Legal Nurse Consultants


Overview

Legal Nurse Consultants

Introduction

Legal nurse consultants are members of a litigation team that deals with medical malpractice, personal injury, and product liability lawsuits as well as other medically related legal cases. They are employed independently on a contract or retainer basis, or they work as salaried employees of law firms, insurance companies, corporations, government agencies, or as part of a risk management department in a hospital. Legal nurse consultants are trained nurses who have a thorough understanding of medical issues and trends. They utilize ...

Quick Facts


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Median Salary

$102,294

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Employment Prospects

Fair

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Minimum Education Level

High School Diploma|Some Postsecondary Training


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Experience

Several years clinical nursing experience required


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Skills

Interpersonal|Scientific|Writing


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Personality Traits

Helpful|Outgoing|Scientific

Earnings

Persons who work as independent legal nurse consultants are usually paid on an hourly basis that can range from $30 to $250 per hour. The fee depends on the type of services they perform, such as testifying, reviewing records, or doing medical research, and also reflects their experience and reputation. In addition, fees vary in different parts of the country. Some legal nurse consultants work ...

Work Environment

Working environments may vary depending on the consultants responsibilities and their legal cases. According to a survey conducted by American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants, 53 percent of legal nurse consultants were in independent practice, and law firms employed 32 percent. Office environments where consultants work are usually clean and well lighted. However, research and interview ...

Outlook

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) reports that employment for registered nurses (RNs) is expected to grow much faster than the average for all careers through 2028. Opportunities for legal nurse consultants will not be as strong since the profession is small and many people want to enter the field. Nevertheless, as long as there is litigation involving medical issues, one can expect continuing...