4 Tips on How to Decide What Should Be Included in a Future Care Cost Report
A Future Care Cost (FCC) report typically includes: attendant care, transportation, home and vehicle modifications, medication, medical and rehabilitation services and often vocational needs and losses.
Now within these services, how much should be included in the report? It can be tempting and easy to include a laundry list of items, but how much is too much? Is more necessarily better?
Spencer Experts is checking – twice.
Here are 4 tips to consider when a FCC report is being written for one of your clients:
√ Realistic. FCC reports need to create the best plan for the client, but planners also need to be conscious of budgetary realities1 and what constitutes realistic costs.
√ Common Sense. Reports should be based on a review of medical documentation, recommendations from treating practitioners and client interviews for a common sense approach.
√ Not Over-Exaggerated. Keep in mind that any included cost should be “both medically justifiable and reasonable…. It is not enough to show merely that it is beneficial.”2
√ Scope. Even though not all cases will warrant all costs, a good FCC report considers the whole range of quality of life determinants.3
Because what’s one wish on everyone’s list? As Claims Canada’s Craig Harris says: To ensure that injured claimants receive appropriate treatment, care and compensation.1 Check.
If you or a colleague is handling a case needing vocational expertise,
be sure to contact Spencer Experts to find out how we can help!
Toll Free: 866.295.9195
W: www.spencerexperts.com
1 Harris, Craig. “Forecasting the Future.” Claims Canada, February 2011.
2 Joinson v. Heran, 2011 BCSC 727.
3 Bennett, Michael L., Kirsh, Adrienne M, and MacDonald, David F. “Future Care Costs.” Thomson, Rogers.
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