About Me
Teresa owns and is the CEO of Buck Legal Nurse Consultant, based in Brevard County, Florida, and working with clients nationwide. Her 24 years of clinical nursing experience cover various healthcare services, from medical, surgical, Burn, and Cardiac ICUs to Cath Labs and Interventional Radiology. Teresa is an expert in the healthcare system, medical record documentation, policies and procedures, and standards of care.
As a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant, Teresa is passionate about helping both Plaintiff and Defense Attorneys understand the intricacies of the healthcare industry and the complexities of the medical record. She is highly skilled in performing research, conducting analyses, and reviewing medical records. This lets her quickly discern their relevance to a case and provide clients with well-thought-out, evidence-based opinions on medical issues. She is also adept at finding deviations from the applicable standard of care and writing detailed summaries that support a case chronologically.
A relational leader and respected medical community member, Teresa maintains a vast network of contacts, including top doctors, nurses, and other medical experts across various disciplines. This advantage, coupled with her dedication to identifying and securing the best medical expert witnesses, has proven invaluable in enabling her clients to strengthen the credibility and position of their cases.
Furthermore, as a member of the National Alliance of Certified Legal Nurse Consultants®, Teresa has easy access to thousands of certified legal nurse consultants who can testify to nursing issues and help locate reputable doctors who can testify to medical problems.
Professional Licensure
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State Registered Professional Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC)
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Registered Nurse in Oklahoma (Active)
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Registered Nurse Florida (Active)
Professional Certificates
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Certified Legal Nurse Consultant -- CLNC ® Certification Program, Vickie Milazzo Institute.
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Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)
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Basic Life Support (BLS)
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Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
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NIHSS- Stroke
Professional Memberships
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Sigma Theta Tau International
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National Honor Society of Nursing
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Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society
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Critical care registered nurse -- American Association of Critical Care Nurses
Frequently Asked Questions
When do I call Buck Legal Consultant?
When you get a new case, call. When you feel like you are struggling with a medical issue, call. When you need a well-qualified expert, call. When you are getting ready for a difficult deposition of an expert, call. When you are facing a mound of medical records and don’t have the time to go through them, call.
Shouldn’t I file suit right away?
Before you file a suit, Bucks’ legal nurse consulting can provide a deeper understanding of the medical issues, their impact on your client, advise you on liability causation and damages, and where the case pitfalls may lie. Don’t get blindsided by unforeseen issues after you file
How does a Legal Nurse Consultant help me strategize?
You know what you need to prove in court. A nurse consultant can pinpoint:
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Medical evidence to support or challenge your theory
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Gaps or inconsistencies in expert reports
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Identify records and documents needed during discovery
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Expose breaches in care or regulations
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Explain the impact of the injuries to the patient’s quality of life
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Identify which medical experts are needed in your case
Can my Nurse Consultant impact my client’s life?
Absolutely. A Legal Nurse can:
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Assess the care your client was given and the quality of that care.
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Determine if there is too much or too little therapy
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Assess medication schedule and appropriateness of the dosage
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Explain how the injury or illness impacted their life
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Provide support at a DME
Do you provide trial graphics?
Yes. You often need to explain complex medical conditions, timelines and charts to a jury. We create trial graphics to help you tell your story. Powerpoint presentations, charts, and other visuals support you in making your case to a jury.
Why work far in advance?
Allow enough time for a thorough analysis, which may require research and contingencies such as:
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Time to obtain missing records
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An unfavorable opinion requiring a new strategy or more information
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Discovery of a new issue in your case requires more research
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Need for another expert if new issues arise
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Holidays, conferences or other work obligations
When should I send case materials?
Immediately upon deciding to retain us. Send what you have: medical records including relevant radiology or lab studies, medical reports, treatment records or opinions from other medical experts and treating providers. We will let you know what is missing. The more we have at one time, the more cost-effective we can be in our review.
Should I send original materials?
Definitely not. Send copies. Original reports, documents or films can get lost or damaged and cannot be replaced.
Do you handle rush work?
Yes. While we prefer 4-6 weeks to give your case the due diligence it deserves, we understand urgency may be needed in some cases. We can meet all deadlines. We only charge a rush fee when we have to.
How often should I talk with my legal nurse consultant?
Often. That’s what they are there for. And any time there is movement in your case, such as conducting discovery, taking depositions, drafting documents or preparing trial exhibits. When it is time to assess economic or non-economic damages, your consultant can be a valuable resource.
How much lead-time should I allow for testimony?
Typically, 4 weeks. But it can be less, or more, depending on the expert’s schedule and if they need to travel. Give them as much notice as possible to avoid your expert witness being unavailable.
Do you have experts around the country?
Yes. We understand that many attorneys prefer having experts in close geographical proximity. We strike a balance between finding the best expert for the case within geographic limits per your preference.
Should I note the source of records?
Yes. Clearly label the source of the documents so we know whose records they are. The more organized and indexed the records are, the more efficient our assistance is.
Do you organize medical records?
Yes. We take reams of paper or large electronic files and give it back to you in easy to follow paper or PDF files. Free up your staff for other projects and let us provide documents to you that are:
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Organized and bookmarked
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Indexed
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In chronological order
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Accurately named
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Bates numbered (if preferred)
Do you work directly with plaintiffs who do not have an attorney?
We provide services only to attorneys. Our ethical codes do not permit us to work with people who have not retained an attorney.
How does using Buck Legal Nurse Consulting benefit you?
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Risk-Free Guarantee (If you are not completely satisfied with our work, let us know within ten business days, and we will revise it at our expense until you are completely satisfied.)
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Increase settlement dollars.
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Improve trial outcomes.
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Saves you time and money through hassle-free analysis and deciphering of pertinent medical records.
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Research and apply authoritative medical/nursing literature.
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Simplifies your case preparation.
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Provides you with a critical advantage by adding over 20 years of healthcare knowledge, experience and expertise to your case.
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Strengthens your case by locating the best medical and nursing expert witnesses.
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Identifies tampering of medical records.