I was hired by an attorney to locate a testifying expert. When I sent the contract to the attorney to sign, he sent it back requesting that I put the plaintiff’s name in the contract instead of his. I learned in the CLNC® Certification Program that the contract is always between the law firm and me and that is how I have always done it. Should I consider his request or stick with the way I was taught?
Leann E., RN, CLNC
Hi Leann,
You are absolutely correct. Stick with the way you were taught. The contract should always be between you and the attorney, never with the plaintiff or defendant. Contact the attorney and politely emphasize that your contract has to be with the attorney, not the plaintiff and that all invoices will be submitted to and paid by the attorney. Communicate that your standard business practice is to collect a retainer check for the amount of your location fee and the signed contract. Upon receipt of both, you will begin work to locate a testifying expert.
Success Is Inside!
Vickie
P.S. The new CLNC® Certification Program catalog has just been mailed. If you did not receive it, please call my office at 713.942.2200.
P.P.S. Great news! We have renegotiated lower hotel room rates for our 2009 CLNC®Certification Seminars. Call 713.942.2200 for details.
One thought on “Ask Vickie: Attorney-Client Contracts”
Excellent “Ask Vickie” question today, Leann, and excellent answer, Vickie.
I guess there will be many situations that we come across in our legal nurse practices where we are going to be asked to go against what we have been taught, but to stay out of trouble, (legal and otherwise), it will be best to stick with what we have been taught and what we know is right and not allow anyone to intimidate us into doing anything else.
I have come across this many times in my nursing career. I have made many enemies of high people in high places because I would not allow them to intimidate me into doing something I knew was not the right way to handle the situation, but in the end my patients benefited and was taken better care of as a result. Now that I am an independent legal nurse consultant, I am no longer looking out just for what is best for my patients, but I need to start looking out for myself too. I find it so much easier to stand up for my patient’s rights then my own, I don’t even hesitate at all when it comes to my patients, but I know to survive in this line of work, I must change my way of thinking and stand up for myself and in what I believe is right for me too.
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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.
Excellent “Ask Vickie” question today, Leann, and excellent answer, Vickie.
I guess there will be many situations that we come across in our legal nurse practices where we are going to be asked to go against what we have been taught, but to stay out of trouble, (legal and otherwise), it will be best to stick with what we have been taught and what we know is right and not allow anyone to intimidate us into doing anything else.
I have come across this many times in my nursing career. I have made many enemies of high people in high places because I would not allow them to intimidate me into doing something I knew was not the right way to handle the situation, but in the end my patients benefited and was taken better care of as a result. Now that I am an independent legal nurse consultant, I am no longer looking out just for what is best for my patients, but I need to start looking out for myself too. I find it so much easier to stand up for my patient’s rights then my own, I don’t even hesitate at all when it comes to my patients, but I know to survive in this line of work, I must change my way of thinking and stand up for myself and in what I believe is right for me too.