"Anatomy Of A Medical Malpractice Lawsuit" Presented At Central Savannah River Area Chapter Of The Georgia Nurses Association

Atlanta, Georgia – Board members Lessie Chapman, Anita Aguirre and Liz Buddenhagen of the Greater Augusta Chapter of the American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants (AALNC) provided a presentation to the Georgia Nurses Association (GNA) chapter in Augusta on November 9, 2010.

About the talk:

Lessie Chapman, founding member and current president of the legal nurse’s group and Anita Aguirre, secretary and treasurer, kicked off the presentation after a great dinner by “Fat Boys” riverfront cafe at Enterprise Mills in Augusta.

The legal nurses discussed “standards of care” and how medical records are reviewed from a legal point of view noting adherences to and deviations from standards. This led into identifying the four legal elements that must be met to show that a suit is meritorious. Examples of medical malpractice lawsuits were discussed and tips for nurses on avoiding lawsuits were explained.

Liz Buddenhagen, Atlanta legal nurse consultant and incoming president of the Greater Augusta AALNC wrapped up the presentation with an overview of the process of a medical malpractice lawsuit in Georgia and gave sources for case studies specific to nursing.

About the groups:

The Central Savannah River Chapter of the GNA is one of the largest and strongest GNA groups in Georgia. Nurses attending were from the Medical College of Georgia, East Central Regional Hospital, University of South Carolina Aiken and other surrounding facilities. Nursing students were present and interacted with the legal nurses as well as the seasoned registered nurses.

About the legal nurses:

Lessie Chapman provides expert witness testimony both on nursing issues of medical legal cases as well as “Life Care Planning” services to attorneys. Chapman, a registered nurse and master’s degree in nursing heads L & G Consulting with Anita Aguirre assisting. Aguirre holds a master’s of science in nursing and is a clinical nurse specialist in psychiatry. Both nurses formerly worked in the Veterans Administration hospital system.

Liz Buddenhagen, Atlanta legal nurse consultant, has a broad background in clinical hospital nursing, including critical care and is an independent legal nurse of Buddenhagen & Associates providing assistance to Atlanta attorneys on their medically related cases.

About Buddenhagen & Associates:

The firm was founded in 2005 and provides “expert” expert witness location, record organization, and top notch medical record review, reports, summaries and timelines as well as Medicare Set-Asides and medical cost projections (future medical assessments). To view website see www.Legal-Nurse-Consultant-LNC.com, email Liz@BuddenhagenLNC.com or call 770-725-2997.

Contact Information

Liz Buddenhagen, RN, CLNC

Principal

Buddenhagen & Associates

Contact via E-mail