Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is a legal nurse consultant?
2. Who can utilize the expertise of a legal nurse consultant?
3. What types of cases can Lighthouse RN & Associates assist on?
4. Are there different types of legal nurse consultants?
5. Why use a legal nurse consultant rather than a physician expert witness to screen a malpractice case?
6. I already have a paralegal. Why do I need a legal nurse consultant?

1. What is a legal nurse consultant?

"The legal nurse consultant is a licensed registered nurse who performs a critical analysis of healthcare facts and issues and their outcomes for the legal profession, healthcare profession, and others as appropriate. With a strong educational and experiential background, the legal nurse consultant is qualified to assess adherences to standards of healthcare practice as it applies to the nursing and healthcare professions."
         - American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants

A legal nurse consultant provides an affordable alternative to law firms while maintaining high quality.

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2. Who can utilize the expertise of a legal nurse consultant?

There are approximately 900,000 practicing plaintiff and defense attorneys, a large number of whom litigate medical-related cases and need the professional services of a legal nurse consultant.

• Plaintiff and Defense Attorneys


• Insurance Companies


• Governmental Agencies


• Healthcare Facilities

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3. What types of cases can Lighthouse RN & Associates assist on?

• Medical Malpractice


• Personal Injury


• Toxic Tort


• Nursing Home Litigation


• Products Liability


• Criminal


• Medicare Fraud

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4. Are there different types of legal nurse consultants?

Yes. There is a consulting expert, who functions "behind the scenes" doing case development with the attorney, and there is the testifying expert, who functions as an expert witness in a court proceeding. At Lighthouse RN & Associates, we are the consulting experts, and one of our services is to determine and locate your testifying expert.

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5. Why use a legal nurse consultant rather than a physician expert witness to screen a malpractice case?

Cost - Our hourly rate is significantly lower than what a physician typically charges for an opinion. By having Lighthouse RN & Associates perform the initial review, you can save money on those cases which do not meet malpractice criteria. In addition, the type of report you will receive from us will be an important tool that you can use throughout your case development.

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6. I already have a paralegal. Why do I need a legal nurse consultant?

Both of these roles are complimentary in nature and vital to the success of a case but at the same time are quite different. The legal nurse consultant focuses only on her core expertise which is nursing, medicine, and knowledge of the healthcare system. A nurse is able to read doctor handwriting, interpret medical terminology and decipher medical abbreviations with ease. The CLNC has extensive educational training, clinical experience, and additional certification as a legal nurse consultant. The paralegal focuses on the legal field only with no medical background.

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