After a serious car accident, your medical needs may extend far beyond your initial treatment. Future medical expenses can be included in a car accident settlement, and in cases involving long-term injuries, they often represent the largest portion of the total compensation amount.
If you are dealing with ongoing injuries from a crash, connecting with a Fort Myers car accident lawyer can help you understand what your claim may be worth.
What a Car Accident Settlement Can Cover
A car accident settlement is meant to compensate you for the full range of losses caused by the crash. Economic damages typically include both past and future medical costs, lost wages, and other out-of-pocket expenses. Non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering, may also be part of a settlement depending on the circumstances of your case.
Future medical expenses fall under the category of economic damages because they represent real, projected financial costs. Unlike pain and suffering, these damages can be calculated and supported with documentation. The strength of that documentation often determines how much of your future costs are actually recovered.
The types of losses that may be included in a car accident settlement are:
- Past and future medical bills
- Lost income and reduced earning capacity
- Costs of ongoing rehabilitation or therapy
- Home care or personal assistance needs
- Pain, suffering, and emotional distress
- Property damage and related out-of-pocket expenses
When Future Medical Costs Are Included in a Settlement
Future medical expenses are not automatically included in every car accident settlement. They become a factor when your injuries are serious enough to require ongoing or long-term care.
If your doctor has indicated that you will need additional treatment, surgery, therapy, or medication beyond what you have already received, those projected costs may be factored into your claim.
Reaching maximum medical improvement, or MMI, before settling is often recommended. MMI is the point at which your condition has stabilized enough for a doctor to assess your long-term prognosis. Settling after reaching MMI provides a clearer picture of the future care required and its projected costs.
How Future Medical Expenses Are Calculated for a Settlement
Calculating future medical expenses for a car accident settlement requires expert witness input. Your treating physician plays the most important role by providing a written opinion about the care you will likely need going forward. That opinion becomes the medical foundation for the financial projection.
A life care planner then translates the physician’s opinion into an itemized cost plan. This plan accounts for the type of care needed, how often it will be required, how long it will continue, and what it costs in your local area. A forensic economist may also be involved to convert those future costs into a present-day value.
The following factors typically influence the total future medical expense calculation:
- The nature and severity of your injuries
- Your age and overall life expectancy
- The frequency and duration of projected care
- Current and anticipated costs for each type of treatment
- Whether your condition is expected to improve, stabilize, or worsen
Why Insurance Companies Dispute Future Medical Claims
Insurance companies routinely challenge future medical expense claims because they represent significant financial exposure. Their goal is to minimize what they pay out, and future costs are easier to dispute than bills you have already received.
A common approach is to have an independent medical examiner review your records and offer a less serious prognosis. That reviewer may argue your injuries will resolve sooner than your doctor projects, reducing the future care your claim is based on. They may also question whether certain projected treatments are medically necessary at all.
Comprehensive, consistent medical documentation is your strongest defense against such disputes. Gaps in treatment, missed appointments, or vague physician opinions can all weaken your position during settlement negotiations.
Settling vs. Going to Trial for Future Medical Expenses in a Car Accident Settlement
Most car accident claims are resolved through settlement rather than trial. Settlements offer a faster, more certain outcome, but they also require you to weigh the value of a guaranteed payment against the possibility of a larger award through litigation. When future medical expenses are substantial, this decision has major financial implications.
Going to trial allows a jury to evaluate the full scope of your future needs based on expert testimony and medical evidence. While trial outcomes are never certain, presenting strong life care planning and economic evidence can result in compensation that more fully reflects your long-term costs.
Your attorney can help you evaluate which path makes the most sense given the specific facts of your case.
Protecting Your Right to Full Compensation After a Crash
Future medical expenses can shape the outcome of your car accident settlement in a significant way. Reach out to Anidjar & Levine for a free consultation. We are available 24/7 and will review your case at no cost to you. You pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.
We have been fighting for injured Floridians for nearly 20 years and have recovered over $1 billion for our clients. When future medical costs are on the line, having the right legal team in your corner may make the difference in what you are ultimately able to recover. Call our team today and let us help you pursue the compensation you may be entitled to.
