Who We Are
Medical Legal Connections is a group of healthcare professionals that provides consulting services to attorneys on legal cases with medical issues. Our team consists of a medical doctor, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and registered nurses.
We have an extensive understanding of medical issues and the standards of care that medical providers must legally adhere to.
We will perform medical record reviews with opinion. We are available to testify at proceedings. We take medical records and construct medical chronologies, then highlight areas of concern. We attend Independent Medical Exams (IMEs) and provide a detailed report of what occured in the exam.
Our goal is to provide attorneys with a clear understanding of medical facts, allowing the attorneys to focus on the legal details of their cases.
Our Team
Tim Kane, RN, LNC
Founder
As the CEO and Founder of Medical Legal Connection, I'm excited to share my unique journey.
My nursing career kicked off in 2002, and since then, I've mastered a wide range of clinical and critical care areas. But here's the twist: before I became a nurse, I was a police officer and a local judge outside Buffalo, NY
Back then, I often found myself at the scene with critically ill patients and spent countless hours in the ER with local citizens.
These intense experiences ignited a passion in me, pushing me to trade in my badge and gavel for a stethoscope. This thrilling career shift led me to where I am today—a proud registered nurse and a dedicated advocate for medical-legal excellence.
In 2011, I founded Medical Legal Connection.
I take great pride in leveraging my law enforcement background and medical career experience to assist law firms with medical and personal injury-related cases.
Jennifer Leahy, MSN, RN, CRRN, LNC
Vice President
With over 20 years of expertise in injury management, Jennifer Leahy is a valuable ally for attorneys handling complex workers' compensation cases.
She brings significant experience in catastrophic cases, skillfully interpreting and analyzing medical information to provide informed recommendations on treatment options, outcomes, and future medical costs.
Her healthcare expertise spans workers' compensation, personal injury, and medical malpractice, including meticulous review of medical records, chronologies, and observation of Independent Medical Exams.
Jennifer is also proficient in locating expert witnesses, ensuring comprehensive support for legal teams.
As the Vice President of Medical-Legal Connection, Jennifer oversees the Minnesota office, leveraging her leadership and extensive knowledge to enhance case outcomes. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Nursing from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and a Master's in Nursing Administration from the University of Connecticut at Storrs. Additionally, she is a Legal Nurse Consultant, educated at the Vicki Milazzo Institute, since 2012.
Attorneys seeking a seasoned professional to navigate the medical complexities of their cases will find Jennifer's expertise and dedication to be indispensable assets.
Heather Madej MA, BSN, BA, RN, CCRN
Legal Nurse Consultant
Heather Madej is a seasoned professional who brings a wealth of expertise and a unique blend of skills to her dynamic career journey.
Seamlessly integrating her background in psychology with extensive experience in nursing and legal consulting, Heather has positioned herself as a multifaceted expert adept at navigating the complexities of the medical and legal domains.
Her analytical prowess shines as she produces comprehensive reports, chronologies, and summaries, contributing to a thorough understanding of medical cases, translating this into easy to understand, concise and effective information.
Heather plays a pivotal role in this position, conducting meticulous medical record reviews, merit screenings, and attending Defense Medical Exams (DME).
Given Heather's extensive experience as a Legal Nurse Consultant, her background in psychology becomes a valuable asset in observing Defense Medical Exams. In particular, her expertise becomes highly relevant in the context of Neuropsych Exams.
Drawing on her clinical art therapy background and deep understanding of psychology, Heather excels in discerning nuanced cues in patient behavior, emotional responses, and overall well-being during these examinations.
This unique skill set allows her to provide nuanced insights into the psychological aspects of cases, contributing significantly to unbiased review and report, creating successful outcomes.
Nicole Wedzina, DNP, RN, LNC
Legal Nurse Consultant
Nicole Wedzina is a doctoral-prepared nurse practitioner with 17+ years of nursing experience.
Nicole earned her doctorate in nursing practice from the University of Buffalo in 2021, her master’s degree from Daemen University in 2014, and her registered nurse from Trocaire College in 2007. She started her nursing career in long-term care and subacute rehab. She shifted to critical care in 2009, where she worked as an RN in the Neuro and Medical ICUs, and eventually transitioned into the nurse practitioner role in 2014.
Nicole continues to work clinically in two different Comprehensive Stroke Hospitals in Western and Central New York. She has multiple certifications, including Certified Neuroscience RN (CNRN), Stroke Certified RN (SCRN), and Emergency Neurologic Life Support (ENLS). She started her legal nurse consulting business in 2022, working with attorneys behind the scenes in medical-related cases, creating chronologies, fact summary reports, merit reviews, and attending IMEs.
In her free time, Nicole enjoys camping and traveling with her family, spending time outdoors, and reading. Her best friend is her beloved Chinese Crested dog, Cora.