CLNC services

The business relationship with the attorney who gave me my “breakout” case has developed in a way that I did not envision because it has resulted in my consulting almost exclusively for this one attorney-client. I know if I do a great job and maintain a successful relationship with this attorney, other attorneys in his law firm will also hire me.

One of the first things I did to strengthen my relationship with the attorney was to establish a relationship with his paralegal and assistant. It’s through them that I know when new cases come in, and I contact my attorney-client to ask not if I will jump in, but when. I also get information on discovery deadlines and then contact my attorney-client to offer help with locating the medical experts and initiating requests for their reports. I often personally pick up and drop off medical records to get my foot in the door. As a result, I have met many of the other employees in this large firm – down to Eddie in the mailroom!

I have made it a point to learn some personal information about the attorney, and use it in casual conversations. For example, I know his son participates in sports so when I came across a pair of tickets to an NFL game, I gifted those tickets to him. Periodically I visit the firm’s website for updates on cases that other attorneys have either settled or are actively working on. When I pick up or drop off records, I can engage these attorneys in conversation regarding their cases and offer my CLNC^® services.

I have permission from my attorney-client to touch base with his plaintiff clients and call them monthly to get updates on medical issues, new care providers, etc.  As a result, the attorney stays up-to-date on his clients and the medical records are always current. He loves this because it impresses his clients too!

While reading a local magazine article about a man who offered woodworking classes, I recognized one of the highlighted students as an attorney at my attorney-client’s law firm. The next time I was at the firm, I asked a paralegal where the attorney’s office was located and stalked the area until he finally came out. We exchanged hellos, at which point I began a conversation regarding the article. He invited me into his office to see other woodcrafts he had completed while attending these classes. I officially introduced myself by name and left his office with a case!

Guest Blogger Profile

Annmarie Johnson, RN, BSN, CLNC owns and operates Bucks Medical-Legal Consulting. She has been a nurse for 26 years, 24 specializing in critical care. Annmarie’s CLNC^® business specializes in construction accidents and products liability.

One of the first things all Certified Legal Nurse Consultants learn in the CLNC^® Certification Program is the 30 CLNC^® services you can and do provide to your attorney-clients. In today’s video blog, one of our CLNC^® Mentors shares a brand new CLNC^® service she is providing to attorneys. Watch this video to add one more service to your own CLNC^® business.

Success Is Inside!

I’m still celebrating my birthday thanks to Tom. And the celebration includes lots of great wine.

Ever since my director of education stopped us from serving wine at our breaks at the 6-Day CLNC^® Certification Seminars (darn), Tom and I have looked for every opportunity to go wine tasting and usually get that chance around the New Year’s holiday.

I already told you that Tom and I are bicoastal at Christmas. After leaving my family in San Diego, we head up north to one of our favorite places in the world, the Napa Valley. This is a secret I shouldn’t tell you, but New Years is one of the best times to visit Napa – there are no tourists, no traffic, a stark beauty to the empty vines and GREAT WINE. Now, I’m sure I’ll see all of you there next year.

Driving to Napa from the Oakland airport, Tom and I had the top down on the mini-van and some great show tunes playing when my BlackBerry^® pinged with an incoming text message.

Wine Tasting Crew Tom and Vickie with Tamara and Steve

It turned out to be Tamara, one of our faculty members and a CLNC^® Mentor. She was visiting San Francisco and, remembering my secret escape, wondered if I’d be open to some wine tasting. What do you think? Did I go for it or reject it outright? I was all in! Without even asking Tom, I texted her back and we set up a time to start and I got on the phone to my favorite wine contact to set up some tasting experiences.

In wine there are two types of tastings, the first is the over-the-counter tasting available at just about every winery in their public space. You walk (or stagger) in, plop your money on the counter and toss back some grape juice and, if you like it, buy some wine and head to the next tasting. The less common tasting is the “estate” tasting. This is usually by appointment only, and, if you have the right networking contact, it’s free. But better than free, you get to taste the best wines offered by that winery and it often ends in referrals by the winemaker to one of his or her friends and the next tasting. Over the years Tom and I’ve done a lot of both types of tastings but there’s nothing that compares to sitting in a wine cave exploring the complexities of a great wine with the actual winemaker. Tasting in the cellar, the whole experience is different. I know in my head that you should never buy wine after drinking in the cellar, but because of my heart, I’m the sucker that always does. Why? Whether it’s in France, Hungary, Italy or Napa, you are exposed to new tastes and you create new memories while experiencing something extraordinary (did I mention the wine?).

When we finally got together with Tamara and compared our lists, we abandoned her list of Mogen-David, Boone’s Farm and 2-Buck Chuck in favor of some small and fairly exclusive places from my list. (Yes, it’s true I’m a wine snob, but it’s also true that life is too short to drink bad wine – big sis take note.) We started our first tasting just after 11:00am (hey – it was past noon back home) and the day just kept getting better and better.

Now, I’m not recommending that you serve wine to your attorney-clients and prospects (unless it’s after 12 noon local time). But what I am recommending is that you go beyond the same old tasting that every legal nurse consultant can offer. Use your Certified Legal Nurse Consultant skills to create the CLNC^®-equivalent of an estate tasting. Instead of offering attorney-prospects a brochure and business card, offer a free case screening and maybe a follow-up. For existing attorney-clients, offer them a new CLNC^® service you’ve never offered before (be careful here to make them select from your “wine” list, not theirs). Give them a set of interrogatories or requests for production for free, and before you know it they’ll be buying that CLNC^® service by the barrel, not the bottle.

Assume the role of the CLNC^® winemaker and try to create that same “tasting-wine-in-the-cellar” experience for your attorney-clients – but without the wine. When you’re tasting wine in the cellar you fall in love with the wines you try and before you know it, you’re not only buying the library of wines, you’ve also joined the wine club to get automatic shipments. You have a library of 30 CLNC^® services that a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant can provide to attorney-clients. Attorneys will always have cases so you want to create a CLNC^® club that makes them automatically think of you and your CLNC^® services as their cases come in. Don’t create a pedestrian, over-the-counter offering for an attorney-client or prospect when you have the ability, with your training and experience, to create something spectacular that will capture more of their business.

At the end of two days of wine tasting, Tom and I came home and hung our livers on the backyard clothesline to dry out. Now at home, Tom limits me to 2.5 ounces of wine so I don’t vasodilate and crater getting out of the Jacuzzi. It’s a good thing we don’t have cellars in Houston or else I’d move my office down there.

See you in the tasting cellar!

Success Is Inside!

P.S. Please comment and tell me how you create estate experiences for your attorney-clients.

Lawyers USA, one of my favorite legal publications, reported that Fosamax^® lawsuits are set to take off in 2009. Fosamax^®, manufactured by Merck is used for treatment of osteoporosis.

700 plaintiffs are alleging that Merck failed to warn users of the potential risk of osteonecrosis of the jaw which causes the jaw to deteriorate. The plaintiffs also allege that the FDA upon approval in 1995 requested Merck to perform further testing and place a warning on the package.

Another reported alleged complication of Fosamax^® is atrial fibrillation.

Certified Legal Nurse Consultants interested in Fosamax^® litigation should research on the Internet both the plaintiff and defense attorneys representing these cases. Fosamax^® cases will undoubtedly increase in number, and will create a long-term legal nurse consulting opportunity.

The 30 CLNC^® services Certified Legal Nurse Consultants provide are relevant, and here are some examples of how you can apply these 30 CLNC^® services to Fosamax^® cases.

1. Assess all relevant prior medical records for causation and risk of osteonecrosis unrelated to Fosamax^®. (Example – history of receiving chemotherapy.)
2. Provide a detailed history regarding the plaintiff’s use of Fosamax^®.
3. Assess and provide a summary of medical records for evidence of osteonecrosis or atrial fibrillation and related injuries and damages.
4. Research, summarize and create a “library” of all relevant, peer-reviewed articles on Fosamax^® and its relationship to osteonecrosis and atrial fibrillation. Educate the attorney about the mechanism of Fosamax^®. Avoid nonauthoritative Internet services.
5. If working with an attorney who represents numerous plaintiffs, identify the percentage of plaintiffs who have osteonecrosis, atrial fibrillation or both osteonecrosis and atrial fibrillation.
6. Develop a plaintiff interview form focused on Fosamax^® to interview plaintiffs quickly and consistently.
7. Locating medical experts, i.e., pharmacologists and dental surgeons who are qualified to testify to alleged defect and causation issues. Communicate with experts on behalf of your attorney-client.
8. Analyze and summarize all medical expert testimony for accuracy, and both favorable and unfavorable opinions.

Fosamax^® cases will be a hot topic for years to come. This is the time to jump in and be part of this very interesting litigation. Incorporate these eight specific services when you market your legal nurse consulting business, and attorneys handling Fosamax^® cases will instantly see how you can save them time and money.

Success Is Inside!