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What a life care plan is, who prepares it, what it includes, and how Kentucky law treats future medical costs in brain, spinal cord and other serious injuries.
Reviewed by Larry Forman, Attorney
After a brain injury, a spinal cord injury, an amputation or a severe burn, the hardest part of the case usually isn't the bills you already have. It's the care you'll need for the rest of your life. A life care plan is the document that spells that care out, item by item, and puts a cost on it, so a jury or an insurer can see what "future medical expenses" actually means.
This guide explains what a life care plan is, who prepares one, what goes into it, and how Kentucky law treats the future costs it describes.
A life care plan is a detailed, written projection of the medical care, equipment, services and support an injured person is expected to need over their lifetime because of the injury, with the cost and frequency of each item. It's usually prepared by a life care planner, often a nurse, rehabilitation counselor or physician with additional training in life care planning, working from the treating doctors' opinions and the medical records.
Life care plans are most common in catastrophic injury cases:
A thorough plan typically covers:
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Physician care | Neurologist, physiatrist, orthopedic and pain management visits, at the expected frequency |
| Future surgeries and procedures | Revisions, hardware removal, skin grafts, injections |
| Therapy | Physical, occupational, speech and cognitive therapy, and counseling |
| Medications | Current prescriptions and expected changes over time |
| Equipment and replacement schedules | Wheelchairs, prosthetics, braces, hospital beds, with how often each must be replaced |
| Home and vehicle changes | Ramps, widened doors, accessible bathrooms, hand controls, a wheelchair-accessible van |
| Attendant and home care | Hours per day of help, and who can provide it (aide, nurse, family) |
| Diagnostic tests | Periodic imaging and lab work |
| Complications | Care for foreseeable complications, such as pressure wounds, infections or seizures |
| Transportation and other needs | Travel to appointments, case management, vocational help |
Each item should tie back to a medical reason. A plan that lists services no doctor has recommended is easy for the defense to attack.
The planner usually:
In a lawsuit, the plan is usually supported by a doctor's testimony on what care is medically necessary, and an economist may convert the total to its value at the time of trial. Life care planners often hold certifications such as CLCP or CNLCP. Under Kentucky's rules of evidence, the judge decides whether anyone offering an opinion is qualified and whether the method is reliable.
Usually once your condition has stabilized enough for doctors to predict future care, often called maximum medical improvement. Settling before then risks leaving future care unpaid. Our lawsuit timeline guide shows where this fits in a case. For children, the plan may need to look decades ahead, and any settlement needs court approval. See our guide to minor settlements.
A life care plan does more than support a verdict. It helps with:
We bring in a qualified life care planner early, make sure every item is backed by a treating doctor, and test the plan against the defense's before trial. We prepare catastrophic injury cases for trial from the start. Larry Forman has tried 50+ jury trials and won 95% of them. Learn more about Larry Forman or see our case results (past results don't guarantee a similar outcome). More guides are in our resource center.
A written projection of the care, equipment and services an injured person will need for life because of the injury, with the cost and frequency of each item.
In a contingency fee case, the law firm usually advances the cost as a case expense, which is repaid from the recovery under the fee agreement.
No. Kentucky's Constitution bars the General Assembly from capping damages for personal injury or death.
It depends on the injury and the records, but it usually takes weeks, including a home visit and interviews with treating providers.
Yes. The defense often hires its own planner and doctors. Plans that tie every item to a doctor's recommendation hold up much better.
Usually not. They're used when an injury will need significant care for years or for life.
We'll help you document every future need and fight for the full cost of it. Get a free case evaluation or call (502) 931-6788. No fee unless we win.
This page is general information about Kentucky law as of October 2026, not legal advice.
