Some accidents cause serious injuries that require ongoing medical care. As a personal injury victim in Texas, you have the right to pursue compensation for the full extent of your damages, including expenses that are reasonably anticipated in the future. However, you have the obligation to provide evidence to account for these damages. Specifically, you must be able to demonstrate that the need for future care is likely, that the care is related to the injury caused by the accident, and that there is a reasonable estimate of the cost.
Failing to account for future medical costs could leave you with an insufficient personal injury settlement. Once you agree on a settlement figure, there’s no going back – even if you incur unexpected expenses related to the injury. For this reason, it’s crucial that your San Antonio personal injury lawyer demands to incorporate future medical costs.
Here are some effective ways personal injury lawyers prove future medical costs:
Medical Records
Your medical records may indicate your doctor’s recommendation for future treatment, such as:
- Rehabilitation
- Physical therapy
- Surgeries
- Follow-up care
- Specialist visits
- Medication
- Adaptive equipment, such as wheelchairs or braces
Medical Opinions from Healthcare Providers
Your medical team can help provide insight into your future care needs, helping your San Antonio accident lawyer, insurance companies, and the court understand the future road ahead for you. Your doctors can prepare detailed reports regarding information such as:
- Your diagnosis
- Your prognosis
- Your need for certain types of medical care
- How have you responded to treatment
- The estimated treatment timeline
These reports may also indicate future costs associated with recommended care.
Medical Expert Testimony
Medical experts can evaluate a case and estimate future care costs based on factors such as:
- The victim’s age
- The victim’s life expectancy
- The victim’s health
- The injury’s severity
- The type of treatment required
- The anticipated recovery period
- The potential for permanent disability or impairment
- Whether the injury is expected to result in chronic pain
- Any complications that may arise
Economic Expert Testimony
In addition to documenting the need for ongoing medical care, it’s also crucial that you be able to provide an estimated value for these goods and services. These experts can use data, including healthcare cost projections and inflation rates, to estimate the financial impact of the injury on the victim’s future. They account for factors such as the victim’s life expectancy, future medical care costs, and the potential for changes in medical treatments or technology.
Economic experts work closely with medical professionals to develop a clear and complete picture of the victim’s future financial needs. They may be part of the team that develops a life care plan to help document the victim’s needs so that their catastrophic injury lawyer in San Antonio can fight for fair compensation. Their input is critical as it helps to avoid underestimates of the monetary values of future medical services.
Contact Us for Help with Your Future Medical Care Needs
At George Salinas Injury Lawyers, we fully account for our clients’ damages, including projected future costs. We understand that if future needs are not integrated into personal injury claims, they will not have the funds they need to cover their long-term needs. We can discuss how we build strong claims for future expenses when you call for a free case review.