Life Care Plan helps put a price on the costs for future medical care for motorcycle crash brain injury victims

February 26, 2009

Doug Landau

In motorcycle crash cases, the past medical bills and wage loss can be proven with medical records, testimony by the treating doctors, pay checks and W-2s.  However, the cost of future medical care for brain injured clients is more difficult.  The ourts generally require an expert witness to testify as to the needs and costs of future care for these head injury victims.  The trial judges act as “gate keepers” to keep out “speculative” or unsupported evidence.  The jurors are not allowed to speculate or “guess,” the qualified expert guidance is required in many motorcycle crash cases involving permanent, long-term injuries and medical services.

In a trial before the Federal Court in Alexandria, Virginia, our life care planners found that our brain and orthopedically injured client would need some $13 million in future medical care.  The judge accepted the life care plan expert’s figures, so the final amount was well in excess of the $13 million needed to take care of our client for the rest of her life.  While life care plans can be expensive, often costing thousands of dollars to be researched correctly, they can have huge impact on the final figures presented in court and entered by the trial judge.  At ABRAMS LANDAU, we invest in our major cases and use Life Care Plans by qualified experts, so that our clients can have the benefits they require.