If you or a loved one have been seriously injured due to someone else’s negligence and plan to file a personal injury claim, developing a life care plan can help you to maximize the amount of funds that you are able to recover in your case.
What Is a Life Care Plan?
According to the International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals, a life care plan is “a dynamic document based upon published standards of practice, comprehensive assessment, data analysis, and research, which provides an organized, concise plan for current and future needs with associated costs for individuals who have experienced catastrophic injury or have chronic health care needs.” In summary, a life care plan is a document that details the lifetime needs of an individual with a chronic disability.
The plan is written by a certified life care planner, who, in addition to having a background in a health specialty, also has the additional certification of being a life care planner. Some backgrounds of life care planners include rehabilitation counselors, nurses, social workers, physical therapists, counselors and occupational therapists.
The life care planner reviews the individual’s medical records, any special equipment they need, daily care requirements, necessary adaptations to their home or transportation, employment records, and (if applicable) school records. They interview the individual, their family members, doctors, other healthcare providers, and any other relevant individuals to develop a full picture of the individual’s daily and lifetime needs. They also research and assign a cost to each element of the individual’s life. The end result is a comprehensive document that details nearly every facet of a disabled person’s life now and projected into the future and the lifetime costs they will incur as a result of this.
Why A Life Care Plan is Important
Due to its comprehensive nature, the life care plan is an excellent vehicle to educate the opposing side, judge, and jury on the severity of someone’s injuries and why they need the funding they are requesting.
- The plan clearly identifies all of the medical issues the individual is experiencing and their life impact, so the opposing side, judge, and jury more easily understand the severity of the injuries and their toll on the individual’s life moving forward.
- When asking the opposing side or the court for hundreds of thousands, or millions, of dollars in compensation, some people may think that the injured person is trying to make money off of a bad situation. The life care plan shows concrete reasoning for why you are asking for that specific dollar amount.
If you or a loved one is contemplating filing a personal injury claim, contact the experienced attorneys at Cutler-Rader to determine if a life care plan is the right option for you.
Rader Law Group, LLC
With decades and decades combined experience, the attorneys at Rader Law Group understand the meaning of Justice. Our one and only mission is to get each client the justice he or she deserves; our team of attorneys never back down when we know our client is right.
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References Used:
International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals. What is Life Care Planning – LCP (rehabpro.org). Accessed July 1, 2021.