Someone who experienced a catastrophic injury may be unable to perform routine tasks like bathing, grooming, and feeding themselves. The cost of future care for injury-related expenses and other losses can run into the millions of dollars. A life care plan provides a detailed projection of the injured person’s anticipated future needs caused by a specific injury. The life care plan is prepared by a medical professional and identifies the medical services, support, and equipment the injured person is likely to need in the future. It provides a cost structure that can form the basis for settlement negotiations in a claim for damages arising from a catastrophic injury.

Key Takeaways

• A life care plan is prepared by a medical expert and describes a person’s injuries and their future impact on a person’s life.
• A life care plan should address anticipated medical care and treatment, rehabilitative services, transportation needs, home modifications, and loss of past and future earnings.
• Life care plans are created by nurses, rehabilitation professionals, or clinicians with specialized training who work in consultation with other specialists.
• A life care plan can help a catastrophically injured person recover maximum compensation by justifying the cost of future medical care and treatment and other anticipated expenses.

What Is a Life Care Plan?

A life care plan is a detailed report prepared by a medical expert that describes the nature and extent of a person’s injuries and their anticipated impact on a person’s life. It identifies the projected cost of current and future needs for medical care and treatment and other losses. A life care plan is particularly beneficial in legal cases involving catastrophic personal injuries that affect multiple aspects of the injured person’s life. The life care plan provides a detailed description of the person’s injuries and future medical and financial needs. It should account for future medical care, loss of lifetime earning capacity, life expectancy, past and present standard of living, and inability to participate in favorite pastimes.

What Is Included in a Life Care Plan?

A life care plan is tailored to the injured person’s unique circumstances and may include future expenses such as:

• Rehabilitative therapy
• Transportation needs
• Vocational services
• Home modifications
• Mobility aids
• Mental and physical health evaluations
• Medical imaging and laboratory testing

The life care plan should also consider the injured person’s:

• Career prospects
• Diminished earning capacity
• Loss of future income
• Ability to travel
• Ability to participate in hobbies, sports, and recreational activities
• Ability to participate in family and social activities

Who Creates a Life Care Plan?

Life care plans are typically prepared by registered nurses, rehabilitation professionals, or clinicians with specialized training, often in consultation with specialists like neurologists and physiatrists. The life care planner reviews the injured person’s medical records and treatment recommendations and turns them into a forward-looking care schedule. The plan must be able to withstand intense scrutiny from insurance adjusters and defense attorneys.

How Is a Life Care Plan Created?

A life care planner conducts a comprehensive analysis of the person’s injuries and future needs by reviewing:

• Medical records
• Physician recommendations
• Interviews with the patient and their family
• Therapy reports
• Vocational assessments

When Do You Need a Life Care Plan?

Life care plans are used in catastrophic personal injury claims that involve severe disruption to a person’s life and cause permanent physical, emotional, mental, or financial harm. Types of catastrophic injury claims that may benefit from a life care plan include:

• Brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Neck and back injuries
• Paralysis
• Loss of vision or hearing
• Loss of limbs
• Loss of use of internal organs
• Severe burns

A Life Care Plan Helps Catastrophically Injured People Obtain Maximum Compensation

After a catastrophic injury, a life care planner evaluates the injured person’s medical records and other documentation to help them obtain full and fair compensation for their injuries and other losses. Unfortunately, insurance companies try to minimize payouts by identifying inconsistencies or other weaknesses to challenge the value of the claim. A strong, well-supported life care plan will justify the costs of future medical care and treatment and lend credibility to other anticipated costs.

Muth Law Represents Individuals in Legal Claims for Catastrophic Personal Injuries

The personal injury attorneys at Muth Law have decades of experience representing people who were catastrophically injured in accidents that were not their fault. We work with clients in Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor, Washtenaw County, and throughout Michigan. Please contact us to schedule a free, confidential consultation to discuss your automobile accident injury matter. Call 734-481-8800 or contact us via e-mail. We look forward to serving your family.