• Litigation Consulting - QuickRead Top Story

    Discounting Losses to Present Value in Personal Injury Cases: Three Methods to Discount Lost Income

    May 13, 2026

    Having a good working knowledge of the different methods available for calculating the present value of future lost income in personal injury and wrongful death cases gives an expert an opportunity to demonstrate his or her expertise in the forensic economic field. This article will visit three methods and expand on their similarities and differences. The U.S. Supreme Court, various Federal Circuit Courts of Appeal, and numerous state Supreme Courts have provided decisions highlighting three different methods available for calculating the present value of future lost income in personal injury and wrongful death cases. These methods are discounting using the…

  • Litigation Consulting - QuickRead Top Story

    Measuring Damages Involving Individuals: What is an Injured Party Worth?

    April 2, 2025

    The Forensic and Valuation Services division of the AICPA and CIMA issued a Practice Aid in 2020 on Measuring Damages Involving Individuals. This Practice Aid supersedes AICPA Forensic and Valuation Services Practice Aid 98-2, Calculation of Damages from Personal Injury, Wrongful Death, and Employment Discrimination. This NACVA QuickRead article provides a summary of the updated Practice Aid. Introduction The Forensic and Valuation Services division of the AICPA and CIMA issued a Practice Aid in 2020 on Measuring Damages Involving Individuals. This Practice Aid supersedes AICPA Forensic and Valuation Services Practice Aid 98-2, Calculation of Damages from Personal Injury, Wrongful Death,…

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    Three Good Reasons to Add Personal Injury Damages Services to Your Practice

    July 22, 2020

    Personal Damages Calculations and Exposure to COVID-19 Financial experts who, in the past, have been reluctant to take on personal injury economic damages as part of their practice should reconsider that decision today. Not only is the field growing and on the verge of a potentially huge boom driven by the COVID-19 crisis, there are plenty of resources to help you quickly get up to speed performing these types of damages analysis. This article presents three reasons for valuation practitioners to consider adding personal injury, wrongful death, and wrongful termination damages calculations to their practice, and an introduction to resources…

  • Litigation Consulting

    Evidence of Actual Monetary Loss is Required

    September 20, 2017

    When Calculating the Exemplary Damages Cap In a recent Texas Court of Appeals case, the jury awarded plaintiff $15,000,000 in exemplary damages; the Court reduced this amount citing section 41.008(b)(1) of the Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code, which caps exemplary damages at two times the amount of “economic damages,” plus up to $750,000 in non-economic damages.  The question on appeal was whether the jury’s finding of “pecuniary loss” was the same as “economic damages” for purposes of Chapter 41.  The Court emphasized the word “actual” in the statutory definition of “economic damages”.  The decision features a dissent from Justice…

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    Revisiting Modeling and Discounting Future Damages

    May 31, 2017

    The Case for Use of a Risk-Adjusted Rate in Damages Cases Robert Dunn and Everett Harry laid out a process for modeling and discounting future lost profits to present value in their article, Modeling and Discounting Future Damages. Not all experts agreed with the position presented by Dunn and Harry. In March, we revisited modeling and its level of acceptance. This article revisits the more controversial portion of the Dunn and Harry article, determining the discount rate. Dunn and Harry believed modeling the projected income stream reduced uncertainty and risk in an expert’s estimates. Therefore, they stated a lesser discount…

  • Financial Forensics - QuickRead Featured - QuickRead Top Story

    Mr. Unlucky—A Construction Worker Injured Twice On-site

    April 6, 2016

    Tell-tale Signs that the Engagement is Risky This article describes, using a purely hypothetical scenario, some of the considerations that an economic damages expert should be aware of during initial telephone calls with a prospective retaining counsel—in order for a lost earnings engagement to proceed effectively and efficiently—and to control engagement risk.