Spinal cord injury cases necessitate the retention of a life care planner. This specialist is taxed with the obligation to coordinate with all of the plaintiff’s treating physicians in order a clear medically probable future care plan is developed.

Recognizing that omission of medically necessary treatment can, and will, shorten the expected life of a spinal cord injury victim, the life care planner must exhaustively work with the plaintiff and plaintiff’s appropriate medical specialists in order to put together an appropriate plan for medical services throughout the expected life of the plaintiff.

Given that medical expenses have historically grown exponentially, it is within the area of future medical care and life care planning that defendants will hedge their liability “bets”, with forecasts of shortened life expectancy. Necessarily, where a defendant can shorten the exposure for future care costs, the defendant (and insurance company) benefits economically.

The life care planner should be prepared to justify, where possible, the expected length of the care plan itself. Benefits of each item of care must be discussed with the jury.

Again, as with wage loss, a forensic economist must take the findings of the life care plan, and place a value on the services, taking into account medical rates of inflation. The future payment stream is likewise relegated to present value for benefit of judge and jury.