When an attorney takes on a medical-related lawsuit, the attorney is confronted with enormous volumes of medical records crammed with esoteric terminology, inexplicable shorthand and indecipherable handwriting. Yet his client's (plaintiff or defense) future depends on the attorney understanding those records and using them to support the case effectively. That's why Certified Legal Nurse Consultant services are the healthiest thing that will ever happen to an attorney's practice.
Total confidence in the services and support provided by a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant is especially important when taking on a formidable opponent, such as a major international corporation. Bob Young, an attorney with English, Lucas, Priest and Owsley, a major personal injury firm in south central Kentucky, faced this challenge when he accepted the case of Heather Norman.*
In 2001, the 12-year-old was severely burned in a motor vehicle accident that killed her mother and brother. "The truck's side-saddle gasoline tanks exploded upon impact," Young says, "leaving Heather with second and third degree burns over 25% of her body, including her back, chest, arms, hands and face. She had three surgeries to receive skin grafts and underwent numerous other medical procedures. She spent three weeks in the hospital, plus more than a month as an out patient receiving daily wound care and occupational therapy." Young filed a products liability suit against the truck manufacturer on Heather's behalf.
Medical cases like this can generate thousands of pages of records. "If I try to sift through the records and put together a summary," says Young, "it might or might not be accurate. I'm not trained in the medical field. It makes sense to have someone with medical training go through the records and decipher the important information."
Young uses the services of Gina Rogers, RN, CLNC for cases like Heather's. "My assignment," says Rogers, "was to document this child's pain and suffering. In addition to summarizing the records, I decided 'a picture is worth a thousand words.' I created a detailed graph of her body indicating all the burns and skin grafts. My completed graph showed that there was hardly an undamaged place on her body."
"Two major factors in this case," says Young, "were the enormous pain and suffering Heather had to deal with and the problems she would face in the future. Gina set forth all the pain medications my client received during the three weeks she was in the hospital. Gina also prepared a detailed list of Heather's potential future health problems."
Instead of sending the defendant thousands of pages of medical records, Young sent them Gina's report, including the dramatic graph of the plaintiff's injuries. "Gina's work was a significant part of the settlement brochure," he says. The case settled for an undisclosed amount.
Consulting an Independent Certified Legal Nurse Consultant Is Like Having a Nurse on Staff Without the Full-time Expense – For the last three years Young has used Rogers' services on almost every medical-related case. "It's like having a nurse on staff without the full-time expense," he says. "The most important thing Gina does is help me screen each case to see if it's worth taking. In every medical malpractice case you have to retain a medical doctor to testify to the standards of care. After Gina reviews the case, we discuss whether to retain a very expensive MD. Often we decide not to take that next step. If we do take the case, Gina has a network of doctors so she helps me find the expert, too."
*Name has been changed.
Article Source:http://www.articledashboard.com
Vickie L. Milazzo, RN, MSN, JD is the founder and president of Vickie Milazzo Institute, a legal nurse consultant training and certification company.
** Lawsuit Loan! Risk Free Lawsuit Funding!! **
Lawsuit Loan! Risk Free Lawsuit Funding!!
Lawsuit Cash Advance. No Risk Funds.
99% of Plaintiffs involved in Lawsuits Don't Realize They Can get Cash Advance before their Case Settles. It is called lawsuit funding or often referred as "Lawsuit loans", "Litigation financing", " Legal financing," or a "Lawsuit cash advance" or "Injury loans", but these are not loans because the money does not have to be paid back unless the case is won or settled. These are Non- Recourse Cash Advances. It carries No Risk because Plaintiffs owe Nothing if they lose the case. The client must be represented by an Attorney, and need money prior to settlement due to financial hardship.
Lawsuit Cash Advances or so called Lawsuit Loans can provide a very timely financial solution to help plaintiffs who are having financial difficulties. Usually the Plaintiff's financial hardship is the result of being injured and not being able to work.
Mostly plaintiffs have missed work or lost their job and can no longer meet their mortgage/ rent or car payments. Many of them may be one or two payments away from Foreclosures. They may be in need of Medical treatments. They need to pay Children's education expenses.
But now this new Lawsuit or Litigation Funding is great help to plaintiffs. In the past, these claimants have needed to accept lesser settlement amounts due to pressing financial difficulties. Now, clients can sustain their personal lives and give the attorney the necessary time to achieve the full value of the case.
Lawsuit Funding: How does it work? This total process is confidential, prompt and discreet. The process to receive Lawsuit Cash Advance is Risk Free & simple. Plaintiff may have a bad or no credit. There are no monthly payments.
1. The first step is to complete an Application Form.
Making an application is free and there is no obligation
2. Plaintiff authorizes attorney to release case information to underwriters
3. Quick and thorough underwriting process to qualify client.
4. If approved Plaintiff completes funding agreement
5. Bank check delivered to Plaintiff
6. Plaintiff payback upon successful settlement/verdict of case
7. If Plaintiff loses case, Plaintiff owes nothing to funding company
Lawsuit pre-settlement cash advance is available for:
* Personal Injury, Automobile Accidents, Pedestrian injury any Type
* Pharmaceutical Litigation like Zyprexa, Vioxx, and Fen-phen etc.
* Asbestos / Mesothelioma lawsuit
* Tobacco/Smoking cases
* Slip & Fall Cases, Burn Injuries
* Nursing Home Abuses
* Breach of Contract
* Class Action/Product Liability
* Employment Discrimination
* Judgments, Verdicts, Appeals
* Malpractice: Medical-Legal, Accounting, Construction etc.
* Harassment: Sexual/Rape, Any Type
* Workers Comp. cases (not in all the states)
* Wrongful Termination
* Wrongful Death
* Patent or Copyright infringement & other Intellectual Property
* Real Estate Disputes
AND MANY MORE…..
A lot of people & businesses are being forced to settle early for way less than they deserve because they simply can't afford to wait any longer. There is no reason for them to settle for less than their case is worth.
There are some good internet sites that give more information on lawsuit cash advances. One good source of information is http://www.easylawsuitfunding.com. They also offer Lawsuit Funding for all the cases and their services are nationwide (except Ohio).
About The Author:
The author is a Legal Funding Consultant specializing in Pre-settlement Funding and has written authoritative articles on the finance industry. He is engaged in providing free, professional, and independent advice to the residents of United States. He is currently assisting Plaintiffs (Individuals and Business Owners) involved in Lawsuits and Attorneys to get Lawsuit Pre-settlement Funding.
For more information please visit http://www.easylawsuitfunding.com
You can also email him at Paul@easylawsuitfunding.com
Dental Malpractice with No Recourse
A co-worker recommended a dentist to me that he goes to who just happened to be on my discount dental plan. I did not have dental insurance.
I had gone to him needing a root canal and he talked me into replacing a permanent bridge on the lower right side of my mouth. After several tries, he fitted me with a bridge that the procelain started to disintergrate. A huge chunk of it broke off and I insisted that he replace it.
The kind of glue he used was so permanent that it took great effort to remove the chipped bridge. Finally, he had the lab remake the bridge and he re-placed it in my mouth. The problem is, the bridge never was glued in properly and there was a breech in it that it was really only glued in on the back existing tooth. Needless to say, the bridge eventually broke in two and upon removing it, my existing tooth broke off.
I called several malpractice lawyers who advised me that to sue this incompetent dentist it would cost me thousands of dollars in expert testimonies and legal fees. It wasn't worth it to spend money on a case I wasn't sure I could win. So I'm walking around with no teeth on the right side. Now I need to have dental implants which is the only remedy for my inability to eat on the right side. I really feel that there should be better means of having bad dentists be sued for malpractice, like lawyers who work on a contingency basis. But it seems dental law suits are not the same as other medical malpractice suits. I think there should be legislation to protect patients from such incompetent dentists.
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