Life care plan

What is a life care plan?

A life care plan is a comprehensive, itemized projection of every medical, rehabilitative and support service a catastrophically injured person will need across their remaining lifetime.

It is developed by a certified life care planner, typically a nurse or rehabilitation specialist trained specifically in this methodology, working alongside the treating physicians.

It exists because catastrophic injuries create needs continuing for decades, and a settlement or verdict must account for all of them at once since the claim cannot be reopened later.

It is the central document in any case involving spinal cord injury, severe brain injury, amputation or comparable permanent catastrophic harm.

What does it typically include?

The plan itemizes every category of anticipated need with projected frequency and cost.

• Physician and specialist visits at projected intervals
• Surgeries and procedures anticipated over the lifetime
• Medications, supplies and durable medical equipment with replacement cycles
• Attendant care and home health services, quantified in hours
• Home and vehicle modifications
• Therapy, psychological support and vocational services where relevant

How is it developed?

Through review of the complete medical record, direct examination of the injured person where appropriate, and consultation with the treating physicians about anticipated future needs.

Each item must be supported by physician input establishing medical necessity, since a life care plan is not simply a wish list. Courts and juries scrutinize the basis for each projection.

An economist then reduces the total projected cost to present value, accounting for inflation in medical costs against a reasonable discount rate.

Why does this document carry so much weight?

Because it converts an abstract sense of catastrophic injury into a concrete, defensible number that a jury can evaluate item by item.

Defense experts commonly challenge specific line items, arguing certain services are unnecessary or that costs are overstated, which is why the plan's specificity and physician support matter enormously.

It also anchors settlement negotiations, since it typically represents the single largest component of damages in a catastrophic injury case.

Common questions

Who pays for a life care plan to be developed?

It is typically treated as a case expense advanced by the attorney in a contingency arrangement and reimbursed from any eventual recovery.

Can the defense challenge specific items in the plan?

Yes. Defense experts frequently contest particular projections, arguing they are unnecessary or overstated, which is why physician support for each item matters.

Does a life care plan cover pain and suffering?

No. It addresses future economic costs of care. Pain, suffering and other non-economic losses are valued separately.