One of the challenges in a medical malpractice action is describing and quantifying to the jury the future needs of a patient who suffers a catastrophic injury caused by medical malpractice. A victim of medical malpractice is only allowed to bring one suit for his or her injuries. This means that at trial a patient will be required to prove all of his or her medical needs for the rest of their life. Life care planning is the process for evaluating a patient’s physical and/or mental impairments and disabilities and determining future care requirements for those individuals with permanent or chronic medical conditions. The objectives of life care planning include coming up with a medical plan that will:

1) Diminish or eliminate physical and psychological pain and suffering;
2) Allow the patient to reach and maintain the highest level of function for the patient;
3) Prevent future complications; and
4) Afford the patient the best quality of life considering their condition.

At Pauley Curry we strive to retain the highest quality life care planners to set forth the patient’s life care needs, including their cost. These future needs may include future medical monitoring such as x-rays and lab testing, future medical treatment or surgical treatments, future prescription medications, future pain management, the purchase and maintenance of prosthetics, the purchase and maintenance of wheelchairs, home health care, loss of household services, assistance devices and equipment, occupational therapy, physical therapy, counseling, home modifications, the purchase and maintenance of a wheelchair accessible van or other transportation needs and modifications, nursing and attendant care, and the evaluation of life expectancy.