A Medical Cost Projection does not render opinions regarding liability/causality, permanency, medical diagnosis, appropriateness of past medical treatment, or life expectancy. A Medical Cost Projection does not take the place of a life care plan, nor can it be converted into a life care plan. A Medical Cost Projection is not considered an expert witness document. Therefore, the consulting Certified Life Care Planner author of the Medical Cost Projection is not agreeable to expert witness designation or testimony (deposition and trial). A life care plan should be considered if interested in expert witness designation and testimony.

The construction and framework of a medical cost projection, along with the methodologies employed in its creation, rely on a thorough evaluation of medical records, extensive research, analysis, and adherence to established methodologies and professional standards. This report offers a credible quantitative foundation to evaluate and support the financial estimation of an injured individual’s future medical requirements. Typically, this estimation stems from a review of medical records, often encompassing a specific timeframe usually within the last two years.

Medical cost projections serve purposes in mediation, settlement negotiations, and fund allocation. However, it's important to note that they aren't appropriate for litigation, expert witness disclosure, or as the foundational basis for testimony.

While a life care plan can be appropriate for both situations, a medical cost projetion should be limited to non-catastrophic (non-complex) injuries. A non-catastrophic injury is for those living with chronic illness or physical impairment, who retain the ability to perform ADLs (Activities of Daily Living), but may do so with difficulty and loss of quality of life. Conditions may include: neck and back injury, upper and lower extremity injury, fractures, mild to moderate burns, PTSD, complex regional pain syndrome, and chronic pain.

All situations involving a chronic injury, catastrophic or non-catastrophic, that will require future care to function optimally and reduce pain and suffering. The Life Care Plan is a valuable tool to reach a settlement, not only in the litigation phase of a case, but also in the pre-litigation phase. It is based on a reliable, consistent methodology within a reasonable degree of medical probability.