KW Economics prepares household services analysis for spinal cord injury cases venued in New Mexico: what the loss claim consists of, the records that drive it, and a present value built to New Mexico damages rules and venues. Plaintiff and defense.
A spinal cord injury usually removes most or all of a person's household work permanently, so the household services loss runs across the person's expected life and is often a total loss in the physical categories. The economist draws the pre-injury hours from the household's account and time-use data, identifies any categories the person can still perform, prices each category at the local replacement wage, and projects the loss over the life expectancy the medical evidence supports with wage growth before discounting. Because the life care plan for spinal cord injury carries attendant care hours, the valuation reconciles the two so household tasks covered by attendant care are not counted twice.
Replacement-cost valuation of the household production an injured or deceased person can no longer provide: meal preparation, cleaning, home and vehicle maintenance, shopping, child care, and care of other household members. The hours are drawn from national time-use data adjusted to the person's household composition and pre-injury role, and each category is priced at the local wage for the occupation that would replace it, then projected and discounted over the period of loss.
The present value of attendant care over a lifetime is usually the largest figure, followed by future lost earnings for a person injured early in a working life. Equipment costs recur on replacement cycles and are sensitive to the cost growth rate applied, and home and vehicle modifications add one-time and recurring items. Because the level of injury determines attendant care hours and the person's capacity for alternative work, the report's total moves with those inputs, and the life expectancy the medical evidence supports sets the horizon for every stream.
New Mexico courts ask the trial judge to act as gatekeeper for expert testimony, examining whether the economist is qualified, whether the method is reliable and accepted in the profession, and whether it was applied reliably to the facts of the case. A damages report answers those questions by stating its assumptions and citing its sources.
Highest court: New Mexico Supreme Court. Court system: nmcourts.gov.
Federal venues: District of New Mexico.
Outside the civil courts, wage-loss disputes in workers' compensation matters proceed before the New Mexico Workers' Compensation Administration.
New Mexico measures wrongful death by the worth of the decedent's life from the decedent's own standpoint, a recovery that belongs to the estate and includes lost earnings, the value of the decedent's life apart from earnings, and the decedent's own pre-death damages, with loss of consortium brought separately by close family. Pure comparative fault reduces the award in proportion, the common-law collateral source rule applies, and prejudgment interest is discretionary and weighs each party's settlement conduct.
We issue the final report and provide deposition and trial testimony and rebuttal of opposing household services opinions.
A spinal cord injury usually removes most or all of a person's household work permanently, so the household services loss runs across the person's expected life and is often a total loss in the physical categories. The economist draws the pre-injury hours from the household's account and time-use data, identifies any categories the person can still perform, prices each category at the local replacement wage, and projects the loss over the life expectancy the medical evidence supports with wage growth before discounting. Because the life care plan for spinal cord injury carries attendant care hours, the valuation reconciles the two so household tasks covered by attendant care are not counted twice.
New Mexico courts ask the trial judge to act as gatekeeper for expert testimony, examining whether the economist is qualified, whether the method is reliable and accepted in the profession, and whether it was applied reliably to the facts of the case. A damages report answers those questions by stating its assumptions and citing its sources. Spinal Cord Injury cases venued in New Mexico are heard in the District Court (General jurisdiction; 13 judicial districts; all civil, criminal, and domestic matters) and the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court (Largest limited jurisdiction court; covers Albuquerque), with final appeals to the New Mexico Supreme Court. Matters within federal jurisdiction proceed in the District of New Mexico.
New Mexico measures wrongful death by the worth of the decedent's life from the decedent's own standpoint, a recovery that belongs to the estate and includes lost earnings, the value of the decedent's life apart from earnings, and the decedent's own pre-death damages, with loss of consortium brought separately by close family. Pure comparative fault reduces the award in proportion, the common-law collateral source rule applies, and prejudgment interest is discretionary and weighs each party's settlement conduct. The report presents past and future amounts separately, states every rate and table with its source, and shows the result under the alternatives the other side is likely to argue, so counsel can apply the New Mexico rules to a documented figure.
Request a consultation on Household Services or call (201) 343-0700. Plaintiff and defense counsel.