Personal injury files can take a long time to proceed through litigation or settlement because it is usually not advisable to resolve a claim until an injured plaintiff has either fully recovered or reached their medical plateau.

Where an injured plaintiff has reached their medical plateau, that person may require significant medical treatment well into the future. Although the assessment of future care costs is hypothetical, courts attempt to compensate for such costs at the time of trial. This is why it is very important to have robust medical evidence indicating the types of medical expenses that are likely to be incurred as a result of the injuries over the course of the plaintiff's life.

Compensation for future care often relates to the costs of physiotherapy, massage, dental treatment, pain management treatment, medications, or surgery.