# KW Life Care Planning - Full Reference ## Organization Overview KW Life Care Planning (KW LCP) is a life care planning practice specializing in life care plans, medical cost projections, plan rebuttals, Medicare set-aside allocations, and expert witness services for the legal community. The practice provides independent, objective analysis for both plaintiff and defense attorneys across all jurisdictions in the United States. KW LCP operates from its New Jersey headquarters and a Virginia office, accepting cases in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. Plans are prepared by an interdisciplinary team of certified life care planners that includes a board-certified physician who is also a Certified Life Care Planner, doctoral-level rehabilitation professionals with advanced academic degrees and national certifications, and a registered nurse life care planner. Opinions are grounded in recognized methodology and authoritative data sources, and are prepared to meet the admissibility standards applied in state and federal courts and to withstand cross-examination. Website: https://kwlcp.com Phone: (201) 343-0700 Headquarters: Hackensack, New Jersey Forensic economics sister practice: https://kweconomics.com ## Leadership Team ### Jesse Wolstein, M.D., M.A. - Chief Medical Director & Life Care Planner Credentials: M.D., M.A., CLCP Dr. Jesse Wolstein is a board-certified emergency medicine physician with 10 years of clinical experience, a Certified Life Care Planner (CLCP), and holder of a Master's in Rehabilitation Counseling. He develops comprehensive, evidence-based life care plans drawing on direct clinical experience and provides medical foundation reviews, life expectancy analyses, and expert witness testimony. Specialties: Life Care Planning, Catastrophic Injury, Medical Cost Projection, Life Care Plan Review, Expert Testimony, Medical-Legal Consulting States served: New Jersey, New York ### Daniel Wolstein, Ph.D. - Chief Executive Officer Credentials: Ph.D., CRC, CLCP, IPEC, ABVE/D, LRC, FVE, CVE Dr. Wolstein is Chief Executive Officer and a Certified Life Care Planner with a doctorate in rehabilitation counseling from East Carolina University. He served as President of the American Board of Vocational Experts (2023-2025) and brings decades of forensic rehabilitation experience to life care plans and expert testimony in catastrophic injury matters. Specialties: Life Care Planning, Catastrophic Injury, Expert Testimony States served: New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Virginia, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Pennsylvania ### Christopher Skerritt, M.Ed., MBA - Chief of Economic Services & Medicare Set-Aside Consultant Credentials: M.Ed., MBA, CRC, LRC, IPEC, CVE, ABVE/F, REAS, CEAS I, CLCP, MSCC, CPRW, QRC Christopher Skerritt is a Medicare Set-Aside Certified Consultant (MSCC) and Certified Life Care Planner who leads the practice's Medicare set-aside work and the economic side of life care planning, projecting the present value of future medical costs and preparing the MSA allocations that settlements require. Specialties: Medicare Set-Aside, Medical Cost Projection, Life Care Planning, Expert Testimony States served: New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Virginia, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Pennsylvania ## Expert Panel ### Matthew R. Putts, Ph.D. - Senior Life Care Planner Credentials: Ph.D., LPC, LRC, NCC, CRC, CLCP, IPEC, CVE Dr. Putts is a Certified Life Care Planner, licensed professional counselor, and certified rehabilitation counselor with experience as CEO of a nonprofit community rehabilitation program. He prepares life care plans and provides expert testimony. Specialties: Life Care Planning, Expert Testimony States served: New Jersey, New York, Virginia ### Paul J. Bourgeois, Ph.D. - Vocational Rehabilitation Expert & Life Care Planner Credentials: Ph.D., CRC, CLCP, CVE, FVE, NCC Dr. Bourgeois is a vocational rehabilitation expert and Certified Life Care Planner with doctoral-level training. He provides vocational evaluations and develops comprehensive, evidence-based life care plans for individuals with catastrophic injuries and chronic conditions, and is a Fellow of Vocational Experts. Specialties: Life Care Planning, Catastrophic Injury, Life Care Plan Review, Expert Testimony States served: New Jersey, New York ### Christina Rivera, R.N., B.S.N. - Life Care Planner Credentials: R.N., B.S.N., BLS, ACLS, PALS Christina Rivera is a registered nurse life care planner who draws on clinical nursing experience to develop comprehensive care cost projections and the medical chronologies that ground each plan. Specialties: Life Care Planning, Medical Cost Projection States served: New Jersey, New York ## Additional Team and Staff - Danielle Vallone - Senior Medical Chronologist - Abigail Wolstein - Medical Chronologist - Rebecca Wolstein - Medical Chronologist - Cara Creighton - Life Care Plan Administrator - Lizette Mendoza - Life Care Plan Administrator - Francis Kumah - Forensic Accountant - Melanie Tremonte - Customer Relations Manager - Sam Cerone - Video Editor ## Services in Detail ### Life Care Planning Individualized, evidence-based life care plans projecting the future medical, rehabilitation, and non-medical needs of individuals living with catastrophic injuries or chronic conditions. Each plan documents the items of care recommended across the patient's remaining life expectancy, with cost research grounded in geographic-specific provider data. Common case types: Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice, Traumatic Brain Injury, Spinal Cord Injury, Workers' Compensation Relevant credentials: CLCP, CNLCP, CRC, RN Engagement process: 1. Engagement and records collection: We confirm scope and conflicts, establish the retainer, and gather medical records, imaging, and provider information. 2. Medical records review and chronology: We review the medical record in detail and build a chronology of diagnoses, treatment, and current clinical status. 3. Clinical interview and assessment: When appropriate, we interview the evaluee and family and coordinate with treating providers to document functional status and ongoing needs. 4. Future care planning: We project future medical, rehabilitative, equipment, medication, and support needs across the remaining life expectancy, consistent with published life care planning standards. 5. Cost research and plan preparation: We price each item using geographically specific cost data and document the basis for every recommendation in a written plan. 6. Testimony: We provide deposition and trial testimony and update the plan as the clinical picture or records change. Typical timeline: - Engagement and records collection: 1 to 3 weeks - Records review and chronology: 2 to 4 weeks, depending on record volume - Clinical interview and provider collaboration: Scheduled within the review period - Cost research and draft plan: 3 to 6 weeks after the assessment - Deposition and trial testimony: As scheduled by counsel and the court Fees: Life care planning is billed at an hourly rate for records review, clinical interview, provider collaboration, cost research, plan preparation, and testimony. A retainer is established at the outset and applied against time incurred. The current rate schedule and retainer terms are provided on request and confirmed in a written engagement agreement. ### Pediatric Life Care Planning Life care plans for minors with birth-related injuries, congenital conditions, or pediatric trauma. Plans address developmental considerations, transitions to adulthood, and lifetime care needs from current age through projected life expectancy. Common case types: Birth Injury, Cerebral Palsy, Medical Malpractice, Traumatic Brain Injury, Personal Injury Relevant credentials: CLCP, CNLCP, RN, MD Engagement process: 1. Engagement and records collection: We confirm scope and conflicts, establish the retainer, and gather neonatal, pediatric, therapy, educational, and early intervention records. 2. Records review and developmental chronology: We build a chronology of the diagnosis, interventions to date, developmental milestones, and the child's current functional status. 3. Caregiver interview and clinical assessment: We interview parents or guardians, observe the child when appropriate, and coordinate with treating pediatric specialists and therapists. 4. Stage-based care projection: We project medical, therapy, equipment, educational support, attendant care, and housing needs by developmental stage, through adult transition and the remaining life expectancy. 5. Cost research and plan preparation: We price each item using geographically specific pediatric and adult provider data, with replacement cycles that account for growth, and document the basis for every recommendation. 6. Testimony: We provide deposition and trial testimony and update the plan as the child's condition, treatment, or records change. Typical timeline: - Engagement and records collection: 1 to 3 weeks - Records review and developmental chronology: 2 to 4 weeks, depending on record volume - Caregiver interview and provider collaboration: Scheduled within the review period - Cost research and draft plan: 4 to 6 weeks after the assessment - Deposition and trial testimony: As scheduled by counsel and the court Fees: Pediatric life care planning is billed at an hourly rate for records review, caregiver and provider interviews, developmental care projection, cost research, plan preparation, and testimony. A retainer is established at the outset and applied against time incurred. The current rate schedule and retainer terms are provided on request and confirmed in a written engagement agreement. ### Catastrophic Injury Life Care Plans Life care plans for adults with traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, severe burns, amputations, and other catastrophic injuries. Plans coordinate medical, attendant care, equipment, home modification, and transportation needs over the life span. Common case types: Traumatic Brain Injury, Spinal Cord Injury, Burn Injury, Amputation, Motor Vehicle Accident, Personal Injury Relevant credentials: CLCP, CNLCP, CRC, RN Engagement process: 1. Engagement and records collection: We confirm scope and conflicts, establish the retainer, and gather acute care, rehabilitation, outpatient, and equipment records. 2. Records review and clinical chronology: We build a chronology from the injury through rehabilitation to current status, documenting the level of injury, complications, and functional outcomes. 3. Clinical interview and home assessment: We interview the individual and caregivers, assess the home environment when appropriate, and coordinate with treating physicians, therapists, and equipment vendors. 4. Lifetime care projection: We project attendant care, medical follow-up, therapies, equipment and prosthetics, home modification, transportation, and secondary-condition surveillance across the remaining life expectancy. 5. Cost research and plan preparation: We price each item using geographically specific provider, agency, and vendor data and document the basis for every recommendation in a written plan. 6. Testimony: We provide deposition and trial testimony and update the plan as the clinical picture or records change. Typical timeline: - Engagement and records collection: 1 to 3 weeks - Records review and chronology: 3 to 5 weeks, depending on record volume - Clinical interview and home assessment: Scheduled within the review period - Cost research and draft plan: 4 to 8 weeks after the assessment - Deposition and trial testimony: As scheduled by counsel and the court Fees: Catastrophic injury planning is billed at an hourly rate for records review, clinical interview, home assessment, provider collaboration, cost research, plan preparation, and testimony. A retainer is established at the outset and applied against time incurred. The current rate schedule and retainer terms are provided on request and confirmed in a written engagement agreement. ### Medical Cost Projections Future medical care cost projections for cases that do not require a full life care plan. Useful for settlement valuation, mediation, and matters where a focused future-medical analysis is appropriate. Common case types: Personal Injury, Workers' Compensation, Medical Malpractice, Motor Vehicle Accident Relevant credentials: CLCP, CNLCP, RN, MD Engagement process: 1. Engagement and records collection: We confirm scope and conflicts, establish the retainer, and gather the medical records and treatment recommendations that define the projection. 2. Records review and treatment summary: We identify each recommended treatment, its source in the record, and its expected frequency and duration. 3. Provider confirmation: When the record is unclear, we confirm the treatment plan with the treating provider so every projected item has a documented clinical basis. 4. Cost research and projection: We price each item using geographically specific cost data and project the totals over the defined period or the remaining life expectancy. 5. Report and support: We deliver a written projection suitable for settlement, mediation, or litigation and provide testimony when required. Typical timeline: - Engagement and records collection: 1 to 2 weeks - Records review and treatment summary: 1 to 3 weeks, depending on record volume - Cost research and draft projection: 1 to 3 weeks after the review - Testimony: As scheduled by counsel, if required Fees: Medical cost projections are billed at an hourly rate for records review, treatment plan confirmation, cost research, report preparation, and any testimony. Many projections are completed within a fixed initial retainer because the scope is defined at engagement. The current rate schedule and retainer terms are provided on request and confirmed in a written engagement agreement. ### Workers' Compensation Life Care Plans Life care plans built for workers' compensation matters, covering future medical care, attendant care, and rehabilitation needs, coordinated with the vocational specialist where return-to-work is contested. Common case types: Workers' Compensation, Traumatic Brain Injury, Spinal Cord Injury, Amputation, Burn Injury Relevant credentials: CLCP, CRC, CDMS, MSCC Engagement process: 1. Engagement and records collection: We confirm scope and conflicts, establish the retainer, and gather the claim file, medical records, and any independent or agreed examination reports. 2. Records review and chronology: We build a chronology of the work injury, treatment, work status, and current clinical picture, identifying which conditions are accepted as compensable. 3. Clinical interview and provider collaboration: We interview the injured worker when appropriate and coordinate with treating providers to document ongoing restrictions and care needs. 4. Future care and return-to-work projection: We project future medical, rehabilitation, equipment, and attendant care needs and note where return-to-work is contested so the plan can be reconciled with any separate vocational opinion. 5. Cost research and plan preparation: We price each item using the applicable fee schedule or geographically specific provider data and document the basis for every recommendation in a written plan. 6. Testimony and settlement support: We provide deposition and hearing testimony and coordinate with the Medicare set-aside allocation when the claim moves toward settlement. Typical timeline: - Engagement and records collection: 1 to 3 weeks - Records review and chronology: 2 to 4 weeks, depending on record volume - Clinical interview and provider collaboration: Scheduled within the review period - Cost research and draft plan: 3 to 5 weeks after the assessment - Deposition and hearing testimony: As scheduled by counsel and the tribunal Fees: Workers' compensation life care planning is billed at an hourly rate for records review, clinical interview, provider collaboration, fee-schedule and cost research, plan preparation, and testimony. A retainer is established at the outset and applied against time incurred. The current rate schedule and retainer terms are provided on request and confirmed in a written engagement agreement. ### Life Care Plan Updates Updates of prior life care plans to reflect current medical condition, costs, and life expectancy data. Includes re-pricing of existing plans, incorporation of new treatment recommendations, and refresh of a plan prepared for an earlier stage of the case. Common case types: Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice, Workers' Compensation, Traumatic Brain Injury, Spinal Cord Injury Relevant credentials: CLCP, CNLCP, RN Engagement process: 1. Engagement and update scope: We confirm scope and conflicts, establish the retainer, and identify what has changed since the original plan: new records, new treatment, new life expectancy data, or the passage of time alone. 2. Original plan and new records review: We review the original plan item by item against the new medical record and document which recommendations remain supported, which have changed, and which are new. 3. Follow-up interview and provider collaboration: When the clinical picture has changed, we re-interview the individual and coordinate with treating providers to confirm current needs. 4. Re-pricing and revision: We refresh every cost using current geographically specific data, revise frequencies and durations where the record supports it, and reconcile the updated plan to the original. 5. Updated plan and testimony: We deliver the updated plan with a summary of changes and provide deposition and trial testimony as required. Typical timeline: - Engagement and update scope: 1 week - Original plan and new records review: 1 to 3 weeks, depending on new record volume - Re-pricing and revised draft: 2 to 4 weeks after the review - Deposition and trial testimony: As scheduled by counsel and the court Fees: Plan updates are billed at an hourly rate for review of the original plan and new records, follow-up interview, cost research, preparation of the updated plan, and testimony. Updates of plans originally prepared by KW Life Care Planning may be scoped more narrowly, which is reflected in the estimate. The current rate schedule and retainer terms are provided on request and confirmed in a written engagement agreement. ### Life Care Plan Rebuttal and Critique Independent review of an opposing party's life care plan for plaintiff or defense counsel. We examine each recommendation for foundation in the medical record, duplication, support for frequency and duration, pricing methodology, and life expectancy basis, and deliver a written critique with an optional alternative plan. Common case types: Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice, Traumatic Brain Injury, Spinal Cord Injury, Workers' Compensation, Birth Injury Relevant credentials: CLCP, CNLCP, CRC, MD Engagement process: 1. Engagement and materials collection: We confirm scope and conflicts, establish the retainer, and gather the opposing plan, its cost tables and sources, the planner's file when produced, and the complete medical record. 2. Foundation review: We trace each recommendation in the opposing plan to the medical record and treating provider recommendations, flagging items that lack documented clinical support. 3. Duplication, frequency, and duration analysis: We identify overlapping or duplicated items and test whether the stated frequency and duration of each item are supported by the record and accepted planning practice. 4. Pricing and life expectancy review: We examine the pricing sources, geographic basis, and replacement cycles used, and evaluate the life expectancy assumption that drives the plan's total. 5. Written critique and alternative plan: We deliver a written critique organized by finding and, when requested, an alternative plan that reflects the care the record supports. 6. Testimony: We provide deposition and trial testimony on the critique and any alternative plan. Typical timeline: - Engagement and materials collection: 1 to 2 weeks - Foundation, frequency, and pricing review: 2 to 4 weeks, depending on plan length and record volume - Written critique and optional alternative plan: 2 to 4 weeks after the review - Deposition and trial testimony: As scheduled by counsel and the court Fees: Rebuttal work is billed at an hourly rate for review of the opposing plan and the medical record, methodology and pricing analysis, preparation of the written critique or alternative plan, and testimony. A retainer is established at the outset and applied against time incurred. The current rate schedule and retainer terms are provided on request and confirmed in a written engagement agreement. ### Medicare Set-Aside Allocations Workers' compensation and liability Medicare set-aside allocation reports prepared by a certified Medicare set-aside consultant. Each allocation projects the future injury-related care that Medicare would otherwise cover and prices it using the accepted allocation methodology, in coordination with counsel regarding CMS review thresholds and submission strategy. Common case types: Workers' Compensation, Personal Injury, Motor Vehicle Accident, Medical Malpractice Relevant credentials: MSCC, CLCP, RN, CDMS Engagement process: 1. Engagement and entitlement review: We confirm scope and conflicts, establish the retainer, and review the individual's Medicare status and reasonable expectation of entitlement with counsel. 2. Records collection and review: We gather medical, pharmacy, and payment records and identify the injury-related conditions and treatments that Medicare would otherwise cover. 3. Rated age and projection period: When appropriate, we coordinate a rated age and establish the projection period that governs the allocation. 4. Allocation by accepted methodology: We project future injury-related medical and prescription costs using the accepted allocation methodology and the pricing basis appropriate to the claim. 5. Report and submission support: We deliver the allocation report and, when requested, support submission and respond to review correspondence in coordination with counsel. Typical timeline: - Engagement and entitlement review: 1 week - Records collection and review: 2 to 4 weeks, depending on record volume - Allocation report: 1 to 3 weeks after the review - Submission support: As the review process requires, when requested Fees: Medicare set-aside allocations are billed at an hourly rate for Medicare entitlement review, records review, allocation preparation, rated-age coordination, and submission support. Many allocations are completed within a fixed initial retainer because the scope is defined at engagement. The current rate schedule and retainer terms are provided on request and confirmed in a written engagement agreement. ### Elder and Long-Term Care Planning Care needs assessment and long-term care cost planning for families, guardians, trustees, and special-needs trusts, outside litigation. A certified life care planner documents the person's current care needs, projects how the level of care and its cost are likely to change, and gives the family or fiduciary a documented basis for budgeting, placement, guardianship, and trust administration decisions. When the plan must also support a claim or a court proceeding, it is prepared to the same documented standard the practice applies in its litigation work. Common case types: Personal Injury, Traumatic Brain Injury, Spinal Cord Injury, Cerebral Palsy Relevant credentials: CLCP, CNLCP, RN, CDMS Engagement process: 1. Engagement and goals: We confirm scope, establish the retainer, and identify who the plan serves and what decisions it must support, whether family budgeting, guardianship, or trust administration. 2. Records review and in-home assessment: We review the medical record and visit the individual at home when appropriate, documenting current function, safety, caregiver involvement, and the home environment. 3. Care-level determination: We determine the level of care required now and project how it is likely to change, identifying the settings and services appropriate at each stage. 4. Provider and facility cost research: We research in-home agencies, adult day programs, assisted living, and skilled nursing costs in the individual's geographic area and price equipment, home modification, and supplies. 5. Written plan and annual update: We deliver a written plan organized by care category and time period and offer an annual update to reflect changes in condition, setting, and cost. Typical timeline: - Engagement and records collection: 1 to 2 weeks - In-home assessment: Scheduled within 2 to 3 weeks of engagement - Cost research and written plan: 3 to 5 weeks after the assessment - Annual update: Yearly, when engaged Fees: Elder and long-term care planning is billed at an hourly rate for records review, in-home assessment, care-level determination, provider and facility cost research, and plan preparation. A retainer is established at the outset and applied against time incurred. Annual updates are offered at a reduced scope. The current rate schedule and retainer terms are provided on request and confirmed in a written engagement agreement. ### Expert Witness Testimony Qualified expert witness testimony for depositions and trial on life care planning, future medical costs, and standards of practice in the field. Experience in state and federal courts across jurisdictions, for plaintiff and defense counsel. Common case types: Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice, Workers' Compensation, Wrongful Death, Traumatic Brain Injury, Birth Injury Relevant credentials: CLCP, CNLCP, CRC, MD, PhD Engagement process: 1. Engagement and file review: We confirm scope and conflicts, establish the retainer, and review the life care plan, the file, and any opposing expert opinions. 2. Preparation with counsel: We prepare with retaining counsel, identify the key opinions and their bases in the record, and anticipate cross-examination. 3. Deposition: We provide deposition testimony on the methodology, data sources, and opinions in the plan. 4. Trial preparation: We prepare exhibits and demonstratives and coordinate with counsel on the order and scope of direct examination. 5. Trial testimony: We provide trial testimony and respond to rebuttal and cross-examination. Typical timeline: - Engagement and file review: 1 to 2 weeks before the deposition - Preparation with counsel: As scheduled before testimony - Deposition: As noticed by the parties - Trial testimony: As scheduled by the court Fees: Testimony is billed at an hourly rate for preparation and at the applicable rate for deposition and trial time. A retainer is established at the outset and applied against time incurred. The current rate schedule, including deposition and trial rates, is provided on request and confirmed in a written engagement agreement. ## Case Types ### Traumatic Brain Injury Traumatic brain injury (TBI) matters involve a blow, jolt, or penetrating injury to the head that disrupts brain function. From a life care planning standpoint, TBI is distinctive because cognitive, behavioral, and emotional sequelae drive care needs as much as physical limitations do, and because the need for supervision and case management often persists long after acute rehabilitation ends. The life care plan documents every category of future care the injury makes necessary and the basis for each recommendation. Care needs: TBI plans typically address physiatry and neurology follow-up, neuropsychological re-evaluation at defined intervals, cognitive rehabilitation, speech-language and occupational therapy, medications for seizures, headache, mood, and sleep, assistive technology for memory and organization, case management, home safety modifications, transportation, and attendant care or supervision. In moderate-to-severe injury the plan addresses 24-hour supervision, behavioral support, and residential or supported-living options when family caregiving is not sustainable. Cost exposure: Cost is driven first by the hours and level of supervision or attendant care the injury requires, then by the frequency and duration of therapies, medication, and physician follow-up across the projected life expectancy. Plans commonly present home-based and facility-based scenarios so that counsel and the economist can value each, and they identify which items are one-time, recurring, or replaced on a cycle. Life care impact: The planner builds the plan from the treating physiatrist, neurologist, and neuropsychologist's recommendations, then documents frequency, duration, and cost for each item using local provider rates. Life expectancy is addressed from the evaluee's functional profile, with the sources stated so the plan can be examined and defended. Where severity is contested, the plan states the clinical basis for the level of care projected. ### Spinal Cord Injury Spinal cord injury (SCI) matters address the lifelong care consequences of partial or complete loss of motor and sensory function below the level of injury. Neurological level and completeness determine the scope of the plan, from equipment and supplies to attendant care and the medical surveillance needed to prevent secondary complications. Care needs: SCI plans address physiatry follow-up, urology and bowel programs with supplies, skin integrity and pressure-injury prevention, respiratory care in high cervical injury, spasticity management, physical and occupational therapy, manual and power wheelchairs with seating and replacement cycles, transfer and lift equipment, hospital beds and pressure-relief surfaces, home accessibility modifications, adapted vehicles, and personal care attendants at hours determined by functional level. Cost exposure: Attendant care and durable medical equipment replacement dominate SCI plan cost, followed by recurring supplies and the periodic hospitalizations associated with urinary tract infection, pressure injury, and other secondary conditions. Cost rises steeply with higher neurological levels, and plans generally show the difference between home-based care with attendants and facility-based care. Life care impact: The planner documents the evaluee's neurological level and functional status, obtains recommendations from the physiatrist and rehabilitation team, and projects each item's frequency, duration, and replacement cycle with the basis stated. Life expectancy is addressed with attention to level, completeness, and age at injury, and the plan is written so each line can be traced to a clinical recommendation and a local cost source. ### Amputation Amputation matters involve the loss of all or part of a limb, with care needs driven by level of amputation, upper versus lower extremity, residual limb health, and prosthetic candidacy. Prosthetic technology and its replacement schedule are usually the central life care planning question, alongside the therapy, skin care, and follow-up that keep a prosthesis usable. Care needs: Amputation plans address prosthetist and physiatrist follow-up, prosthetic devices and components with documented service lives, socket replacement as the residual limb changes, liners, sleeves, and supplies, gait and prosthetic training, physical and occupational therapy, residual limb and skin care, pain management including phantom limb pain, mobility aids for non-prosthetic use, and psychological support. Bilateral and upper-extremity amputations often add attendant care and home modification. Cost exposure: Prosthetic acquisition and replacement drive cost, and the choice between mechanical, microprocessor, or myoelectric technology changes both the purchase price and the replacement cycle. Recurring supplies, therapy after each new device, and long-term joint and spine care from altered gait add to the profile across the projected life expectancy. Life care impact: The planner documents the evaluee's amputation level, prosthetic history, and functional level, then works with the treating prosthetist and physiatrist to project the device type, components, and replacement schedule. Each item carries a stated basis and a local cost, and the plan distinguishes what is medically indicated now from what may become appropriate as technology or the evaluee's function changes. ### Wrongful Death Wrongful death matters involve the death of an injured person, sometimes after a period of survival during which substantial care was delivered. Life care planning contributes in two ways: by documenting and valuing the care actually provided between injury and death, and, where a surviving dependent had care needs the decedent was meeting, by projecting the replacement cost of that care. Care needs: In survival claims the planner reconstructs the care delivered from injury to death, including hospitalization, skilled nursing, home health, equipment, medications, and family-provided attendant care, and confirms that each item was medically appropriate. Where the decedent was the caregiver for a disabled spouse, child, or parent, the plan documents that dependent's ongoing needs and the paid services now required to replace the care the decedent provided. Cost exposure: Exposure in the survival component is the documented cost of care between injury and death, including care provided by family at market rates where the jurisdiction allows. Replacement-care exposure depends on the dependent's condition and projected life expectancy, and can be large where the decedent provided daily hands-on care to a person with a disability. Life care impact: The life care planner audits the medical and billing record to establish what care was delivered and at what cost, and separates care attributable to the injury from unrelated treatment. For dependent replacement care, the planner evaluates the survivor's needs with the treating providers and projects services, frequencies, and costs in the same format as any other life care plan so the economist can reduce them to present value. ### Medical Malpractice Medical malpractice matters involve injury attributed to a departure from the accepted standard of care. The life care plan in these cases must isolate the incremental care the alleged breach made necessary from the baseline care the patient would have required anyway, which makes the causation opinions of the treating and retained physicians the foundation of the plan. Care needs: Care categories depend on the injury: delayed-diagnosis cases may involve oncology follow-up, surgery, and palliative care; surgical and anesthesia injury may involve neurological rehabilitation, wound care, ostomy supplies, or chronic pain management; medication and hospital-acquired injury may involve dialysis, organ transplant follow-up, or long-term nursing. The plan is organized by the same categories as any life care plan, with each item flagged as incremental or baseline. Cost exposure: Exposure is the cost of the incremental care across the evaluee's projected life expectancy. Because baseline care is excluded, the plan's value is highly sensitive to the physician's causation and apportionment opinions and to how the pre-existing condition would have progressed absent the breach. Plans often present both the full care profile and the incremental profile so the distinction is transparent. Life care impact: The planner obtains causation and apportionment opinions from the physicians, builds the but-for baseline of expected care, and then documents the additional services, frequencies, and durations attributable to the injury. Every item carries its clinical source and local cost, and the plan states its methodology so it can be tested against the opposing expert's apportionment. ### Burn Injury Burn injury matters involve thermal, chemical, electrical, or radiation burns whose care needs are driven by total body surface area, depth, location, inhalation injury, and complications such as contracture, hypertrophic scarring, and heat intolerance. Because reconstruction is staged over years and skin care is lifelong, the life care plan must project both a surgical sequence and a daily maintenance regimen. Care needs: Burn plans address burn surgeon and plastic surgeon follow-up, staged reconstructive and contracture-release surgery, laser and scar management, compression garments replaced on a documented cycle, moisturizers, sun protection, and wound supplies, physical and occupational therapy for range of motion, splinting, pain management, pulmonary follow-up after inhalation injury, and mental health treatment for post-traumatic stress, depression, and body image concerns. Severe burns of the hands or face may add adaptive equipment and attendant care. Cost exposure: Cost concentrates in the surgical years immediately after injury and then settles into recurring garment, supply, therapy, and mental health costs across the projected life expectancy. Pediatric burns add reconstruction as the child grows. The plan identifies which surgeries the treating surgeon has scheduled, which are anticipated, and the maintenance items that continue for life. Life care impact: The planner obtains the reconstructive sequence from the treating burn surgeon, documents garment and supply regimens with replacement frequencies, and confirms therapy and mental health recommendations with the treating team. Each item carries a stated basis and local cost, and the plan separates one-time surgical costs from lifelong maintenance so the economist can treat each correctly. ### Personal Injury Personal injury matters cover a broad range of physical and psychological harm arising from negligence, from orthopedic injury and chronic pain to complex regional pain syndrome and psychological trauma. Whenever an injury requires ongoing treatment, equipment, or assistance, a life care plan documents those future needs and their cost so future medical damages rest on an itemized foundation rather than an estimate. Care needs: Common categories include orthopedic and pain management follow-up, injections and implanted devices with replacement cycles, future surgery such as joint replacement or spinal fusion, physical therapy at maintenance frequency, medications, bracing and mobility aids, diagnostic imaging, mental health treatment, and, in more serious injury, home modification and help with household tasks or personal care. Cost exposure: Exposure ranges widely with injury severity. In moderate injury the plan may consist of periodic physician visits, medication, therapy, and a future surgery; in serious injury it includes equipment, attendant care, and home modification across the projected life expectancy. The plan identifies one-time, recurring, and cyclically replaced items so each can be valued appropriately. Life care impact: The planner reviews the records, interviews the evaluee, and confirms recommendations with the treating physicians before projecting frequency, duration, and cost for each item at local rates. The plan states its basis for every line, addresses the evaluee's life expectancy, and is written so that a medical cost projection or full life care plan can be presented depending on the scope counsel needs. ### Workers' Compensation Workers' compensation matters involve work-related injury or illness within a statutory system that pays medical benefits under a fee schedule and, in many settlements, closes future medical liability in exchange for a lump sum. Life care planning in this setting supports settlement valuation, Medicare Set-Aside allocation, and disputes over the reasonableness and necessity of future treatment. Care needs: Plans address the injury-related care the treating physician projects: physician follow-up, medications, injections, future surgery, therapy, durable medical equipment and replacement, diagnostic testing, and, in catastrophic work injury, attendant care and home modification. Because state fee schedules govern payment, the plan typically prices items under the applicable schedule and, where useful, at usual and customary rates for comparison. Cost exposure: Exposure is defined by the projected cost of injury-related medical care over the claimant's life expectancy, priced under the governing fee schedule. Where the claimant is a Medicare beneficiary or reasonably expected to become one, the Medicare-covered portion must be allocated in a set-aside, and the difference between the plan and the set-aside is often the focus of settlement negotiation. Life care impact: The planner documents the injury-related diagnoses, obtains the treating physician's projection of future care, and prices each item under the state fee schedule with stated sources. The same clinical foundation supports a Medicare Set-Aside allocation when one is required, and the plan distinguishes injury-related care from treatment for unrelated conditions so the carrier's obligation is stated accurately. ### Motor Vehicle Accident Motor vehicle accident matters span the full range of injury severity, from soft tissue and orthopedic injury to traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, and polytrauma. The life care plan scales to the injury: a medical cost projection for a defined course of orthopedic treatment, or a full plan when the crash produces lasting functional loss that requires equipment, assistance, and coordinated long-term care. Care needs: Typical categories include orthopedic and spine follow-up, pain management and injections, future surgery such as fusion or joint replacement, physical therapy, medications, bracing and mobility aids, imaging, and mental health treatment for post-traumatic stress and driving anxiety. Polytrauma cases add neurological rehabilitation, durable medical equipment, home modification, adapted transportation, and attendant care. Cost exposure: Exposure tracks the injury mix. Orthopedic and chronic pain cases are driven by future surgery, injections, and therapy; catastrophic cases are driven by attendant care and equipment across the projected life expectancy. Plans identify one-time, recurring, and replaced items and, where policy limits are at issue, present the plan in a form that supports both settlement evaluation and trial. Life care impact: The planner reviews the trauma and follow-up records, confirms future recommendations with the treating physicians, and projects each item's frequency, duration, and local cost. In polytrauma the plan integrates recommendations from several specialists into one document with a stated basis for every line, and it addresses life expectancy where the injuries warrant it. ### Birth Injury Birth injury matters involve harm to an infant during labor and delivery, including hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, brachial plexus injury, and intracranial hemorrhage. Because the injured child has a full life ahead, the life care plan is usually the single largest component of damages and must address needs from infancy through adulthood. Care needs: Pediatric plans address neurology and developmental pediatrics follow-up, physical, occupational, and speech therapy, durable medical equipment sized and replaced as the child grows, seizure management, feeding support, educational and behavioral services, respite and attendant care, and the transition to adult providers and residential options after age 21. Cost exposure: Costs are driven by attendant-care hours, equipment replacement cycles, therapy frequency by developmental stage, and the child's projected life expectancy. Plans commonly present alternative scenarios for home-based versus facility-based care so counsel and the economist can value each. Life care impact: The plan is built with the treating neurologist and developmental pediatrician and updated at developmental milestones. Life expectancy is analyzed from the child's functional profile rather than population tables alone, and the plan documents the basis for each frequency and duration recommendation. ### Cerebral Palsy Cerebral palsy matters, whether arising from birth injury or pediatric medical negligence, require a plan that scales with the child's Gross Motor Function Classification level and evolves through developmental stages into adulthood. Care needs: Plans address orthopedic and neurology follow-up, spasticity management including botulinum toxin and baclofen pump care, orthotics and seating replaced with growth, therapies, communication devices, home accessibility, transportation, attendant care, and adult residential or supported-living options. Cost exposure: Attendant care and equipment dominate the cost profile. Frequency and replacement schedules are tied to the child's functional level and growth, and plans typically present home-based and facility-based scenarios. Life care impact: The life care planner works with the physiatrist, orthopedist, and therapy team to document current needs, then projects changes at each developmental transition. The plan explains the basis for every frequency and replacement cycle so it can withstand cross-examination. ## Professional Credentials ### CLCP - Certified Life Care Planner Issuer: International Commission on Health Care Certification The CLCP is the most widely held certification for life care planners. Scope includes the development of comprehensive, individualized life care plans for people with catastrophic injury or chronic illness, documenting every category of future care with its frequency, duration, and cost, and defending that plan through report, deposition, and trial testimony. ### CNLCP - Certified Nurse Life Care Planner Issuer: CNLCP Certification Board The CNLCP certifies registered nurses in life care planning grounded in the nursing process: assessment, nursing diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation. Nurse life care planners bring hands-on clinical knowledge of medications, supplies, skilled care, and daily care routines to the documentation of future needs, frequencies, and costs. ### MSCC - Medicare Set-Aside Certified Consultant Issuer: International Commission on Health Care Certification The MSCC certifies professionals in the preparation of Medicare Set-Aside allocations for workers' compensation and liability settlements. Scope includes identifying injury-related, Medicare-covered future care, pricing it under the applicable fee schedule, and documenting the allocation in a form that satisfies Medicare's review process and protects the parties' interests. ### CDMS - Certified Disability Management Specialist Issuer: Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification The CDMS certifies professionals in disability management: coordinating medical care, benefits, and return-to-work planning for injured workers within workers' compensation and disability systems. In life care planning the credential is relevant to workers' compensation plans, where the planner must understand fee schedules, claims administration, and how future care interacts with the benefit system. ### CRC - Certified Rehabilitation Counselor Issuer: Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification The CRC is the national certification for rehabilitation counselors. In life care planning it is one of the qualifying credentials for CLCP certification and supports the plan's coverage of rehabilitation services, assistive technology, community reintegration, supported living, and the day-program and vocational services that adults with disabilities use across the life span. ### M.D. - Doctor of Medicine Issuer: Accredited Medical Schools and State Medical Boards The M.D. degree with state licensure authorizes the practice of medicine. In life care planning, physicians supply the medical foundation of the plan: diagnosis, prognosis, life expectancy considerations, and the treatment, medication, surgical, and follow-up recommendations that the planner itemizes and prices. A physician life care planner can both make and document those recommendations. ### R.N. - Registered Nurse Issuer: State Boards of Nursing Registered nurse licensure authorizes the practice of professional nursing. In life care planning, the RN is a qualifying clinical credential for both CLCP and CNLCP certification and grounds the plan in direct knowledge of skilled nursing care, medication administration, wound and skin care, supplies, and the daily routines that determine attendant care hours. ### Ph.D. - Doctor of Philosophy Issuer: Accredited Universities Doctoral preparation in rehabilitation counseling, rehabilitation science, psychology, or a related field supports research fluency and advanced assessment in life care planning. Ph.D.-level planners are often called on to explain the literature behind frequency, duration, and life expectancy recommendations and to review the methodology of opposing plans. ## Methodologies ### Life Expectancy in Life Care Planning Life expectancy sets the horizon of a life care plan: how many years each recurring item is carried and how many replacement cycles each piece of equipment gets. The planner starts from published population life tables and applies any condition-specific adjustment only when a qualified physician supports it. When used: Every life care plan and medical cost projection states the horizon over which costs are projected. The question is contested most often in spinal cord injury, severe brain injury, and cerebral palsy cases, where the defense may argue for a shortened expectancy and the plaintiff for population norms. ### Present Value Analysis Present value analysis reduces a projected stream of future damages to a single lump sum equivalent in today's dollars, accounting for the time value of money and expected growth of the underlying cash flows. When used: Present value analysis is used to express the future medical and non-medical care in a life care plan or medical cost projection as a single lump sum for trial or settlement purposes. The life care planner produces the year-by-year cost stream; the economist discounts it. ### Life Care Plan Development Life care plan development is a structured process that translates treating-team recommendations, peer-reviewed literature, and geographically matched cost data into a comprehensive projection of future medical and non-medical care needs. When used: Life care planning is used in catastrophic injury, medical malpractice, and chronic disease cases to quantify future care costs for trial or settlement purposes. ### Functional Capacity Evaluation A functional capacity evaluation (FCE) is a standardized assessment of a person's physical capacity to perform work-related activities, typically conducted by an occupational or physical therapist over one or two days. When used: In life care planning, an FCE documents what the evaluee can physically do and sustain. The planner uses it to support attendant care hours, the need for adaptive equipment and home modification, and restrictions relevant to workers' compensation plans. It is compared with an IME in FCE vs. IME. ### Cost Research Methodology Cost research is the process by which each item in a life care plan receives a unit price that reflects what the care actually costs where the evaluee lives. It combines geographically matched pricing sources, direct provider and vendor quotes, and documentation sufficient for another planner to reproduce the figure. When used: Every life care plan and medical cost projection rests on cost research. It is scrutinized most closely on high-dollar items: attendant care, residential placement, surgical revisions, and durable equipment with short replacement cycles. It is also the first place a rebuttal reviewer looks. ### Medicare Set-Aside Allocation Methodology A Medicare set-aside allocation estimates the portion of a settlement that should be reserved for future injury-related care that Medicare would otherwise cover. The allocation is narrower than a life care plan in scope, priced on a fee-schedule basis, and prepared with Medicare's review process in mind. When used: An allocation is prepared when a workers' compensation or liability settlement involves a Medicare beneficiary or a person with a reasonable expectation of enrollment and the settlement closes out future medical care. It is compared with a life care plan in life care plan vs. MSA. ## Guides - Expert Witness Disclosure: A Practitioner Overview: Pre-trial expert disclosure typically requires a written statement of the expert's identity, opinions, the bases for those opinions, qualifications, prior testimony, and compensation. Content and timing requirements vary by jurisdiction. Missing a disclosure requirement is a common basis for expert exclusion. Attorneys are responsible for confirming the governing framework against primary sources. - Standard of Care Analysis in Medical Litigation: Standard of care analysis establishes whether a healthcare provider's conduct met the accepted standard of practice for the specialty at the time and place of treatment. It is the threshold opinion in medical malpractice litigation and requires a qualified physician expert. - The Collateral Source Rule, Explained: The collateral source rule governs whether insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, or other third-party payments offset a defendant's liability for damages. Some jurisdictions preserve the traditional rule (no offset); others have modified or abrogated it by statute. - Expert Testimony Admissibility: Federal vs. State Court: Federal courts apply a reliability-based gatekeeping framework that considers the methodology's testability, peer review, error rate, controlling standards, and general acceptance. State courts vary: some apply a similar reliability framework, others apply a narrower general-acceptance test, and several use distinctive hybrid frameworks. Experts should prepare testimony that satisfies the most demanding of the potentially applicable standards. Attorneys are responsible for confirming the governing framework against primary sources. - Future Medical Costs in Personal Injury Cases: Future medical costs are typically projected in a life care plan prepared by a CLCP, then reduced to present value by a forensic economist. Methodology combines treating-team recommendations, peer-reviewed duration literature, and geographically matched cost data. - When Do You Need an Expert Witness in Your Case?: An expert witness is warranted when the case involves future medical and non-medical care needs, the cost of that care, causation, or medical standard of care. Courts admit expert testimony where specialized knowledge will help the trier of fact understand evidence or determine a fact in issue. Retain early so the expert can inform discovery and strategy. - What is a Life Care Plan?: A life care plan is a dynamic document that projects the future medical and non-medical care needs of an individual with a catastrophic injury or chronic condition, with itemized frequencies and costs across the expected lifespan. Certified life care planners follow published standards (IALCP, IARP) and build plans from treating-team recommendations, peer-reviewed duration literature, and geographically matched cost data. - How a Life Care Plan Is Priced: A life care plan engagement is billed on the planner's time, typically against a retainer, and the fee is driven by the volume of records, the complexity of the injury, whether an in-person evaluation is required, and how many treating providers must be consulted. A scoped medical cost projection is the lower-cost alternative when the question is narrower than lifetime care. - Life Care Plan vs. Medicare Set-Aside: Purpose, Audience, and Method: A life care plan projects the full cost of injury-related future care for damages. A Medicare set-aside allocation reserves the portion of a settlement that Medicare would otherwise pay for that care. They start from the same record but differ in purpose, audience, scope, pricing, and horizon, and many catastrophic settlements need both. - Pediatric Life Care Plans and the Transition to Adulthood: A pediatric life care plan is staged by development rather than written as a single lifetime schedule. Equipment is replaced on growth cycles, education and therapy shift when school-based services end, and the transition around age 21 changes who provides care, where the person lives, and what it costs. A plan that ignores these transitions understates or misstates lifetime care. - How to Rebut a Life Care Plan: A life care plan rebuttal tests the opposing plan item by item against the record: whether each item has a medical foundation, whether items duplicate one another, whether frequency and duration are supported, whether the cost sources are documented and geographically appropriate, and whether the life expectancy basis is sound. The findings organize both the rebuttal report and the deposition of the opposing planner. - Attendant Care in Life Care Plans: Attendant care is usually the largest category in a catastrophic life care plan. The planner specifies the level of care, the hours across the day and week, the basis for those hours, the agency or private-hire rate in the person's market, how family-provided care is treated, and respite for the caregivers. Each of those choices is tested in a rebuttal, so each is documented. - Home Modification and Equipment Costing in Life Care Plans: Home modification and durable equipment are costed differently from recurring care. The planner assesses the home for accessibility, separates one-time items from recurring and periodically replaced ones, documents a replacement schedule for each piece of equipment, and prices from vendor quotes and recognized databases with the source recorded. The result is a schedule the economist can carry year by year. ## Comparisons ### Life Care Plan vs. Future Cost Projection Life Care Plan compared with Future Medical Cost Projection. When Life Care Plan applies: Prefer a full life care plan when damages include long-term care across multiple categories. When Future Medical Cost Projection applies: A simpler projection may suffice when the scope is limited to a single medical category or short horizon. ### In-Person Evaluation vs. File Review In-Person Evaluation compared with File Review. When In-Person Evaluation applies: Prefer in-person evaluation in catastrophic cases, where cognitive or behavioral factors matter, or where the defense has raised consistency concerns. When File Review applies: 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.). ### Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE) vs. Independent Medical Examination (IME) Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE) compared with Independent Medical Examination (IME). When Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE) applies: Use an FCE when physical capacity must be quantified to support items in a life care plan such as attendant care hours, home modifications, or the need for adaptive equipment, or to document restrictions in a workers' compensation matter. When Independent Medical Examination (IME) applies: Use an IME when diagnostic, causation, or prognosis questions need physician-level opinion, often on behalf of the defense. ### Plaintiff Expert vs. Defense Expert: Is the Methodology Different? Plaintiff Expert compared with Defense Expert. When Plaintiff Expert applies: Retain when representing an injured claimant or a plaintiff in litigation. When Defense Expert applies: Retain when representing a defendant or insurer. ### Life Care Plan vs. Medical Chronology Life Care Plan compared with Medical Chronology. When Life Care Plan applies: Use a life care plan to quantify future care costs for trial, settlement, or mediation in catastrophic injury or chronic disease cases (Reavis, 2002). When Medical Chronology applies: Use a medical chronology to summarize the record for internal review, deposition preparation, or to support other experts preparing opinions. ### Certified Life Care Planner (CLCP) vs. Case Manager Certified Life Care Planner (CLCP) compared with Case Manager. When Certified Life Care Planner (CLCP) applies: Retain a CLCP when projecting lifetime care costs for a catastrophic injury or chronic condition, typically for trial, mediation, or settlement purposes. When Case Manager applies: Engage a case manager when coordinating active medical care, provider access, or insurance authorizations during the active treatment period. ### CLCP vs. CNLCP: Which Life Care Planning Credential? Certified Life Care Planner (CLCP) compared with Certified Nurse Life Care Planner (CNLCP). When Certified Life Care Planner (CLCP) applies: Either credential is appropriate for a life care plan. A CLCP with a rehabilitation or therapy background may be a natural fit where equipment, mobility, and community reintegration dominate the plan. When Certified Nurse Life Care Planner (CNLCP) applies: A CNLCP may be a natural fit where skilled nursing, medication management, wound or ventilator care, and complex medical oversight dominate, as in many high-level spinal cord injury or birth injury plans. ### Life Care Plan vs. Medicare Set-Aside Allocation Life Care Plan compared with Medicare Set-Aside (MSA) Allocation. When Life Care Plan applies: Prepare a life care plan whenever future care is a significant component of damages in a personal injury, malpractice, or catastrophic injury matter, whether the case is headed to trial or settlement. When Medicare Set-Aside (MSA) Allocation applies: Prepare an MSA allocation when a workers' compensation or liability settlement involves a Medicare beneficiary or someone with a reasonable expectation of enrollment and the settlement releases future medical care. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is a life care plan? A life care plan is an individualized, evidence-based document that projects the future medical and non-medical care needs of a person with a catastrophic injury or chronic condition. It itemizes each need with its frequency, duration, and cost across the person's remaining life expectancy and is typically used to establish future damages in litigation or to fund a settlement. KW Life Care Planning's certified life care planners prepare plans that follow the published standards of practice. ### Who prepares a life care plan? Life care plans are prepared by credentialed planners with a clinical background. The two principal credentials are the Certified Life Care Planner (CLCP) and the Certified Nurse Life Care Planner (CNLCP), held by nurses, rehabilitation counselors, therapists, and physicians. Every plan rests on a medical foundation: the treating or evaluating physicians recommend the care, and the planner organizes, projects, and prices it. See CLCP vs. CNLCP for how the credentials differ. ### What types of cases does KW Life Care Planning accept? Plans and cost projections are prepared for personal injury, medical malpractice, birth injury, workers' compensation, and other matters involving traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, amputation, burns, and cerebral palsy. Engagements are accepted from both plaintiff and defense counsel and from carriers, and opinions are based solely on the record. ### What is the difference between a life care plan and a medical cost projection? A life care plan covers the full scope of injury-related needs, medical and non-medical, across the lifespan, and typically includes an interview and evaluation of the person. A medical cost projection is a narrower, records-based estimate of a defined set of future medical costs, often for a shorter horizon or a single treatment pathway. The comparison page explains when each is appropriate. ### What is a Medicare set-aside, and is it the same as a life care plan? A Medicare set-aside allocation estimates the portion of a settlement to reserve for future injury-related care that Medicare would otherwise pay. It is narrower than a life care plan: it includes only Medicare-covered items and prices them on a fee-schedule basis under Medicare's review guidance. Many catastrophic workers' compensation settlements need both, and the same record review can support each. See life care plan vs. Medicare set-aside. ### How are the costs in a life care plan researched? Each item is priced for the geographic market where the person lives, using provider and vendor quotes, recognized usual-and-customary charge data, published fee schedules, and manufacturer pricing as appropriate. The source and date of every cost are recorded so the figure can be traced and re-priced at a later update. The cost research methodology page describes the process, and how a life care plan is priced explains what drives the fee for the engagement itself. ### How is life expectancy handled? The plan horizon starts from the current published United States life tables for the person's age and sex. The planner departs from the population figure only when a qualified physician has opined that the condition changes it, and documents that basis. Where the parties dispute expectancy, the plan can be presented at each proposed horizon. See life expectancy in life care planning. ### Are life care plans admissible in state and federal court? Yes, when prepared by a qualified planner following accepted methodology and grounded in physician recommendations and documented cost research. KW Life Care Planning's planners have provided deposition and trial testimony in state and federal courts, and reports are prepared to meet the admissibility frameworks applied in each. Attorneys confirm the governing framework for the specific case. ### Can KW Life Care Planning review an opposing party's life care plan? Yes. A life care plan rebuttal tests each item in the opposing plan for medical foundation, duplication, supported frequency and duration, documented and geographically appropriate pricing, and the life expectancy basis. The review may be records-only or may include an evaluation of the person, depending on access and the needs of the case. How to rebut a life care plan outlines the approach. ### Does KW Life Care Planning work in all 50 states? Yes. Plans are prepared for matters in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. Cost research is performed in the person's own market, and the planners are familiar with jurisdiction-specific expert disclosure rules and admissibility frameworks. ### How long does it take to receive a life care plan? Turnaround depends on the complexity of the injury, the completeness of the medical records, whether an in-person evaluation is required, and how quickly treating providers respond to requests for recommendations. Most plans are delivered within several weeks of receiving complete records and completing the evaluation; a records-based medical cost projection is typically faster. Shorter timelines may be available - contact us to discuss your deadline. ### Should a life care plan be updated before trial? Often, yes. A life care plan is a dynamic document. When the person's condition, treatment plan, or living situation has changed, or when significant time has passed since the costs were researched, a plan update refreshes the medical foundation and re-prices each item so the plan reflects current care and current costs. ### How do I retain KW Life Care Planning for a case? Contact our office by phone at (201) 343-0700 or via the contact form on this website. A member of our intake team will follow up within one business day to discuss the case, the records needed, and planner availability. We accept cases from plaintiff counsel, defense counsel, and insurance carriers. ## Geographic Coverage Northeast: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont Southeast: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia Midwest: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Wisconsin West: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming Territories: District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands ## Office Locations - Headquarters: Hackensack, New Jersey - Secondary office: Virginia ## Contact Information - Phone: (201) 343-0700 - Website: https://kwlcp.com - Forensic economics: https://kweconomics.com ## How to Engage KW LCP Attorneys, claims professionals, and insurers may contact KW LCP directly to discuss case-specific needs. Initial consultations are available to assess case suitability and planner qualifications. The practice accepts referrals from both plaintiff and defense counsel, and provides a written fee schedule and a cost estimate before any engagement begins.