What I See in Healthcare That Attorneys Need to Know
I’ve seen scenarios like this play out repeatedly: treatment decisions documented as “discussed with the patient,” but later it comes out that the patient never understood the risks, alternatives, or downstream consequences.
Medical records can appear complete — timelines met, consent forms signed, policies and procedures technically followed.
Yet, when I analyze a case through a clinical medical ethics lens, a different story often emerges. It’s not about intent—but about communication breakdowns that place patients at significant risk.
What’s missing from the record is an ethical failure that leads to harm.
As a Legal Nurse Consultant (LNC) with clinical medical ethics education and experience, I help attorneys identify:
- Standard of care deviations that fall short of clear malpractice yet still constitute grounds for legal consequences
- Gaps between medical documentation and patient comprehension
- Communication breakdowns that compromise patients’ rights, including informed consent and shared decision-making.
These issues are rarely obvious on the face of the medical record—yet this is often where your case can be won or lost. When failures are clearly framed as a cause of harm, it resonates with juries as a story they can believe, remember and defend.
I’m always glad to assist attorneys who want to better understand the clinical and ethical dimensions that can make the difference in a medical case.
How can I help you?
Clinical Medical Ethics (CME) is a discipline grounded in evidence-based principles, their real-world application in clinical care, and ongoing study as standards, practice, and expectations change.
C.M. Renella RN, CME, LNC
Clinical Medical Ethicist, Legal Nurse Consultant