Life Care Planner Discusses Costs For Paralyzed Worker

Case Overview

This case involves a 36-year-old construction worker that was injured installing insulation on the second floor of a house. The worker fell through a weak floorboard and injured his spine. The injury rendered the worker permanently paralyzed from the neck down and he can no longer work. The worker was the sole source of income for his family of 5. An expert life care planner familiar with such injuries was sought to opine on the future healthcare needs and costs the former construction worker will incur.

Questions to the Life Care Planning expert and their responses

Please describe your life care planning experience.

I am a licensed registered nurse with a state certificate in life care planning and emergency nursing. I am the director of life care planning services at a rehabilitation firm that provides catastrophic case management, life care planning, independent evaluations and reviews, and direct clinical services for patients with chronic medical conditions or catastrophic injuries. As part of my duties and responsibilities, I also conduct nursing assessments, develop plans of care, and coordinate services for patients that include locating placement options, establishing relationships with providers, and researching costs of durable medical goods and services. I have been active in the healthcare field since 1990 and have been involved in life care planning since 2008.

Have you published any articles on this subject?

I have authored articles and given numerous lectures on the care of catastrophically injured patients and patients with chronic conditions. I am published in emergency nursing and I have lectured on the topic of life care planning and chronic conditions and disease management.

About the expert

This highly qualified expert has 25+ years of experience in the healthcare field. With a focus on emergency care and rehabilitation, she received her MSN and PhD in nursing from the University of Texas. She has lectured at numerous local and regional conferences and has authored several publications for medical journals. Formerly an adjunct professor and RN practicing at various regional hospitals, she is now the Director of Life Care Planning at a rehabilitation center in Texas.