Your Questions
There are bound to be lots of questions you need to ask
about our service, but the questions below hopefully will
answer most of your queries. Simply click on the
questions below to take you to the answers further down the
page.
The case manager works for the client, who is the person
with the injury. In the case of a child, the case
manager works in conjunction with the parents, but remains
the child's advocate.
How is
the case management service paid for?
Funds for case management are usually funded by a
personal injury compensation claim. If the case has
not been settled, an interim payment may have been obtained
and will probably be held by the solicitor, acting on behalf
of the client. Sometimes the insurers will pay the
case manager directly on receipt of their invoice.
These payments will have been previously agreed and are made
for services such as case management, rehabilitation, care
and support and specialist equipment. if the case has
settled the money may be held by a Receiver and the Receiver
will arrange payment of the case management invoice.
Invoices are sent to the person who is holding the money.
The case management assessment report provides annual
estimated costs. Case management will not commence
until we have received confirmation that money is available
for the predicted costs and the fee payer has signed our
terms of business.
How is the case
manager appointed?
Sam Harris considers which one of the HACM case
managers is suitable and whether they will be able to take
on the case. HACM have a number of case managers
experienced in a variety of specialisms. Sometimes
case managers will co-work so that the client receives the
best possible service, for example we have a case manager
specialising in training and recruitment.
What
happens if my case manager is away?
Another case manager will be assigned to you during your
case manager's absence. We aim for this to be the case
manager who has been co-working because they will know you
and be familiar with your case.
What happens if I do not get on with my case manager?
You should contact Sam Harris at our head office.
You may wish the case to be transferred to another case
manager and that is your decision. If we have another
case manager whom you would be happy to work with, the case
would be transferred to them. Alternatively, we will
advise you of other organisations who may be able to provide
case management services in your area and we will cooperate
fully with them.
How often
will I see my case manager?
Input is almost always highest during the first one to
two year period, when the service is being set up and
getting established. During this period some clients
require weekly visits for several months, whilst others will
commence with visits every two to three weeks and then
reduce to monthly with regular telephone / email contact
in-between visits.
The case management proposal, which is prepared after an
initial assessment, will give an estimation of anticipated
levels of input in each particular case, based on the case
manager's assessment of individual need.
Case management depends on the individual needs of the
client and may continue over the lifetime of a client or it
may be only over the short term to solve specific problems.
When support workers are involved with the client, we advise
that there is a case manager to deal with matters of
employment and to monitor the care provided.
The level of involvement by the case manager is dependent
on the requirements and wishes of the Receiver and client.
The most dependent and clients with complex needs will
benefit from case management for life, and this may have
been considered in scheduling the compensation award,
although the level of intervention will rise and fall
throughout different stages in the client's life.
Some client will require intensive case management
involvement for around two to three years and then at times
of major life changes. Other clients will no longer
require case management when services and support are well
established, or they have reached a stage of independence
when they no longer require support.
Case management is independent and outside of the
litigation process. However, case managers are
experienced and many also provide expert evidence in cases
for which they do not provide clinical case management.
It is not appropriate for the case manager who is providing
clinical services to also be the expert in the case because
it has the potential to lead to a conflict of interest.
HACM provide monthly progress reports and reassessment
reports and these may form part of the factual evidence in
the litigation case. The case manager may also be
called upon to be a Witness of Fact in the claim, to provide
information about the everyday difficulties the client faces
and how they cope with these, which includes describing
support. To support evidence of the clients needs the
narrative dairies form part of factual evidence. |
