What is a Legal Nurse Consultant and How Can They Help Me?

Many times, we get responses to marketing from attorneys that state, “I do _____ cases, not personal injury,” or “I don’t do medical malpractice cases I do _____ cases.” To clear up any confusion, below you will find more information on how a Legal Nurse Consultant may be able to help you with your next case. 

What is Legal Nurse Consulting? 

 “The application of knowledge acquired during the course of professional nursing education, training, and standard of care, causation, damages and other medically related issues in cases or claims. Is the application of additional knowledge acquired through education and experience regarding applicable legal standards and/or strategy to the evaluation of medical-legal cases or claims. Involves critical analysis of healthcare records and medical literature, relevant legal documents and other information pertinent to the evaluation and resolution of cases or claims. Results in the development of case-specific work products and opinions for use by legal professionals or agencies handling cases or claims.” 

What is a Legal Nurse Consultant. (2018). www.aalnc.org. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://www.aalnc.org/Portals/0/Docs/About/What%20is%20an%20LNC%20Brochure_Final.pdf?ver=1EFhnNJkIAEhQIcPxF21ag%3d%3d 

The role of a Legal Nurse Consultant 

“The primary role of a legal nurse consultant (LNC) is to evaluate, analyze, and render informed opinions about the medical issues, delivery of health care and/or the health outcomes as they relate to cases or issues within the medical-legal arena.” 

Dickinson, J., & Meyer, A. (2019). Legal Nurse Consulting Principles and Practices. CRC Press.  

“A legal nurse consultant is a registered nurse who uses existing expertise as a healthcare professional plus specialized legal nurse consultant training to consult on medical-related cases. “ 

Milazzo, V. (n.d.). What is a Legal Nurse Consultant? www.legalnurse.com. https://www.legalnurse.com/what-is-a-legal-nurse-consultant 

What areas of practice do Legal Nurse Consultants work in? 

A Legal Nurse Consultant can in any area of practice which involves a health issue, illness or an injury such as: 

Criminal Cases 

•  Driving under the influence (DUI) 
•  Sexual and physical assault 
•  Abuse cases involving a child, spouse or the elderly 
•  Criminal cases against individual providers and/or facilities. 
•  Violent crime 
•  Psychiatric cases 
•  Abuse related to Medicaid or Medicare fraud 
•  Illegal Possession of narcotics 
•  Excessive use of force by law enforcement 

 Family Law Cases 

• Custody of a child with special needs or complex medical care 
• Custody issues related to abuse of a child 
• Spousal abuse cases 
• Wrongful Adoption 

Care of the Elderly Cases 

• Competence issues related to wills 
• Elderly Abuse 

Toxic Tort Cases 

• Lead poisoning 
• Radiation contamination 
• Electromagnetic fields 
• Havana Syndrome 
• Pesticides 

 Worker’s Compensation Cases 

• Injuries caused by work equipment 
• Auto accidents while performing work-related driving 
• Injuries caused overtime by overuse of a part of the body 
• Back injuries 

 Products Liability Cases 

• Injuries caused by a medical device 
• Injuries or illness caused by a medication 
• Injuries caused by a nonmedical device such as toys, personal care, or household products 
• Motor Vehicle Accidents caused by a defect in the motor vehicle 

 Medical Malpractice Cases 

• Any case involving a healthcare provider or healthcare facility, in which there is professional negligence.  

 Personal Injury Cases 

• Motor vehicle accidents 
• Dog bites 
• Sport injuries 
• Boat accidents 
• Theme Park Injuries 
• Aviation, Railway, or Maritime Cases 
• Premises liability cases such as slip and fall 

Other Medical-Related Cases 

• American with Disabilities Act (ADA) 
• Right to die 
• Medicare or social security benefit cases  
• Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) cases 
• Bad faith litigation 
• Injuries sustained in a school setting 

Portside Legal Nurse Consulting has Legal Nurse Specialists in every specialty to assist you with all your medical-related cases. We can be reached via our website at www.portsidelegalnurse.com or by email at [email protected]. We look forward to assisting you with your next case!