Certified Life Care Planners | Life Care Plans

Life Care Planning Services | Life Care Plans

The cost of future health care is often the largest component of economic damages in personal injury cases. Quantifying these damages for a jury requires a life care plan — a detailed analysis of the type, quantity, timing and cost of the injured party’s current and future care needs. RPC has Certified Life Care Planners to prepare the life care plan and economic consultants to determine the discounted present value. Learn more about RPC’s certified life care planners, including their clinical background and areas of expertise, or call us at 512-371-8000 to speak to a life care planner.

In preparing a life care plan for an injured party RPC’s certified life care planners work with physicians to determine the services, equipment, and supplies an injured person will need for the remainder of his life to maximize his ability to function. We carefully research the prices of all items included in the life care plan. RPC economists then apply specific medical inflation rates and consistent discount rates to determine the present value cost to fund the plan. All life care plans and reviews include extensive documentation to support the positions taken.

RPC Life Care Plans & Review of Life Care Plans

RPC also works with defense counsel to review life care plans presented by the plaintiff. These reviews consider the need for certain treatments, the availability of less expensive alternatives to meet the plaintiff’s needs, prices, inflation rates and discount factors. RPC has prepared and reviewed life care plans for individuals with a wide range of major injuries. Each plan is unique to the needs of a specific person. Here are some examples:

• Plaintiff life care plan for a paraplegic attending college. Review of medical records to determine past, ongoing and future medical needs as well as resources required for transitioning to independent adult life while caring for her young daughter.
• Defense life care plan for a traumatic brain injured / paraplegic individual. Extensive research on his diagnosis and prognosis as well as alternative options for care available within the plaintiff’s community. Alternative options included such things as the cost of gym membership with a trainer instead of physical therapy for the long-term maintenance of strength and mobility.
• Plaintiff life care plan for a woman with physical limitations caused by side effects of a prescription drug. Life care plan included research for resources available within the community for specific life management needs.
• Defense life care plan analysis report for a young child who suffered cerebral palsy as a result of hyperbilirubinemia (kernicturus) as a newborn. Extensive research on the prognosis of a child with cerebral palsy and the optimal treatment, including frequency and duration for physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy. The analysis report included examples of individuals with cerebral palsy who have led productive adult lives with appropriate support.

For more information, contact Athenna Dill, Personal Injury Case Manager, 512.371.8005, adill@rpcconsulting.com.

What is a Life Care Plan?

A life care plan is a dynamic document based on published standards of practice, comprehensive assessment, data analysis, and research, which provides an organized, concise plan for current and future needs with associated costs for individuals who have experienced catastrophic injury or have chronic health care needs.^[1] It is a detailed document that can serve as a lifelong guide to assist in the delivery of health care services. The plan can be used as objective evidence in establishing future damages in a personal injury case.

What Does a Life Care Plan Include?

A Life care plan establishes future medical expenses which a person may need as a result of a specific injury or event. This may include evaluations, therapies, diagnostic testing, medical and adaptive equipment, aids for independent functioning, prescription and nonprescription medications, home care/facility care, routine medical care, transportation, architectural modifications, potential complications, surgical intervention, and vocational services. In some catastrophic cases these medical expenses may be required for a persons life expectancy.

What is a Life Care Planner?

Life care planners are a diverse group of rehabilitation professionals representing nurses, rehabilitation counselors, occupational therapists, physical therapists, social workers, physicians, and psychologists.   Life care plans are used in workers’ compensation claims, civil litigation, mediation, reserve setting for insurance companies, federal vaccine injury fund cases, discharge planning, Medicare set-asides, elder care, and other arenas.   Life care planning is an established field with national certifications, professional organizations, research, role and function studies and published standards of practice. Life care planning precertification programs are offered which provide 120 hours of specialized training to meet the educational requirements necessary to sit for the Certified Life Care Planner (CLCP), Canadian Certified Life Care Planner (CCLCP) or Certified Nurse Life Care Planner (CNLCP) exam.[2]

How is a Life Care Plan Prepared?

There is a standardized procedure for gathering information to develop a life care plan, including doing an interview with the client and family members, reviewing medical records and supporting documents such as depositions, day in the life videos, school records, employment records, consulting with treatment providers and/or experts, and researching costs and sources for treatment. ^[3] A Life Care Planner may also review evidence-based research, clinical practice guidelines that may provide foundation in life care plans.^[4] The life care planner identifies current standards of care, clinical practice guidelines, services, and products from reliable sources to evaluate potential functioning, disability, and health.^[5]”

When is a Life Care Plan Used/Needed?

• Personal injury Litigation & Civil Litigation
• Medical Malpractice
• Workers’ Compensation
• Family Law (Where a spouse or child’s injury or disability affects support or asset division)
• Reserve Setting for Insurance Companies
• Federal Vaccine Injury Fund Cases
• Discharge Planning
• Medicare Set-Asides
• Elder Care

[1] Tanya Rutherford-Owen, Mary Barros-Bailey, and Roger O. Weed, eds., Life Care Planning and Case Management: Across the Lifespan, 5^th ed. (New York: Routledge, 2023), p. 29.

[2] https://connect.rehabpro.org/lcp/about/new-item/new-item5

[3] International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals, Standards of Practice for Life Care Planners, 4^th ed. (Glenview, IL: IARP, 2022), p. 12, https://cdn.ymaws.com/rehabpro.org/resource/collection/D5B16132-B4BE-4918-BA5A-1BABE8C2E1A4/iarp-standards-of-pratice.pdf, accessed October 6, 2022.

[4] Cloie Johnson, Caroline Williams, Amy MacKenzie, and Brook Feerick, “Consensus and Majority Statements Since 2000: Updated at the 2025 Life Care Planning Summit,” Journal of Life Care Planning 23, no. 2 (2025): 75.

[5] International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals, Standards of Practice for Life Care Planners, 4^th ed. (Glenview, IL: IARP, 2022), p. 12, https://cdn.ymaws.com/rehabpro.org/resource/collection/D5B16132-B4BE-4918-BA5A-1BABE8C2E1A4/iarp-standards-of-pratice.pdf, accessed October 6, 2022.