Physician Life Care Planning and Medical Expert Witness Services
We specialize in personal injury cases, serving as a medical expert witness and certified life care planner for Defense and Plaintiff attorneys. We can help you with the following types of cases:
- Personal Injury
- Medical Malpractice
- Motor Vehicle Accidents
- Product Liability
- Wrongful Death
- Matrimonial / Divorce
- Worker’s Compensation
- Veteran’s Disability
Life Care Planning Services:
- Defense Reviews
- Determine Long-Term Medical and Other Needs
- Documentation of Reviews
- In-Person Client/Patient Interviews
- Activities of Daily Living Evaluations
- Comprehensive Needs Assessments
- Medical Needs Research & Assessments
- Life Care Plan Reviews
- Life Care Plan Cost Analysis
- Vendor Surveys
Other Services:
- Defense Reviews
- Documenting Damages
- Medical Records Review
- Economic Damage Presentations
- Court Testimony & Depositions
- Demonstrative Evidence
To find out how we can help your case, contact us today.
What is a Life Care Plan?
According to the International Academy of Life Care Planners, “The Life Care Plan is a dynamic document based upon published standards of practice, comprehensive assessment, data analysis and research, which provides an organized, concise plan for current and future needs with associated cost for individuals who have experienced catastrophic injury or have chronic health care needs.“
A life care plan is often used in a personal injury case when someone is seriously injured as the result of another party's negligence or other wrongful act. It’s important to ensure a life care plan is easy to understand, so jurors comprehend the long-term effects of injuries and associated economic damages.
What Damages May Be Included in a Life Care Plan?
The Life Care Plan provides estimates for reasonable and necessary current and future healthcare and other needs. A physician life care planner will coordinate with other medical experts to determine medical needs and customize the Life Care Plan based on objective findings. Every case is of course unique, but a Life Care Plan may include the following:
- Projected routine medical care
- Projected psychological care
- Projected surgeries (i.e., follow up and reconstructive surgeries)
- Vocational, physical, occupational, or speech therapy
- Long-term, short-term, or home health care
- Medical equipment and supplies (i.e., wheelchairs, etc.)
- Medication
- Diagnostic testing and assessments
- Home and vehicle modifications (i.e., ramps, wider doors, etc.)
- Home furnishings
- Orthotics or prosthetics
- Other special aid, equipment, or accommodations
- Pain and suffering
- Lost earning capacity
- Other damages as warranted by the individual case
What Types of Cases May Benefit from a Life Care Plan?
Life Care Plans are typically created for individuals with catastrophic injuries or chronic conditions requiring complex, long-term medical care. Individuals suffering from the following may benefit from physician life care planning:
- Anesthesia Injuries
- Traumatic Brain Injuries
- Anoxic Brain Injuries
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Orthopedic injuries
- Neurological injuries
- Brachial plexus injuries
- Birth Injuries
- Burns
- Amputations
- Neck and Back Pain
- Chronic Pain
- Upper and Lower Extremity Injuries
- Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
- Cerebral Palsy
- Dental Injuries
- Multiple Trauma
- Toxic exposure
- Visual disorders
What is the Life Care Planner’s Role in Litigation?
A certified life care planner substantiates damages while maintaining objectivity. They are not an advocate for either the Plaintiff or the Defense. Their role is to clearly present findings and recommendations based upon medical records, interviews with the patient, medical opinions of consulting team members, relevant research, and clinical practice guidelines.
The life care planner must be able to clearly communicate the following:
- Nature of an individual’s disability
- Functional limitations
- Necessary care and why it’s needed
- Associated costs of care
- Expected costs of the disabilities throughout their life expectancy
On larger cases, it’s becoming more common for law firms to use a physician expert witness who is a certified life care planner. Although other medical expert witnesses offer expertise in their field, they are bound by the limits of their professional license. As such, there may be times when an expert witness or life care planner may not be able to comment.
When hiring a life care planner, carefully consider the advantages of a physician’s authority and expertise:
- A physician can independently formulate their own medical opinions.
- An M.D. can independently make, question, or defend recommendations for ongoing medical care.
- An M.D. can ask other doctors questions that may not have come up in a report or that may not have been considered yet.
- An M.D. has the ability to educate legal council and other stakeholders on the pathology of injuries in plain English.
Do your due diligence to ensure you choose a life care planner who has the expertise and credibility you need for your case. You’ll also want to ensure the physician life care planner can present information in a clear and concise manner for juror members and non-medical audiences to understand.
To find out how we can help your case, contact us today.
