(a) A person shall not use, cause to be used, obtain, sell, transfer, or disclose protected health information to another person for the purpose of soliciting an individual for legal services without written authorization from the individual who is the subject of the information.

Attorney's Note

Under the Tennessee Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
class C felony3 to 15 yearsup to $10,000
class A misdemeanorup to 11 monthsup to $2,500
For details, see Tenn. Code § 40-35-111

Terms Used In Tennessee Code 47-18-3003

  • Person: means an individual or legal entity that advertises legal services or that identifies potential clients for attorneys or law firms. See Tennessee Code 47-18-3001
  • Protected health information: has the meaning given that term in 45 C. See Tennessee Code 47-18-3001
  • Representative: when applied to those who represent a decedent, includes executors and administrators, unless the context implies heirs and distributees. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • written: includes printing, typewriting, engraving, lithography, and any other mode of representing words and letters. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(b) In addition to any other remedy provided by law:

(1) A person who willfully and knowingly uses, causes to be used, obtains, sells, transfers, or discloses protected health information in violation of this section commits a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of one thousand dollars ($1,000), imprisonment, or both; and
(2) A person who violates this section with the intent to use, cause to be used, obtain, sell, transfer, or disclose protected health information for the purpose of financial gain commits a Class C felony, punishable by a fine not to exceed two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000), imprisonment of not less than three (3) years nor more than ten (10) years, or both.
(c) This section does not apply to the use or disclosure of protected health information to an individual’s legal representative in the course of any judicial or administrative proceeding, or as otherwise permitted or required by law.
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