How a Life Care Plan Affects a California Medical Malpractice Case
Just about every American has received medical attention at some point in their life. It’s a part of life we may take for granted, or at the very least assume it will be there when we need it most. We count on doctors and medical professionals to be experts in their fields and help us resolve some of our most pressing health issues.
While most doctors and medical professionals give their all to the profession and strive to help their patients, there are times when the medical care we receive is not care at all. Sometimes due to error, and sometimes neglect, the fact is, injuries caused by medical errors are rising. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, medical errors are now the third leading cause of death in the United States.
A medical error can have devastating consequences, changing the course of a patient’s entire life. This is why a medical malpractice case will often involve what is known as a “life care plan.”
A life care plan demonstrates the ongoing medical needs a patient will have for the rest of his or her life. This is often used in a malpractice claim to help establish the amount of damages owed to the injured person.
In a standard medical malpractice claim, a seasoned medical malpractice lawyer will consider the valuation of present and future injuries and losses incurred as a result of the medical professional’s negligence. Compensatory damages may come in many forms, including medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other related losses. But in a number of cases, the cost of future medical care and treatment for life can be the most substantial valuation of damages in the case.
With over 30 years of experience and millions recovered for medical victims, Attorney Eric Ratinoff is prepared to utilize numerous resources to communicate your story and fight for the justice you deserve.
What Are Life Care Plans?
In many medical malpractice claims, victims suffer catastrophic and permanent injuries that affect them for the rest of their lives. They may face years of physical therapy, surgeries, and other medical interventions and require live-in care, special home alterations, and other equipment to accommodate their disabilities. Thus, in order to obtain complete compensation for their expenses, it’s essential to ensure an accurate and thorough account of all possible expenses. That’s where a life care plan comes in.
A life care plan—created by a professional known as a life care planner—is a document that identifies a person’s future medical and supportive care needs. A knowledgeable lawyer at Eric Ratinoff Law Corp. may investigate your past medical and employment history as well as your present medical outlook. With all of this information, a life care plan is created to estimate lifetime medical treatments and related needs.
How a Life Care Plan Affects a California Medical Malpractice Case
Life care plans are an integral part of a medical malpractice claim. A skilled medical malpractice lawyer works with various field experts with a range of qualifications and experience to create credible and accurate life care plans for medical malpractice victims. Some experts may be rehabilitation specialists, physicians in relevant fields of practice, nurses devoted to working with disabled patients, and other professionals who have a significant background in a wide range of disabilities and maintain the expertise to predict the costs of the victim’s future medical needs and interventions moving forward.
Once experts have reviewed your case and medical records, a detailed report will be prepared that outlines all future expenses and treatments. They may cover areas like potential complications, surgeries, medications, medical devices, and other unexpected costs you may incur. Once the lifecare plan is created, it is disclosed to the at-fault party in an expert witness disclosure. They may counter with their own version of a life care plan prepared by their own experts. Both parties have an opportunity for expert witness testimonies to answer questions about the life care plan and provide reasoning for their value estimations.
A comprehensive life care plan can support your chances of recovering the complete compensation you deserve during settlement negotiations and can provide peace of mind about the future.
Speak With a Highly Qualified California Medical Malpractice Lawyer at Eric Ratinoff Law Corp.
Medical malpractice injuries can have lasting physical, emotional, and financial consequences. At Eric Ratinoff Law Corp., our skilled legal team utilizes an array of comprehensive resources to fight for your best interests and obtain the best possible outcome for your claim.
Schedule a complimentary consultation by calling (916) 970-9100 or filling out our contact form to speak with a highly qualified medical malpractice attorney today.
