In this article Nicole MacPherson investigates the effect of alcoholism on earning capacity. She has found that alcoholism has both direct and indirect effects on earnings. Ms. MacPherson brings to our attention both the obvious and overlooked effects of alcoholism.
In this article Christopher Bruce expands the use of economic analysis in tort law. Dr. Bruce identifies the distinguishing characteristics of the economic approach versus the more traditional methods of legal analysis. This is the first of a series of articles to follow regarding the economic analysis of torts.
In this article Heber Smith explains how the claimant converts his or her award to income for the future. He contrasts mutual funds, with high returns and perhaps less stability, with annuities, having lower returns and lower risk. This discussion leads into future articles regarding strategies of structured settlements.
by David Strauss, PhD, FASA and Robert Shavelle, PhD
In this article David Strauss and Robert Shavelle argue that physicians are usually not experts on life expectancy. They note, however, that doctors’ opinions regarding life expectancy have been relied on by the courts. They identify the different roles of physicians and actuaries in life expectancy determination.
In this article Derek Aldridge reviews a CD ROM titled Personal Injury Damages Partner, available from Carswell. The CD contains a searchable collection of full text and digest summaries of personal injury cases.
