KW Economics prepares household services analysis for spinal cord injury cases venued in Utah: what the loss claim consists of, the records that drive it, and a present value built to Utah 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.
Utah courts require a threshold showing that an expert's principles and methods are reliable, rest on sufficient facts, and were reliably applied to the case, with the witness qualified by training and experience, and leave the remaining questions of weight to the jury. An economic damages report meets that threshold by showing the published basis for each assumption and its fit with the record.
Highest court: Utah Supreme Court. Court system: utcourts.gov.
Federal venues: District of Utah.
Outside the civil courts, wage-loss disputes in workers' compensation matters proceed before the Utah Labor Commission.
Utah pairs a wrongful death action for the heirs' losses with a survival action for the decedent's own pre-death claims, and the state constitution bars any statutory limit on the amount recoverable for wrongful death. Recovery is barred once the plaintiff's fault reaches half, the common-law collateral source rule applies outside health care malpractice claims where collateral payments reduce the award, and prejudgment interest is available on the special damages actually incurred before judgment in personal injury cases.
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.
Utah courts require a threshold showing that an expert's principles and methods are reliable, rest on sufficient facts, and were reliably applied to the case, with the witness qualified by training and experience, and leave the remaining questions of weight to the jury. An economic damages report meets that threshold by showing the published basis for each assumption and its fit with the record. Spinal Cord Injury cases venued in Utah are heard in the District Court (General jurisdiction; 8 judicial districts; all civil, criminal, domestic, and juvenile matters), with final appeals to the Utah Supreme Court. Matters within federal jurisdiction proceed in the District of Utah.
Utah pairs a wrongful death action for the heirs' losses with a survival action for the decedent's own pre-death claims, and the state constitution bars any statutory limit on the amount recoverable for wrongful death. Recovery is barred once the plaintiff's fault reaches half, the common-law collateral source rule applies outside health care malpractice claims where collateral payments reduce the award, and prejudgment interest is available on the special damages actually incurred before judgment in personal injury cases. 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 Utah rules to a documented figure.
Request a consultation on Household Services or call (201) 343-0700. Plaintiff and defense counsel.