Meeting With Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer
To make sure that your suspected nursing home abuse and neglect claim is investigated (and especially if it is your loved one who you suspect is a victim of elder abuse or of a Tennessee nursing home’s neglect), there are important preparations to make before your free consultation with a Tennessee nursing home abuse lawyer at one of our Tennessee offices. If you are unable to come to us we can come to you.
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Before your meeting, make sure both you and your Nursing Home Neglect Lawyer understand your relation to the abused or neglected resident. Your lawyer will need to understand why you are seeking legal help for the person in the nursing home and why he or she is not speaking with the lawyer him or herself.
Your nursing home abuse attorney needs to know if you have power of attorney (if the abused is living in a nursing home) or are the executor of the will (if the abused is deceased) and if there are other siblings. If there have been disputes about what to do in regard to the abuse or nursing home care, your lawyer should also note this when you explain the nursing home abuse. Copies or originals of any legal documents that establish your authority to take legal action should be brought with you during your first meeting with one of our Tennessee lawyers.
Remember that while our lawyers work for you, it is still important to make a positive impression. The initial consultation is a time to evaluate the merits of your nursing home abuse claims as well as to get a sense of you as a client. It is important to be prompt and honest. In order to make the best case possible for your claim, we have to understand the strengths and weaknesses of our clients.
While nursing home abuse is awful and discussion is bound to be emotional, it is nice to let our nursing home legal experts lead the discussion. We have very specific information we need about cases of abuse and/or neglect, but please also bring your own questions prepared. Remember, even if you do not end up hiring one of our nursing home abuse lawyers, everything you tell them during the consultation is subject to attorney-client privilege under Tennessee law. Therefore, it is always better for your nursing home attorney to know before your legal matters are pursued than to suddenly learn them before a Tennessee judge. Honesty is always the best policy.
At The Higgins Firm, we will fight for your nursing home abuse or neglect claim. We want to make sure that the rights of your loved ones are ensured. We stand by our clients and will fight for your claim. We want to make sure that you receive the compensation that you deserve for the injuries that you or a loved one may have suffered within a nursing home. For an initial consultation with one of our qualified Nashville, TN nursing home negligence lawyers, fill out our contact form or call toll-free at 1-800.705.2121.
Nursing Home Law FAQ: What If I Signed an Arbitration Agreement?
Most nursing homes will require residents to sign an arbitration agreement before they can move in. Arbitration agreements are complex and can contain many different stipulations; however, most will dictate the following:
- All complaints must go through arbitration rather than court
- A civil court can never intervene
- Any legal fees must be paid for by the resident
- Any pursuit must remain confidential
If you believe neglect or abuse has taken place in a nursing home, and an arbitration agreement has been signed, you might feel very worried about how justice can be sought. As a nursing home lawyer in Tennessee might tell you, if you’ve signed an arbitration agreement, not all is lost. It is your right to consult a nursing home abuse lawyer, and realistically you should. A lawyer from The Higgins Firm can review the arbitration agreement to determine whether or not there are any weak spots in the wording that could allow you to pursue legal action. In the event that you do have to abide by the agreement, you can still have a lawyer on your side. In fact, with a legal advocate you can feel peace of mind in knowing your rights and interests will be protected against the nursing home, and their legal team.
Contact us online or call us at 800.705.2121 to set up a FREE consultation to discuss your legal options.
Author Bio
Jim Higgins, founder of the Higgins Firm, is a seasoned personal injury attorney with deep roots in Nashville, Tennessee. A 4th generation Nashvillian, Jim carries on the legal legacy of his father, a judge for over 30 years. After graduating from the University of Memphis School of Law, Jim’s career began on the other side of the courtroom, defending insurance companies and learning their tactics for minimizing settlements. However, he soon realized his true calling was fighting for the rights of the injured, and for the past several years, he has exclusively represented plaintiffs in personal injury cases.
Since then, his dedication and skill have earned him membership in the prestigious Million Dollar Advocates Forum, an organization limited to attorneys who have secured million and multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements for their clients. Licensed to practice in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Georgia, Jim focuses on personal injury, product liability, medical malpractice, and workers’ compensation cases. His exceptional work has been recognized by his peers, earning him a spot on the Super Lawyers list from 2021 to 2024, a distinction awarded to only a select group of accomplished attorneys in each state.
