As a Professional Legal Nurse Consultant (PLNC), it’s so important to keep your name front and center with attorneys. Whenever a lawyer needs a Legal Nurse Consultant to review medical records a medical malpractice case, you want that lawyer to think of you first. If you follow these steps, you should likely find yourself swimming in medical records to review.
- Send a simple email. In this day in age, almost all attorneys are reachable by email. In years past, that was unheard of. You’d have to go through their receptionist, then secretary, and even their paralegal. You would never know if the attorney actually received your message. THINGS HAVE CHANGED. The coronavirus pandemic has made attorneys even more accessible because work is being conducted virtually. Take advantage of this change. Craft a short email. Nobody wants to read something long. Your email should contain:
- Your name and short introduction including your nursing background. You need to brand yourself as a PLNC.
- Why you’re emailing. You need to address head on why this attorney should use you to review medical records. For example, “I can help you review medical records in your cases, translate the medical terms used into understandable language, and give you a solid opinion about the nursing care provided.”
- How to reach you. Your signature block must contain your name, credentials including your PLNC credential, your company name if different from your name, phone number, and email address.
- Follow up with a phone call. While email is great, the PLNC who actually takes the time to follow up with a phone to the attorney is in the best position to get the job. Remember, people who know, like, and trust you, are the ones who will employ you. You want to be personable and professional. Write out a short script as it will help you get over the “cold calling” jitters. And, interrupt the negative thoughts and replace them with positive thoughts that “I Can Do This!”
- Send a follow up email or two or three. If you get the job, then send a thank you email. If it’s still unclear, follow up with an email letting the attorney know how much you enjoyed the conversation. If you don’t get a response, try, try again. Wait a week and follow up again. You know that sometimes even YOU forget to reply to an email. Somehow the email gets pushed further down in the line but that doesn’t necessarily mean the attorney is not interested.
Your professional legal nurse consulting skills are needed and necessary in medical malpractice cases, also known as tort cases. In order for a nursing malpractice case to go to trial, nurse expert witness testimony is required. All the more reason that your nursing skills are needed.
Follow these three steps to grow your Professional Legal Nurse Consultant (PLNC) business. It’s as easy as 1,2,3.
P.S. Comment below if you followed these steps with attorneys to get legal nurse consulting business.
