What is a life care planner and why is one often needed in a TBI lawsuit?

Many of the estimated 1.7 million yearly traumatic brain injury (TBI) victims in the United States develop significant medical problems as a result of their injury. When these accidents are caused by someone else’s negligence, Maryland law often operates to provide victims with significant compensation for their injuries. In many cases, establishing the amount of compensation that a TBI victim is entitled to requires the presentation of a significant amount of evidence, often through the testimony of a life care planner. Below is some basic information about life care planners and the way in which they can assist TBI victims who are involved in personal injury litigation. For specific information regarding your case, call a Baltimore TBI lawyer today.

What is a Life Care Planner?

A life care planner is an individual, usually a nurse, who develops a plan for meeting the needs of individuals who have suffered catastrophic injuries, debilitating diseases, or other medical issues that require long-term care. The kinds of issues addressed by a life care planner include the projected evaluation of costs of care, including medication, orthopedic needs, home care, surgical treatment, wheelchair needs, diagnostic testing, recreational equipment, and the costs associated with therapy.

What is the Role of a Life Care Planner in a TBI Lawsuit?

In many TBI lawsuits, there is significant a dispute as to how much the injury will financially affect the victim over the course of his or her life. TBIs have the potential to leave victims with long-term problems that may affect their ability to move, speak, understand conversation, or even live independently. In addition, many TBI victims may live for years or even decades dealing with these kinds of medical issues and disabilities. For this reason, the costs associated with treating a TBI over the course of a person’s lifetime can rise well into the hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars.

A life care planner is often called upon to testify as to the needs of the victim as the projected costs that he or she will incur treating his or her injury. A life care planner, while perhaps called as a witness by the plaintiff, is not in the role of an advocate, but rather is used to educated the judge or jury as to the nature of the victim’s injuries, his or her medical needs, and the potential costs associated with ongoing treatment.

Contact a Baltimore Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney at The Casper Firm Today to Schedule a Free Consultation

Individuals that have suffered a traumatic brain injury because of someone else’s negligence or carelessness are often entitled to significant financial compensation. In many instances, obtaining the full and fair value of a TBI claim involved the presentation of a significant amount of evidence in the form of expert opinion, so it is important for victims to retain an attorney with the experience and resources necessary to effectively litigate a claim. To schedule a free consultation with a Baltimore TBI lawyer, call The Casper Firm today.