Why Defense Counsel Use a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant (CLNC)

Healthcare cases are rarely lost on the law alone. They are lost when medical facts are misunderstood, oversimplified, or improperly framed.

Defense counsel engage CLNCs to:

• Translate complex medical records into legally actionable analysis

• Identify alternative clinical explanations for alleged harm

• Evaluate whether policy deviations constitute deviations from the standard of care

• Assess documentation integrity and internal consistency

• Support Daubert‑reliable expert opinions with clinical and regulatory grounding

A CLNC functions as a medical strategist, aligning legal theory with real‑world clinical practice.

Daubert‑Safe, Defense‑Credible Methodology

PacWest Nursing Solutions operates within the analytical framework required for admissible expert testimony:

• Reliance on peer‑reviewed clinical literature

• Use of nationally recognized standards of care

• Clear distinction between adverse outcomes and negligence

• Transparent, reproducible, and defensible methodologies

Expert testimony availability is determined on a case‑specific basis, following review of the medical and legal issues involved.

 

Regulatory & Compliance Expertise

Healthcare litigation frequently intersects with regulatory requirements. Analyses regularly reference:

• CMS Conditions of Participation (42 CFR §§ 482, 485)

• State nurse practice acts and scope‑of‑practice statutes

• Facility policies and procedures

• Accreditation standards (DNV, Joint Commission, as applicable)

• Federal and state documentation requirements

Regulatory non‑compliance is evaluated in context and does not automatically equate to clinical negligence.