Let’s be honest – nobody ever thinks they’ll be the one dealing with long-term medical bills after a car accident. You’re just driving down Union Avenue, maybe heading to work or picking up groceries at City Market, and then bam. Your whole world can flip upside down in an instant.
I’ve seen it happen way too many times here in Pueblo. One minute you’re fine, the next you’re sitting in a doctor’s office being told you’ll need ongoing physical therapy, possible surgeries, or even lifelong care. And then comes that gut-wrenching question that keeps you up at night: “How am I going to pay for all of this?”
If you’re reading this, chances are you or someone you love is facing this exact situation. The good news? You don’t have to figure it out alone. Let me walk you through what you need to know about calculating those scary-sounding “future medical expenses” and why getting this right could be the difference between getting back on your feet financially and struggling for years to pay medical bills.
Why Future Medical Costs Matter More Than You Think
Here’s something most people don’t realize until it’s too late: your initial medical bills after an accident are often just the tip of the iceberg. Sure, the emergency room visit and maybe a few follow-up appointments seem manageable at first. But what about the physical therapy sessions that stretch on for months? The specialist appointments you keep needing? The potential surgeries down the road?
I remember talking to Sarah, a teacher from Pueblo West who got rear-ended on Highway 50. Her initial ER bill was around $3,000 – not fun, but not devastating either. Fast forward two years, and she’d racked up over $45,000 in medical expenses for ongoing back problems, including two surgeries and countless PT sessions. The insurance company’s initial settlement offer? It barely covered her first month of treatment. Can you imagine the stress?
That’s why figuring out future medical expenses isn’t just some fancy legal term lawyers use – it’s about making sure you can actually afford to get better, without going broke in the process.
The Real Cost of Getting Better: What You’re Actually Looking At
When doctors start talking about your “prognosis” and “treatment plan,” it’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the medical talk. But here’s what it boils down to: every injury has a price tag that extends way beyond your current pain.
Ongoing Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation
Let’s start with the most common one – physical therapy. If you’ve hurt your back, neck, or any joints in your accident, you’re probably looking at PT. And here’s the thing nobody tells you: good physical therapy isn’t cheap, and it takes time and dedication.
A typical PT session in Pueblo runs anywhere from $150 to $300 per visit. If you need to go twice a week for six months (which is pretty standard for moderate injuries), you’re looking at $7,200 to $14,400. And that’s assuming you respond well to treatment and don’t need to continue longer. Many people need it for much longer, or on and off for years.
But it’s not just regular PT. Depending on your injury, you might need:
- Occupational therapy to relearn daily tasks, like getting dressed or cooking.
- Speech therapy if you had a brain injury that affected your communication.
- Specialized rehabilitation for spinal cord injuries, which is incredibly intensive.
- Pain management programs, which can include injections, nerve blocks, or other therapies.
Each of these comes with its own price tag and timeline. It all adds up, fast.
Future Surgeries: The Big Ticket Items
This is where things can get really expensive, really fast. Sometimes injuries that seem manageable at first require surgery later on. Maybe your knee injury isn’t responding to conservative treatment, or your back problems are getting worse instead of better.
Orthopedic surgeries can easily run $30,000 to $100,000 or more. Spinal fusion surgery? You’re looking at potentially $150,000. And that’s just the surgery itself – you’ll need recovery time, more PT, and possibly additional procedures if complications pop up. It’s a huge financial hit.
Medications and Medical Equipment
Don’t forget about the ongoing costs of managing your injury. Pain medications, anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxers – they add up week after week, month after month. If you need medical equipment like braces, crutches, wheelchairs, or mobility aids, those costs can be substantial too.
A good wheelchair can cost $2,000 to $5,000. Custom braces might run $1,000 or more. And if you need modifications to your home or vehicle to accommodate your injuries (like a ramp or special hand controls), we’re talking serious money.
The Psychological Side: Mental Health Treatment
Here’s something people often overlook: car accidents mess with your head too. Dealing with the emotional aftermath of a collision, like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), is more common than you’d think, and treating it requires ongoing therapy and sometimes medication.
Therapy sessions typically run $100 to $200 per visit, and you might need them for months or even years. If you need psychiatric medications, that’s another ongoing expense to factor in. Your mental well-being is just as important as your physical recovery.
How Doctors and Lawyers Figure Out What You’ll Need
So how do you put a dollar amount on something that hasn’t happened yet? It’s not like anyone has a crystal ball, but there are smart ways to make educated predictions about your future medical needs.
Life Care Plans: Your Medical Road Map
For serious injuries, doctors often create what’s called a “life care plan.” Think of it as a detailed road map of all the medical care you’ll likely need for the rest of your life. These plans are incredibly detailed and include everything from the number of doctor visits you’ll need each year to the type of equipment you might require.
A good life care plan will break down:
- How often you’ll need to see specialists.
- What types of therapy you’ll need and for how long.
- Potential surgeries and when they might be needed.
- Medications and their costs over time.
- Medical equipment and when it’ll need to be replaced.
- Home modifications or care assistance you might need.
It’s like planning out your entire medical future, down to the last detail.
Getting the Right Medical Experts Involved
Not all doctors are created equal when it comes to predicting future medical needs. You want specialists who really understand your specific type of injury and have seen how it typically progresses over time.
For example, if you have a traumatic brain injury, you need a neurologist who specializes in TBI cases. If you’re dealing with post-concussion syndrome, you want someone who understands the long-term implications and can accurately predict what kind of care you’ll need.
The insurance company will have their own doctors look at your case too, and guess what? They’re usually a lot more optimistic about your recovery prospects. That’s why having your own medical experts on your side is so important. They’re focused on your health, not the insurance company’s bottom line.
The Insurance Company Game: Why They Don’t Want to Pay
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room – insurance companies. Their job, at the end of the day, is to pay out as little as possible, and future medical expenses are where they really dig in their heels.
Their Favorite Tricks
Insurance adjusters have a few go-to moves when it comes to future medical costs:
- The “You’re Fine” Approach: They’ll argue that your injuries aren’t as serious as you claim and that you’ll make a full recovery with minimal treatment. They’ll try to downplay everything.
- The “Existing Condition” Game: They’ll try to blame your ongoing problems on pre-existing conditions rather than the accident. “Oh, your back hurt before the crash, didn’t it?”
- The “Cheaper Alternative” Strategy: They’ll argue that less expensive treatments will work just as well as what your doctor recommends, even if your doctor says otherwise.
- The “You’re Exaggerating” Accusation: They might even claim you’re not really in as much pain as you say or that you’re not trying hard enough to get better. It’s frustrating, to say the least.
Why You Can’t Trust Their Numbers
Here’s the thing – the insurance company’s medical experts are paid by the insurance company. They know who signs their checks. While they might be qualified doctors, they have a pretty strong incentive to minimize your future medical needs. It’s just how the system works.
I’ve seen cases where the insurance company’s doctor said someone would be back to normal in six months, while the treating physician said they’d need ongoing care for years. Guess who was usually right? The doctor who was actually treating the patient and knew their real situation.
Building Your Case: What You Need to Prove
If you want to recover money for future medical expenses, you can’t just guess or hope for the best. You need solid evidence that shows what you’ll likely need and what it’ll cost.
Medical Documentation is Everything
Start keeping detailed records of everything – and I mean everything. Every doctor visit, every test, every therapy session, every prescription. Not just for insurance purposes, but because this documentation helps establish the pattern of your ongoing medical needs. It tells your story.
Your medical records should tell a clear story about:
- How your injuries have affected your daily life (e.g., “Can’t lift my kids,” “Can’t stand for more than 10 minutes”).
- What treatments you’ve tried and how you’ve responded (or didn’t respond).
- What your doctors expect for your long-term prognosis.
- How your condition has changed (or not changed) over time.
Economic Evidence: Putting Dollar Signs on Your Needs
Once you know what medical care you’ll need, you have to figure out what it’ll cost. This isn’t as simple as looking up current prices, because we’re talking about care you’ll need over many years.
You have to account for:
- Medical inflation (healthcare costs rise faster than general inflation, sometimes much faster).
- Changes in treatment protocols over time (new therapies might become available or old ones might change).
- Geographic variations in medical costs (what it costs in Pueblo might be different in Denver).
- Whether you’ll have insurance coverage and what it’ll pay (co-pays, deductibles, out-of-pocket maximums).
This is where economic experts come in. They can take your life care plan and calculate the present value of all those future expenses. It’s complicated math, but it’s essential.
Working with the Right Legal Team
Here’s where I need to be straight with you – calculating future medical expenses isn’t a DIY project. The stakes are too high, and the insurance companies have too many resources working against you.
At McCormick & Murphy P.C., we’ve been helping Pueblo residents with exactly these kinds of cases since 1995. Kirk McCormick and Jay Murphy have over 60 years of combined experience dealing with insurance companies who try to lowball future medical costs. They understand how to build a case that accurately reflects what you’ll really need.
What I love about their approach is that they work on a contingent fee basis – meaning you don’t pay attorney fees unless they recover money for you. When you’re already worried about medical bills, the last thing you need is another expense upfront. It takes a lot of pressure off.
Why Local Experience Matters
Working with attorneys who know Pueblo makes a huge difference. They understand the local medical community, they know which doctors and experts are respected by local juries, and they’re familiar with how cases like yours typically play out in our courts. They’re part of the community, just like you.
If you need directions to their office, you can find them here at 301 N Main St. But honestly, they’ll probably come to you if you’re not able to travel easily because of your injuries. They get it.
Don’t Wait: Time Limits and Deadlines
Here’s something that catches people off guard – you can’t wait forever to pursue your claim. Colorado has statutes of limitations that limit how long you have to file a lawsuit after an accident. For most car accident cases, you have three years from the date of the accident.
But here’s the thing – building a strong case for future medical expenses takes time. You need to:
- Let your medical condition stabilize enough to make accurate predictions.
- Work with doctors to develop a comprehensive treatment plan.
- Get economic experts to calculate the costs.
- Gather all the necessary documentation.
Starting this process early gives you and your legal team the best chance to build a strong case. Don’t let time slip away.
What a Fair Settlement Should Cover
When you’re negotiating with insurance companies, don’t let them pressure you into accepting something that won’t actually cover your needs. A fair settlement for future medical expenses should account for:
The Full Scope of Your Medical Needs
Not just the obvious stuff like doctor visits and prescriptions, but also:
- Transportation to and from medical appointments (gas, mileage, bus fare).
- Home modifications if you have mobility issues (ramps, wider doorways).
- Assistance with daily activities if needed (a home health aide for a few hours a week).
- Alternative treatments that might help your condition (acupuncture, specialized massage, if medically recommended).
Medical Inflation
Healthcare costs don’t stay the same over time. What costs $100 today might cost $150 in ten years. Your settlement should account for these increases so you’re not left short decades from now.
The Risk of Complications
Sometimes injuries don’t heal as expected, or new problems develop. Your settlement should include some buffer for these possibilities, because life doesn’t always go according to plan.
Quality of Life Considerations
If your injuries mean you can’t do activities you used to enjoy – like hiking in the mountains, playing with your grandkids, or even just working in your garden – that has value too. While this isn’t technically a “medical expense,” it’s a huge part of the overall impact of your injuries, and it’s something a good attorney will factor into your case.
Taking Action: Your Next Steps
If you’re dealing with ongoing medical issues after a car accident in Pueblo, please don’t try to handle this alone. The insurance companies have teams of lawyers and experts working to minimize what they pay you. You deserve the same level of representation.
Here’s what I’d recommend:
- Get proper medical care first – Your health is the absolute priority, and good documentation of your treatment helps your case too. Follow your doctor’s orders!
- Keep detailed records – Save everything related to your medical care and how your injuries affect your daily life. A simple notebook or a folder can make a huge difference.
- Don’t give recorded statements to insurance companies – Anything you say can be used against you later, and it’s rarely in your best interest.
- Talk to an experienced attorney – The consultation is free, and you’ll get honest advice about what your case is worth. There’s no obligation.
- Don’t accept the first settlement offer – Insurance companies almost always start low, especially when it comes to future medical expenses. They’re testing the waters.
If you’re ready to take the next step, give McCormick & Murphy a call at (888)-668-1182. They’ll give you straight talk about your situation and help you understand what you’re really entitled to.
Remember, this isn’t just about getting money – it’s about making sure you can afford to get the medical care you need to rebuild your life after an accident. You didn’t ask for this situation, but you can take control of how you handle it.
Don’t let the insurance companies convince you that you’ll be fine with minimal treatment. Trust your doctors, trust your own experience with your injuries, and make sure any settlement truly reflects the reality of what you’ll need going forward.
Your future self will thank you for fighting for fair compensation now, when it really matters.
