The life care planner meets with the evaluee, typically in the home, to interview, observe function and the care environment, and confirm what the records describe.
The planner works from the medical record, deposition testimony, and provider input alone, typically for a rebuttal or when access to the evaluee is not available.
| Dimension | In-Person Evaluation | File Review |
|---|---|---|
| Data source | Records + interview + home and functional observation | Records, depositions, and provider correspondence only |
| Depth | Confirms current function, equipment in use, caregiver burden, home barriers | Limited to what the record documents |
| Cost and time | Higher; requires scheduling and travel | Lower; faster |
| Typical use | Plaintiff-retained plans, catastrophic and pediatric cases | Defense rebuttal, records-only file review, plan updates when the evaluee is unavailable |
Prefer in-person evaluation in catastrophic cases, where cognitive or behavioral factors matter, or where the defense has raised consistency concerns.
File review is appropriate when the record is complete, when the engagement is a rebuttal of an opposing plan, or when direct access to the evaluee is not available (International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals, n.d.).
The underlying methodology is the same: records review, treating-team input, published clinical guidance, and documented cost research. The in-person evaluation adds direct observation of function, the home, and the care actually being provided, which is often where a records-only plan and the lived situation diverge.
Depends on the case. Comprehensive file-review opinions are frequently admitted when the record is complete and the methodology is documented (Fed. R. Evid. 702; Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 1993).