LNCtips.com: Independent LNCs

Independent Legal Nurse Consultants work "behind the scenes" and do not testify at depositions or trials.  They are self-employed independent contractors who work with attorneys for fees that the LNC sets.  Independent Legal Nurse Consultants might work with a few firms or with many.  Typical responsibilities for an independent LNC include organizing medical records, reviewing cases for merit, creating reports, locating experts and performing medical research. 

ADVANTAGES to being an independent LNC include:

You are your own boss.  You make all the decisions for your independent practice and enjoy the rewards of the results of good decisions.

Your schedule is flexible.  You can work as many or as few hours as you want and you can work hours to fit your schedule.

There's no dress code. When you're working at home, you can dress any way that you want to.

There are income tax write-offs when you own your own business. Profitable home-based businesses can generally deduct part of the cost of the home's square footage, cell phones, high-speed internet, interest expenses on mortgage, rent, insurance, and cars used for business purposes.  You'll want to consult your accountant for specifics related to your home-based business.

DISADVANTAGES to working as an independent Legal Nurse Consultant include:

You're your own boss.  You make all the decisions for your independent practice and suffer the consequences of the results of bad decisions.

There are no regular paychecks. If you don't have another source of income, it can be very challenging to launch a successful independent consulting practice.  For this reason, many LNCs continue to work in clinical practice while they build up their consulting practice.

You need to be self-motivated. While some LNCs find work immediately, most need to market themselves and their business.  It can take years to build up a successful independent consultant practice.

You will need to run your consulting practice as a business in order to be successful. Nurses have a built in clientele (patients) that come to them.  As an LNC, you will need to find clients and convince them that you're the best person for the job. You will need to set reasonable fees for your services and create work product that helps your client understand the medical aspects of the case.  For help with these areas, be sure to review the LNC Skills and Career Skills sections of this website.

...Katy Jones