Ask Vickie: What’s the Most Effective Way to Bill a $39,000 Case as a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant?
Vickie,
I just completed a $39,000 case and sent the invoice to the defense law firm. My attorney-client notified me that he would have to submit my bill for approval to the insurance company since it exceeds $25,000. The attorney also told me there will now be a delay in the processing of the invoice. Is this common practice and what can I do next time to expedite the payment process?
Carolyn, RN, CLNC
Hi Carolyn,
Congratulations on working on such a large project. A defense law firm must ultimately be accountable to the insurance company for expenses incurred on cases. A common practice to address accountability in these situations is to have all bills that exceed a designated amount be submitted for approval by the defense law firm. This procedure is guaranteed to delay the processing of an invoice payment, which is exactly what happened in your situation.
So what is a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant to do? First, always get a retainer up front. If you know in advance that the case is large, as is here, ask for a sizeable retainer such as $5,000-10,000. Also, bill the law firm in increments of a similar amount as you continue to progress on the case. This will keep the cash flow coming and also ensures that you and your attorney-client stay in strong communication regarding what is required to produce a quality work product. Again congratulations on such a successful venture!
Success Is Inside!
P.S.Comment and share the largest invoice you’ve ever submitted as a CLNC® consultant to any of your attorney-clients.
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*The opinions and statements made by Vickie Milazzo, the founder of Medical-Legal Consulting Institute, Inc. are based on her experiences and expertise, should not be applied beyond the specific context provided, and do not guaranty or project actual results. Vickie Milazzo is no longer involved in the operations or management of the business, but is involved as an independent education consultant.
