If you have been injured due to someone else’s negligence, you are well within your rights to file a personal injury claim to seek monetary compensation for your economic and non-economic damages. However, many individuals are uncertain about what losses they can recover in a personal injury case. Those that suffer permanent injuries often wonder whether they can seek compensation for their future medical expenses. Please continue reading to learn whether you can recover compensation for your future medical expenses and discover how our competent Westchester County Personal Injury Attorneys can help you secure the rightful compensation you deserve. 

What are future medical expenses?

In a personal injury case, future medical expenses refer to the special damages that may be awarded to a victim if they are expected to incur the costs for their medical care after their case has been settled. Depending on the severity of your injuries, you may incur expenses for medical care for months or even years. Ultimately, these expenses represent the cost of necessary medical care that will be needed in the future.

How are future medical needs calculated?

In a personal injury case, your future medical expenses will be calculated based on the severity of your injuries. The amount will depend on whether you are expected to recover and maintain your former lifestyle. This is because victims who suffer permanent disabilities will require more future medical care than someone who has sprained their ankle. That said, the following approaches are commonly used to calculate the value of a victim’s future medical expenses:

• The Additional Expense Approach. This approach is used when a victim is expected to recover and will only require medical care for a short period. However, they will be able to maintain their former lifestyle after recovering. For example, someone that breaks their arm and is expected to recover in a few months will likely use the additional expense approach to calculate the value of their future medical expenses. They may seek compensation for damages such as physical therapy, medical equipment, follow-up appointments, and counseling.
• The Total Lifestyle Approach. This approach is used when a victim suffers a life-altering injury requiring considerable medical care. This approach is most commonly used when a victim sustains a permanent disability. For example, someone paralyzed after a spinal cord injury will use the total lifestyle approach to calculate the value of their future medical expenses as they cannot maintain their former lifestyle. They may seek compensation for full-time care, surgeries, medications, special transportation, assistive devices, and other damages. It is imperative to note that victims that suffer life-altering injuries may require counseling to deal with their pain and suffering and other subjective losses they face due to their injuries. This means they may need additional compensation for these non-economic losses.

Being injured due to another person’s negligence is an overwhelming experience. Don’t navigate it alone. If you have been injured due to someone else’s negligence, contact a determined attorney from the legal team at Hausman & Pendzick today. Our firm is prepared to walk you through each step of the personal injury claims process. Allow our firm to represent your interests to maximize your chances of recovering the fair compensation you deserve.