According to the news outlets from the state of Tennessee, all state residents are obliged by law to report any type of child abused they know or hear of in any circumstance.
That is also true to any elder abuse a resident has seen or known of. Any adult who is mentally or physically impaired and any elder is protected under the law. All abuse directed toward these adults must be reported to the authorities and if not, the witness may suffer criminal implications.
All abuse cases related to adults and elders are investigated by the Adult Protective Services. Anybody can report a case and have their identity kept in complete confidentiality.
As a Los Angeles wrongful death attorney, I hope that this will serve as an example to California residents as well. We must remember that all of our vulnerable populations, children or frail adults deserve this protection and attention.
Personal injury lawyers are unfortunately very familiar with cases related to the fatal neglect of elders in nursing homes and other facilities. Hopefully, this sad reality will change after the hard work of the Adult Protective Services.
