursing home residents can include: 

• Hitting
• Improper or excessive use of physical restraints
• Kicking
• Punching
• Rough handling
• Shoving
• Slapping

If your loved one has unexplained injuries, shows sudden changes in behavior, or seems fearful of staff, contact our Tennessee nursing home physical abuse lawyers. We may be able to help you hold abusive staff or facilities accountable.

Tennessee Nursing Home Neglect Lawyer

Neglect occurs when nursing home staff fail to provide basic care to residents, putting them at risk of serious harm. In a survey of more than 2,000 nursing home residents, 95% reported experiencing neglect or witnessing neglect.

When negligence in a nursing home leads to preventable injuries, worsening medical conditions, and unnecessary pain, then a Tennessee nursing home neglect lawyer may be able to help those affected take legal action.

Common signs of neglect may include:

• Malnutrition or dehydration
• Poor hygiene
• Pressure wounds
• Unsanitary living conditions
• Untreated medical issues

By working with a Tennessee nursing home negligence lawyer, you can pursue compensation for your loved one’s medical bills and the cost of transferring them to a facility that can provide the level of care they deserve.

Tennessee Nursing Home Bedsores Lawyer

Nursing home staff are trained to regularly reposition residents to prevent bedsores from forming, and to treat the wounds promptly when they do occur. Without proper care, these sores can worsen quickly and lead to life-threatening infections.

Bedsores or pressure wounds may indicate nursing home neglect, especially when they reach stage 3 or stage 4.

A Tennessee nursing home bedsore lawyer can help families hold negligent facilities accountable for failing to properly care for their loved one.

“Severe bedsores are one of the clearest signs of nursing home neglect. These wounds take time to form and are almost always preventable with routine care.”
– Ricky LeBlanc, Managing Attorney of Sokolove Law

Tennessee Nursing Home Accident Lawyer

When facilities fail to maintain safe environments or provide proper supervision, accidents may occur that cause residents to suffer serious or even fatal injuries.

Nursing home accidents may involve:

• Burns from hot food or liquids
• Choking or aspiration during meals
• Cuts or lacerations from sharp objects or unsafe surroundings
• Elopement (wandering or leaving the facility unsupervised)
• Equipment-related injuries, including wheelchairs, walkers, bed rails, or lifts
• Slips, trips, and falls

An estimated 20,000 to 40,000 nursing home residents with cognitive issues elope each year, according to McKnight’s Senior Living. These residents may wander into traffic, fall, become lost outdoors in extreme temperatures, or encounter water hazards.

At Sokolove Law, our Tennessee nursing home accident lawyers can look into the circumstances surrounding your loved one’s injuries and determine whether the facility’s negligence played a role.

Tennessee Nursing Home Chemical Restraints Lawyer

Chemical restraints are medications used to control a nursing home resident’s behavior rather than to treat a legitimate medical condition, including powerful antipsychotics and sedatives.

More than 1 in 5 nursing home residents are given antipsychotic drugs, often without a clear medical justification, according to the Long-Term Care Community Coalition.

The use of chemical restraints may lead to: 

• Confusion or disorientation
• Falls
• Lethargy and drowsiness
• Loss of mobility
• Respiratory depression

A Tennessee nursing home chemical restraints lawyer can help families investigate whether medications were improperly prescribed or administered and hold facilities accountable for prioritizing their convenience over resident safety.

Tennessee Nursing Home Fall Lawyer

Every year, around half of all nursing home residents experience at least one fall, according to the National Library of Medicine. Falls can result in injuries that may dramatically impact an older adult’s health, independence, and quality of life.

Many nursing home falls are entirely preventable. Facilities are required to assess each resident’s fall risk, flag those who are high risk, and take the appropriate precautions to prevent avoidable harm.

Nursing home falls may occur when:

• Facilities are understaffed
• Residents have to wait too long for help and attempt to move on their own
• Fall risk assessments aren’t completed or updated
• Floors and hallways are cluttered or unsafe
• Medication side effects aren’t monitored, potentially leading to dizziness or weakness
• Mobility aids are broken or ill-fitting
• Residents aren’t properly supervised

Falls in nursing homes can lead to broken bones, head injuries, and even death. Elderly residents who are injured in a fall may experience a loss of mobility and a rapid decline in health.

Our Tennessee nursing home fall lawyers can examine staffing records, care plans, fall risk assessments, incident reports, and medical records to determine whether a facility’s negligence may have played a role in your loved one’s fall.

Tennessee Nursing Home Infection Lawyer

Nursing homes are required to follow strict infection control protocols, including proper catheter care, wound cleaning, and hand hygiene. When facilities fail to meet these standards, residents may be placed in harm’s way.

If an infection goes untreated, residents may develop sepsis, which can lead to organ failure or death. Our Tennessee nursing home sepsis lawyers can help you determine your legal options after a preventable or poorly addressed infection.

Tennessee Nursing Home Malnutrition Lawyer

Malnutrition and dehydration are serious and often overlooked forms of nursing home neglect. When staff fail to provide residents with adequate food, fluids, or assistance during meals, residents can quickly suffer severe health consequences.

Approximately 20% of nursing home residents are malnourished, with rates rising to more than 65% in some facilities, according to Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition & Metabolic Care.

Our Tennessee nursing home dehydration lawyers can also help in cases where residents are not given enough water or assistance with drinking. Common warning signs of dehydration include dizziness, dry mouth or lips, dark or infrequent urine, fatigue, and confusion.

At Sokolove Law, our Tennessee nursing home malnutrition lawyers know how to investigate whether a facility failed to meet basic care standards or ignored signs that a resident was not receiving proper nutrition or hydration. Let us fight for you.

Tennessee Nursing Home Malpractice Lawyer

Nursing home malpractice occurs when medical professionals provide substandard care that leads to an injury or allows a health condition to worsen. This can include mistakes involving diagnosing, treating, or monitoring residents.

Because many nursing home residents often have complex medical needs, even small errors can quickly result in serious harm.

Medical malpractice in nursing homes may involve:

• Delayed response to medical emergencies
• Failure to diagnose or treat infections
• Improper wound or post-surgical care
• Lack of appropriate medical supervision
• Medication errors
• Mismanagement of chronic conditions

Nursing home malpractice is often linked to understaffing, inadequate training, or poor communication between staff.

A Tennessee nursing home malpractice lawyer can review medical records, treatment notes, staffing logs, and expert opinions to determine whether medical negligence caused harm to a resident.

Tennessee Nursing Home Medication Error Lawyer

Nursing home medication errors, including giving the wrong dose or medication, may have serious and potentially fatal consequences.

During a 3-month period, approximately 90% of residents experienced at least 1 medication error, according to BMC Geriatrics.

Medication errors can happen when staff:

• Administer too much or too little of a prescribed medication
• Dispense a medication intended for another resident
• Fail to monitor residents for adverse reactions or side effects
• Give medications at the wrong time
• Provide expired or improperly stored medications
• Skip or miss scheduled doses

By working with our experienced Tennessee nursing home medication error lawyers, you can get help holding those responsible for your loved one’s suffering accountable.

Tennessee Nursing Home Sexual Abuse Lawyer

Over 70% of elder sexual abuse cases occur in nursing homes, according to Minnesota’s Office of Ombudsman for Long-Term Care. Sexual abuse in nursing homes may be carried out by staff, visitors, or other residents.

Residents with cognitive impairments, like dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, may be at especially high risk because they may have difficulty recognizing or reporting the abuse.

If your loved one begins showing signs of sexual abuse, like emotional changes, unexplained injuries in sensitive areas, or new sexually transmitted infections (STIs), reach out to our Tennessee nursing home sexual abuse lawyers for help.

Tennessee Nursing Home Death Lawyer

While some nursing home residents pass away due to natural causes, others may die as a result of abuse or neglect within a care facility.

Residents who have experienced abuse have a 300% higher risk of death than those who have not, according to Gitnux.

Wrongful deaths in nursing homes may be linked to issues like: 

• Falls
• Improper use of medical equipment
• Malnutrition or dehydration
• Medication errors
• Poorly trained staff
• Preventable accidents
• Untreated infections

Our Tennessee nursing home wrongful death lawyers can investigate the circumstances surrounding your loved one’s death and determine whether negligence contributed to their passing.

Those affected may be able to seek compensation for medical expenses, funeral and burial costs, and the emotional impact of losing a loved one.

Let Our Tennessee Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys Fight for You

At Sokolove Law, our nursing home neglect lawyers in Tennessee have decades of experience supporting those who have suffered abuse at the hands of their caregivers.

Our nursing home abuse law firm has recovered millions on behalf of Tennessee patients and their families. There are no hourly fees or out-of-pocket costs to work with our team.

We’re committed to providing you with the personal attention your case deserves. We have the resources necessary to stand up to large long-term care facilities and make sure your loved one is protected.

Let us fight for the justice you deserve. Call (800) 995-1212 now or fill out our contact form to get a free, no-obligation case review.

Tennessee Nursing Home Ratings

The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) evaluates nursing homes in Tennessee using a 5-star rating system. Scores are based on health inspections, staffing levels, and quality measures.

In some cases, CMS also designates facilities with chronic issues as Special Focus Facilities (SFFs), which are subject to additional oversight.

Tennessee nursing homes on the SFF list include:

• Eaton Creek Post Acute
• Church Hill Post-Acute and Rehabilitation Center

Multiple other Tennessee nursing homes have received a 1-star rating and been cited by CMS for resident abuse. Learn more about some of these facilities below.

Beech Tree Health and Rehabilitation

Beech Tree Health and Rehabilitation, located at 240 Hospital Lane in Jellico, is a for-profit facility operated by Plainview Healthcare Partners.

CMS records show the facility failed to:

• Protect residents from physical abuse by other residents, with 3 separate altercations resulting in injuries to at least 5 residents, including facial bruising, scalp abrasions, and scratch wounds requiring first aid — none of which were reported to state authorities
• Report a resident's femur fracture after staff reportedly dropped her
• Develop or update care plans to reflect resident-to-resident altercations, aggressive behavioral histories, or wandering risks for 9 residents
• Post accurate daily nursing staffing information, with the lobby posting outdated by several days on the day of inspection and staffing sheets showing fewer staff actually worked than were listed on 6 overnight shifts reviewed
• Act on a pharmacist's recommendation to evaluate a resident's bladder medication, which carries elevated risks for elderly patients and was flagged as potentially inappropriate
• Keep the medication error rate below 5%, with observed errors including a medication administered an hour late and an inhaler given without following required technique

These CMS inspection findings from Beech Tree Health and Rehabilitation may help Tennessee nursing home negligence attorneys identify potential patterns of substandard care that can contribute to preventable harm.

Gallaway Health and Rehabilitation

Gallaway Health and Rehabilitation, a 104-bed facility located at 435 Old Brownsville Road in Gallaway, is operated by Mission Health Communities.

Findings from CMS inspections include failure to:

• Replace a torn PEG feeding tube for a cognitively impaired, fully tube-dependent resident for 19 days after the tear was documented, during which time the resident lost nearly 15% of her body weight
• Develop and implement a care plan for a severely cognitively impaired resident
• Use a required 2-person mechanical lift when transferring a cognitively impaired resident who had already sustained a toe fracture from a prior improper transfer, resulting in a left distal femur fracture after staff again moved her without the lift, leaving her screaming in pain
• Properly train staff on how to lift and reposition patients

Deficiencies involving unsafe transfers, severe weight loss, and inadequate staff training are often closely reviewed by Tennessee nursing home negligence lawyers when investigating potential cases.

Iris Cove Health & Rehabilitation

Iris Cove Health & Rehabilitation, located at 6733 Quince Road in Memphis, is a for-profit facility with 188 certified beds.

CMS inspection reports documented failures to:

• Perform neurological assessments or monitor a severely cognitively impaired resident with a known seizure disorder after she experienced multiple seizure episodes — her family demanded she be transferred to the hospital, where imaging revealed a massive brain bleed before she passed away
• Ensure licensed nurses had the competencies to respond appropriately to a change in condition by documenting medication administration, notifying medical directors of a resident’s deteriorating condition, and more
• Collect an ordered urinalysis for a resident with an indwelling catheter who was actively experiencing bloody urine, despite nurses documenting the outstanding order on 4 separate occasions over 4 days — the resident was subsequently found unresponsive and was hospitalized with sepsis and metabolic encephalopathy

CMS citations like these may help Tennessee nursing home neglect lawyers assess whether systemic issues played a role in a facility's failure to meet accepted standards of care.

Renaissance Terrance

Renaissance Terrance, a for-profit nursing home operated by Community Eldercare Services, is located at 257 Patton Lane in Harriman.

Findings from CMS inspections include failure to:

• Protect a resident from physical abuse by a staff member, after a CNA grabbed a resident's arm and slapped his hand in response to the resident's combative behavior
• Maintain resident rooms and hallways in a homelike and sanitary condition, as there were holes in walls, cracked sheetrock, chipped and peeling paint, torn wallpaper, and stained privacy curtains across more than half of all resident rooms
• Provide residents with consistent activities or communal dining due to staff shortages
• Complete accurate resident assessments, care plans, or physician orders for a wide range of residents, including failure to document a clinically significant weight loss and care plans that omitted required fall precautions

Inspection reports documenting physical abuse by staff, unsafe living conditions, and staffing shortages may help support investigations by Tennessee nursing home abuse attorneys.

These are not the only Tennessee nursing homes known for poor conditions or potential wrongdoing.

Tennessee Nursing Home Neglect Lawyer FAQs