Life expectancy is an important issue in cases of serious personal injury. This book explains how to calculate life expectancy, and how to avoid common mistakes and misunderstandings. Basic concepts are illustrated with data from studies involving a wide range of conditions, including alcoholism, cerebral palsy, colon cancer, diabetes, and spinal cord injury (tetraplegia). There are also case studies of three of the major topics in life expectancy -- cerebral palsy; traumatic brain injury; and tetraplegia. The chapters are user-friendly, with extensive use of visual aids such as graphs and tables. The subject of epidemiology is at the heart of the methods that are discussed, and additional reading sources are suggested for those readers who would like to learn more about this important area of modern medicine.
"A valuable resource for those actuaries and economists who are involved in future loss calculations." -Ian Karp, FSA, FCIA, Consulting Actuary
"The estimation of life expectancy is perhaps the most difficult task the Courts face in cases of serious personal injury. Dr. Anderson's book will be of invaluable assistance both to the doctors who are asked to make such estimates and to the lawyers who must understand how they have been-or should have been-arrived at." -Nathan Smith, LLB, QC
"I am impressed with the presentation of what is clearly a complicated subject in relatively bite size pieces." -Faith Hayman, BEd, LLB
"A void in the bookshelves of clinicians and statisticians who are interested in predictions of life expectancy has just been filled. Life Expectancy in Court brings a strong blend of clinical and statistical thought to the medicolegal estimate of life expectancy. A must have investment." -Richard Mathias, MD, FRCPC
"This book will be of interest in clinical epidemiology and medical decision analysis as well as in the medico-legal environment." -Stephen Marion, MD, FRCPC
"The calculation of life expectancy is a complex task. Dr. Anderson has done an excellent job of simplifying the methodology into manageable
components." -Janet Schechter, MD, FRCPC