Traumatic Brain Injury Economic Damages Expert in Oregon

By Christopher Skerritt, M.Ed., MBA, Chief of Economic Services · Published · Reviewed

KW Economics prepares economic damages analyses for traumatic brain injury cases venued in Oregon: the components the loss claim consists of, the records that drive them, and a present value built to Oregon's damages rules and venues. Plaintiff and defense.

A traumatic brain injury economic claim measures the earnings, benefits, and household contributions the injury has taken away and reduces the care plan to present value, with the supervision hours and the residual work capacity stated so they can be tested. Read the full traumatic brain injury analysis guide.

Oregon courts and expert standards

Oregon courts apply a multi-factor reliability inquiry of their own to expert testimony, asking whether the method is accepted in the profession, whether it has been tested and reviewed, and whether the economist applied it to the facts of the case, with qualification resting on training and experience. A damages report meets that inquiry by showing the published basis for each assumption and its fit with the record.

Where these cases are heard

Highest court: Oregon Supreme Court. Federal venues: D. Or. Court system: courts.oregon.gov.

Outside the civil courts, wage-loss disputes in workers' compensation matters proceed before the Oregon Workers' Compensation Division.

Damages framework

Oregon's wrongful death statute gathers the estate's and the beneficiaries' claims into one action brought by the personal representative: the decedent's pre-death losses and suffering, medical and funeral expenses, the beneficiaries' pecuniary loss, and their loss of society and companionship. Recovery is barred once the plaintiff's fault exceeds the combined fault of the defendants, the court may reduce an award after verdict by collateral-source payments other than insurance the plaintiff purchased, federal benefits, and sources with a reimbursement right, and prejudgment interest is generally not available on unliquidated injury damages.

How the analysis is built

The same four steps apply to a traumatic brain injury case venued in Oregon; the damages framework above decides which components enter the total.

  1. Establish the but-for earnings path from the person's history or, for a young person, from occupational data for the path they were on.
  2. Draw the post-injury path from actual earnings and the work-capacity opinions in the record, and measure the earnings gap over the remaining worklife.
  3. Value household services and family supervision from time-use data and local rates, and price the care plan item by item with medical cost growth.
  4. Discount every future stream to present value at a stated rate and show the total under each supervision and work-capacity scenario.

Attorney guides for traumatic brain injury cases

Other case types in Oregon

Frequently asked: traumatic brain injury cases in Oregon

Which Oregon courts hear traumatic brain injury cases?

Traumatic Brain Injury cases venued in Oregon are heard in the Circuit Court (General jurisdiction; 27 judicial districts; civil, criminal, family, and probate matters). Final appeals run to the Oregon Supreme Court. Matters within federal jurisdiction proceed in the United States District Court for the District of Oregon.

How does Oregon's damages framework shape the economic analysis?

Oregon's wrongful death statute gathers the estate's and the beneficiaries' claims into one action brought by the personal representative: the decedent's pre-death losses and suffering, medical and funeral expenses, the beneficiaries' pecuniary loss, and their loss of society and companionship. Recovery is barred once the plaintiff's fault exceeds the combined fault of the defendants, the court may reduce an award after verdict by collateral-source payments other than insurance the plaintiff purchased, federal benefits, and sources with a reimbursement right, and prejudgment interest is generally not available on unliquidated injury damages. Oregon courts apply a multi-factor reliability inquiry of their own to expert testimony, asking whether the method is accepted in the profession, whether it has been tested and reviewed, and whether the economist applied it to the facts of the case, with qualification resting on training and experience. A damages report meets that inquiry by showing the published basis for each assumption and its fit with the record.

More questions about traumatic brain injury analysis

References

Request a consultation on traumatic brain injury cases in Oregon or call (201) 343-0700. Plaintiff and defense counsel.