What Is a Life Care Plan? And Why Is it So Important in Brain Injury Lawsuits?

If you recently suffered a brain injury in an accident in Texas and plan on filing a lawsuit against the person or party at fault, you will need what is known as a life care plan. A Texas life care plan is a document that lists all of your current and latent medical needs and their related costs. This document is used in cases involving catastrophic injuries to create a blueprint of how much money the plaintiff will need to pay for future medical care. Ask about a life care plan as part of your lawsuit when consulting with a brain injury attorney in Dallas.  

What Is a Life Care Plan?

A life care plan is a projection of what an individual will need in terms of medical care and health care costs after suffering a serious injury, such as a catastrophic brain injury. It takes into account everything a brain injury victim will need on a medical level now and in the future. During a brain injury lawsuit, your life care plan should include virtually all medical needs from now until your recovery or date of death, including:

• Surgeries and other medical treatments
• Physical therapy and rehabilitation
• Psychological therapy
• Medication needed
• Medical devices
• Live-in care
• Social service needs
• Special education
• Household needs
• Home or vehicle disability modifications
• Travel expenses

What is included in a life care plan for a brain injury lawsuit will depend on the specific needs of the individual. The life care plan is created after an in-depth look at the individual’s current and future limitations, disabilities, neurological state and needs. The care plan will ask what kind of care is required to meet the individual’s needs now and in the future. It will also consider inflation, substitute caregivers and the cost of replacing devices, as needed.

Why You Should Establish a Life Care Plan After a Brain Injury

A life care plan will become a vital piece of evidence to prove your losses in a brain injury lawsuit in Texas. Your life care plan will support you or your attorney’s assertion that you will suffer myriad economic consequences connected to your brain injury. Your life care plan will break down the specific medical treatments and interventions that you will need in the foreseeable future so that an insurance company, judge or jury can assign an appropriate amount of financial compensation. Without an accurate life care plan, you may not recover fair and full financial compensation for your expenses.

It Is Important to Use a Qualified Life Care Planner

It is extremely important not to take any chances when it comes to creating a document as important as a life care plan. With so much at stake during your brain injury lawsuit, always entrust the preparation of your plan with a qualified life care planner who is well-versed in the long-term consequences of a brain injury. This is the only way to be sure that your care plan does not leave anything out. Once you accept an insurance settlement or personal injury judgment award, you generally cannot reopen your case or renegotiate for a higher amount – even if you later discover that your brain injury will cost more than you originally thought in medical expenses. This is why it is imperative to make sure the settlement offered is fair and just before you say yes. You can do this using a comprehensive life care plan prepared by a qualified professional. A brain injury survivor deserves the best possible life that he or she can enjoy. This can be achieved with help from financial compensation won from the party that caused the injury. A fair financial award can help you or your family pay for the best available medical treatments and necessary care far into the future. Learn more about how to recover fair and full compensation for your brain injury with assistance from a life care plan by contacting an attorney in Dallas.