When calculating compensation for a car accident settlement, all relevant economic and noneconomic damages must be considered. This includes future medical expenses. If your injuries after a crash are severe enough that you are not fully recovered by the time you are settling a claim or lawsuit, it is important that all potential costs are accounted for. Work with a San Mateo County, California car accident lawyer to ensure future medical expenses are calculated during your settlement.
What Are Future Medical Expenses?
When an individual is injured in a car accident as a result of another person’s negligence, they can file a claim or lawsuit against the liable party. Any doctor appointments, surgeries, prescriptions, etc. that are billed to the victim during this time are compensable expenses and will be calculated in a settlement. However, when an injury is severe enough that it is long-lasting or permanent, the expenses that the victim will incur in the months and years after their case is settled must be considered. These are known as future medical expenses. These costs may include but are not limited to the following.
- Future surgeries
- Rehabilitation and physical therapy
- Mental health counseling
- Home care
- Prescription medication
- Transportation
- Home or vehicle modifications
- Doctor visits
- Assistive medical devices
How Are Future Medical Expenses Calculated in a Car Accident Settlement?
Calculating economic damages in a car accident settlement is not necessarily complex. It is easy to collect evidence of all of the victim’s medical bills, costs to repair their vehicle, lost wages, etc., and add up the total amount. Future medical expenses are slightly more difficult to calculate as they are estimated and not yet real costs.
However, there are two main concepts that can be used to accurately estimate the expenses a victim will incur in the future as a result of their injury, depending on its severity. Medical and economic professionals will work together to determine the following plans.
- Temporary injury: If the victim is expected to make a full recovery, a plan should be created to determine what additional expenses are temporarily required to ensure they can heal and continue their daily activities.
- Permanent injury: If the victim is not expected to return to their regular functioning, an extensive care plan should be created to outline what ongoing treatments are required, modifications needed to be made to the home or vehicle, if in-home care is necessary, if residency in a care facility is necessary, the limitations the injury puts on the victim’s ability to work, and more. This will be based on their overall health, age, life expectancy, type of injury, and how it will limit their abilities in their everyday life.
Medical professionals can determine the care and changes necessary depending on the specific details of the victim’s injury and health. Economic professionals can determine, with the help of medical and other experts, the estimated costs of these treatments and changes, accounting for inflation and varying prices.
Reach out to an experienced attorney for more information and legal representation during your settlement.
