You ask an important question because your child’s medical negligence settlement or court verdict will be all the money you will get for both past and future damages related to the birth injury. That means that even if your child’s case settles while he is still a baby or toddler that compensation must cover his expenses into adulthood.
How to Value Future Birth Injury Damages
You can’t predict the future, but with the right evidence and expert testimony, you can prove the value of your child’s future damages, including:
- Medical costs
- Assistive technology devices
- Lost income
- Physical pain
- Emotional suffering
- Out-of-pocket costs
To calculate the amount of money your child should recover for these damages, your attorney may suggest hiring an expert known as a life care planner. A life care planner may work with other experts to develop a plan for your child. The life care plan should include all of the future costs your child will incur because of the birth injury, including, but not always limited to:
- Surgeries
- Hospitalizations
- Medications
- Doctors’ appointments
- Physical therapy appointments
- Occupational therapy appointments
- Speech and language therapy appointments
- Assistive medical devices
- Assistive technology devices
- Home adaptations
- Lost income
- Nursing home or group home living
- Respite care for parents
- Educational expenses
Other expert witnesses such as doctors and economists may also testify to establish the value of your child’s future damages.
Make Sure Your Child’s Rights Are Protected
Birth injury cases are often complicated, and your child deserves to have a team of experienced professionals working for a fair recovery. Our staff nurse and birth injury attorneys know how to evaluate birth injury claims, gather the right evidence, hire the right expert witnesses, and make persuasive arguments to get your child fair compensation for past, current, and future damages.
Call us to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with our birth injury legal team today. We will fight for your child’s full recovery of damages and give you peace of mind that you’ve done everything possible to protect your child’s future.
Related Links: