Life expectancy report
I was taken off my multistrada a couple of years ago and the claim for my injuries and monetary loss has been plodding along nicely until recently and I would be very appreciative if you could offer me some guidance.
I was in the air force for 15 years and raising the ranks fairly steadily. Due to the accident I was medically discharged and have recently started working as an IT specialist. I will now lose out on a fair amount of pension compared to if I remained in the force and this is being claimed by my solicitor. The other side is asking for a life expectancy report to try and carve away some of my pension loss. Why should I agree to this?
Jim Mansfield, by e-mail
Answer
When we calculate future financial loss such as a claim for loss of pension we need to work out how long the Claimant is likely to survive. This is normally done by reference to a book of tables called the Ogden tables. This is a book that uses statistical data to provide what we call a multiplier – that is how many years we need to multiply the annual loss by. The tables take into account “everyday” health issues that the general population will encounter and so these tables are the starting point and should normally be used.
However, where someone has a pre-existing medical condition that is unrelated to the injuries sustained in the accident and which could have a material impact on life expectancy and the claim is of a significant value, the court will often allow a life expectancy report as the court wants the just result. I don’t know your medical history and therefore I cannot tell if the request is reasonable. I suggest you discuss this with your solicitor who will have access to your medical records.
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