A legal nurse consultant is a Registered Nurse who uses existing expertise as a health care professional plus specialized training to consult on medical-related cases.
Very few attorneys understand the complex medical jargon and health care requirements of patients. This results in a demand for legal nurse consultants who can explain the complicated health matters to those in the legal profession.
According to the Houston Chronicle, "Of the approximately 900,000* attorneys in practice today, 25 percent deal with medical malpractice and personal injury cases." These attorneys rely on specially trained legal nurse consultants to help them win their cases.
- According to the American Bar Association Market Research Department, in 2005 there are 1,104,766 attorneys in the U.S.
Additionally, legal nurse consultants provide healthcare expertise for insurance companies, utilization review firms, government agencies, private corporations and hospitals both as staff members and consultants. The legal nurse consulting profession allows nurses many options for establishing a satisfying and profitable part-time or full-time career.
The legal nurse consultant's services include assisting with discovery; conducting research; reviewing medical records; identifying standards of care; preparing reports and summaries on the extent of injury or illness; and locating expert witnesses. Although most legal nurse consultants work behind the scenes, they may also serve as expert witnesses. The legal nurse consultant acts as a specialized member of the litigation team whose professional contributions are often critical to achieving a fair and just outcome for all parties.
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