Special Employment and Earnings Considerations for Railroad Workers in Personal Injury Cases

Railroad workers operate under a unique framework of federal laws and benefit systems that significantly impact the evaluation of economic damages in personal injury cases. Unlike standard workers’ compensation claims, railroad injury cases often involve the Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA), along with specialized programs like the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA) and Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) benefits. Understanding these distinctions is essential for attorneys and experts seeking to properly assess damages and ensure fair compensation.

By |2026-06-11T10:39:31-05:00June 11th, 2026|RPC Blog|Comments Off on Special Employment and Earnings Considerations for Railroad Workers in Personal Injury Cases
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The Uses and Limitations of Diagnosis and Prognosis in the Development of Future Care Needs in Musculoskeletal Injuries

RPC has encountered a few life care planners in Texas personal injury cases who use what they call a “prognosis-based” method to derive the recommendations for future care. This method involves the life care planner selecting a primary diagnosis code and applying a standardized treatment template for the plaintiff’s remaining life expectancy. RPC asked Dr. Brian Buck, a board-certified physiatrist, and Susan Farris, a certified nurse life care planner to analyze the prognosis-based method, which they did in a new white paper

By |2026-06-11T12:56:11-05:00May 28th, 2026|White Papers|Comments Off on The Uses and Limitations of Diagnosis and Prognosis in the Development of Future Care Needs in Musculoskeletal Injuries
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Potential Certificate of Need Change Legislation

Legislators in several states with Certificate of Need (CON) laws have introduced legislation to revise which services are subject to CON review. Proposed legislation in Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, and Tennessee would change the existing requirements for facility expansion, equipment acquisition, and service initiation. In this blog, we summarize the current 2026 legislative activity in these four states

By |2026-04-08T14:49:37-05:00April 8th, 2026|RPC Blog|Comments Off on Potential Certificate of Need Change Legislation
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Expert Testimony & Damages Analysis for Jones Act and Longshore Cases

Louisiana maritime injury cases often involve two distinct federal laws: the Jones Act and the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA). Each act requires different standards of evidence depending on the injured worker’s role and location. Accurately assessing damages under these laws requires specialized expertise. At Research & Planning Consultants, LP (RPC), our vocational experts, life care planners, and economists work regularly with attorneys to determine economic damages, evaluate work capacity, and provide expert testimony in maritime injury cases.

By |2026-04-06T15:03:41-05:00April 2nd, 2026|RPC Blog|Comments Off on Expert Testimony & Damages Analysis for Jones Act and Longshore Cases
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Expert Life Care Planning & Vocational Evaluation Services for Trucking and Auto Litigation

In auto and commercial truck collision cases, the economic consequences of catastrophic injury or death can be among the most complex and heavily litigated parts of a claim. At RPC, we specialize in delivering both Life Care Plan and Vocational Evaluation reports tailored to the needs of trucking and auto litigation whether you represent plaintiffs or defendants.

By |2026-03-05T11:00:51-06:00March 5th, 2026|RPC Blog|Comments Off on Expert Life Care Planning & Vocational Evaluation Services for Trucking and Auto Litigation
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What Makes a High-Quality Medical Summary for a Personal Injury Case?

A high-quality medical summary for a personal injury case is a concise, accurate chronology of the medical care provided to the injured plaintiff before and after the event. In this blog, we discuss the components used to create a complete medical summary.

By |2026-02-12T13:28:16-06:00February 11th, 2026|RPC Blog|Comments Off on What Makes a High-Quality Medical Summary for a Personal Injury Case?
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How Life Care Planners Determine the Need for Home Healthcare

How do life care planners determine what type of home healthcare services are medically necessary and related to the accident, and the required frequency and duration of them? In this blog, we discuss the process

By |2026-01-29T10:25:35-06:00January 28th, 2026|RPC Blog|Comments Off on How Life Care Planners Determine the Need for Home Healthcare
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Using Workers’ Compensation DWC and Carrier Claim Files in Personal Injury Litigation

Workers’ compensation claim files can be a valuable resource for attorneys in personal injury litigation. In Texas, different than all other states, employers are not required to have workers’ compensation insurance. They can be subscribers to the Texas workers’ compensation system with its legal protections and duties. They can have an ERISA occupational injury program that can afford similar protections and duties. Or, they can “go bare,” forfeit some affirmative defenses, and be subject to the tort system. We asked James Loughlin, a partner in Stone Loughlin & Swanson to prepare a document to inform RPC staff about workers’ compensation claim files.

By |2026-01-15T14:58:33-06:00January 15th, 2026|RPC Blog|Comments Off on Using Workers’ Compensation DWC and Carrier Claim Files in Personal Injury Litigation
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RPC's team provides consulting services nationwide.

For sample RPC reports and professional references, please contact Ron Luke at 512-371-8166

Research & Planning Consultants, L.P.

6300 La Calma Drive, Ste 170
PO Box 14464
Austin, TX 78752

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