Comments on: Forensic Economics: Part Two http://legaltalknetwork.com/podcasts/ringler-radio/2009/05/forensic-economics-part-two/ The Premiere Online Legal Media Network Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:46:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.4 By: Christopher C. Pflaum, PhD http://legaltalknetwork.com/podcasts/ringler-radio/2009/05/forensic-economics-part-two/comment-page-1/#comment-504 Christopher C. Pflaum, PhD Tue, 26 May 2009 21:14:30 +0000 http://legaltalknetwork.com/?p=2132#comment-504 Scarborough is doing battle with a straw man in his discussion of Life Care Plans. First, most life care plans are produced in association with an expert or treating physician. Second, the standard of care in a life care plan is higher than the average annual cost of treating a condition as the average is a composite of degrees of quality. Third, unlike suggested by Scarborough, most economists quantifying a life care plan use a rated life expectancy unique to the plaintiff and opined upon by a physician or statistician specializing in the field of life expectancy. Scarborough is widely known for his critiques of forensic economics, as am I. He is not credible, however, because he critiques a parody not the professional reality. There are certainly many economists prostituting themselves for plaintiffs who market themselves to plaintiff attorney groups heralding their "new economic theories" and how they increase damages. Then, there is Dr. Scarborough. Two sides of the same coin? Scarborough is doing battle with a straw man in his discussion of Life Care Plans. First, most life care plans are produced in association with an expert or treating physician. Second, the standard of care in a life care plan is higher than the average annual cost of treating a condition as the average is a composite of degrees of quality. Third, unlike suggested by Scarborough, most economists quantifying a life care plan use a rated life expectancy unique to the plaintiff and opined upon by a physician or statistician specializing in the field of life expectancy.

Scarborough is widely known for his critiques of forensic economics, as am I. He is not credible, however, because he critiques a parody not the professional reality. There are certainly many economists prostituting themselves for plaintiffs who market themselves to plaintiff attorney groups heralding their “new economic theories” and how they increase damages. Then, there is Dr. Scarborough.

Two sides of the same coin?

]]> By: Christopher C. Pflaum, PhD http://legaltalknetwork.com/podcasts/ringler-radio/2009/05/forensic-economics-part-two/comment-page-1/#comment-503 Christopher C. Pflaum, PhD Tue, 26 May 2009 21:02:30 +0000 http://legaltalknetwork.com/?p=2132#comment-503 Dr. Scarborough is simply wrong in his critique of economics in the courtroom. Many, though not all, of us who work in the field sometimes called "Forensic Economics" use textbook economics in our work. Furthermore, many of us, unlike Dr. Scarborough, research topics that are at issue in litigation and publish that research. Dr. Scarborough is not unique in using good economics nor is he a prominant scholar in the field. Dr. Scarborough is simply wrong in his critique of economics in the courtroom. Many, though not all, of us who work in the field sometimes called “Forensic Economics” use textbook economics in our work. Furthermore, many of us, unlike Dr. Scarborough, research topics that are at issue in litigation and publish that research.

Dr. Scarborough is not unique in using good economics nor is he a prominant scholar in the field.

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