Opinion ID: 1583518
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Testimony of Dr. Doug Womack

Text: Dr. Doug Womack, an economist and a retired professor of economics at the University of Louisiana, testified concerning the present-day value of Ms. Menard's future medical needs. He reached his conclusions by assuming a life expectancy of 41.44 years, accepting the testimony of Dr. Gammel concerning the need for and cost of future care, and assuming Ms. Menard would require no surgery in the future. Dr. Womack testified his initial calculations admitted into the record as Menard's Exhibit 8 were based on a phone conversation with Dr. Gammel and provided the following medical expenses based on the category of treatment: Doctor visits (Dr. Gammel) ................... $ 22,884 (90 x 4/yr=360/yr) Physical Therapy ............................. $ 228,843 (150 x 24/yr = 3,600/yr) Lortab/Percocet .............................. $ 34,612 (P 45/mo L 68/mo = $678/yr ave) Mobic/EC Naproxen-muscle relaxers ............ $ 47,171 (M 80/mo N 74/mo = 924/yr ave) Lexapro ...................................... $ 63,711 (104/mo = $1,248 yr) Lyrica ....................................... $ 100,468 (164/mo = $1,968/yr) Lidoderm Patch ............................... $ 43,699 (214/mo 4 mo/yr = 856/yr) Volteran Gel [sic] ........................... $ 41,657 (34/tube 2/mo = 816/yr) Epidural Steroid Injections (3/yr): Office Visits .............................. $ 11,442 (60 ea = 180/yr) Doctor's Fee ............................... $ 152,562 (800 (lumbar) = 2,400/yr) Facility Fees .............................. $ 393,801 (2,065 ea = 6,195/yr) Fluoroscopy ................................ $ 28,605 (150 ea = 450/yr) Sedation ................................... $ 41,955 (220 ea = 660/yr) Radiofrequency Neural Ablation (2/4yr): (Lumbar) Office Visits .............................. $ 1,907 (30/yr (60/vis)) Doctor's Fee ............................... $ 20,024 (315/yr (630/vis)) Facility Fees .............................. $ 65,634 (1,032.50/yr (2065/vis)) Fluoroscopy ................................ $ 4,768 (75/yr (150 ea)) Sedation ................................... $ 6,992 (110/yr (220 ea)) MRI .......................................... $ 38,141 (1800/3yrs = 600/yr) DMX (Digital Motion X-ray) ................... TBD (1/3yrs TBD) X-Rays ....................................... $ 1,907 (80-100 ea 1/3yr = 30/yr) Referrals to Specialists (1/6yrs): Psychologist/Psychiatrist .................. $ 3,178 (300/6 yrs = 50/yr) Spine Surgeon .............................. $ 3,178 (300/6yrs = 50/yr) TMJ Specialist Visits (Dr. Pearce) ........... $ 8,454 (100/9 mos = 133/yr) Mouth Splint ................................. $ 9,535 (750/5yrs = 150/yr) _________________________________________________________ TOTAL ........................................ $1,375,128 As can be seen, in his initial calculations Dr. Womack included an x-ray every three years at a present day value of $1,907, and referrals to a spine surgeon and a psychologist/psychiatrist every six years at a present day value of $3,178 each. During trial, Dr. Womack revised and/or increased his calculations based on Dr. Grammel's trial testimony. Specifically, Dr. Gammel testified, although Ms. Menard might need x-rays, typically that MRI suffices, and his only testimony concerning visits to a surgeon or a psychologist was such referrals will probably be required sometime in the future, with no specificity as to how often they might be required. Dr. Gammel also increased the frequency of an MRI from one every three years to one every two years, increasing the cost by fifty percent, the number of epidural steroid injections from three to four per year, increasing the cost by twenty-five percent, and the number of radiofrequency neural ablations from two every four years to one every year, doubling the cost. The following is a compilation of Dr. Womack's updated calculations of future medical expenses based on the category of treatment: Office visits to Dr. Gammel .................. $ 22,884 Physical therapy ............................. $228,843 Pain Medication and muscle relaxers .......... $331,318 Epidural Steroid Injections .................. $785,456.25 Radiofrequency Neural Ablations .............. $198,650 MRI .......................................... $ 57,211.50 Office Visits with Dr. Pearce ................ $ 8,454 Mouth splints ................................ $ 9,535 _______________________________________________________________ Total .......................................... $1,642,351.75 Significantly, Dr. Womack did admit on cross-examination the cost of medicals he relied upon would be impacted by testimony of other physicians such treatment was not necessary or by plaintiff's own testimony she did not go to physical therapy or she did not take such medications. He explained: If she doesn't need all these medical services that I have included here, the total dollar amount might be less. On the other hand, there is also the possibility that I should point out, that she might need more.