Empirical Validation of Medical Equipment Replacement Values in Life Care Plans

The Daubert decision in 1993 essentially placed life care planning and other experts on notice regarding what evidence was acceptable and admissible in court. An essential element of this decision included providing evidence that was empirically supported or scientifically validated. One area life care planners continue to be questioned concerns the replacement values of assistive technology and durable medical equipment. Life care planners historically have relied upon warranty assurances, individual resource vendor opinions, and written advertising of the products. This study represents a first to empirically validate these replacement values by surveying 101 assistive technology practitioners from across the continental United States. Frequency data were analyzed in terms of ranges, median life expectancy and replacement parts for equipment, and current price ranges for equipment, repairs and maintenance