Using school records to calculate economic damages for a child

For young persons who face life altering injuries, the pre-injury school records, extra-curricular activities and family background information are important factors to consider when projecting future labor market activity.

For instance, studies have shown that holding other factors constant; children who are involved in organized activities outside of school tend to have greater earning capability as an adult. Other studies have shown that better performance on standardized tests such as the SAT are strongly correlated with higher future earnings capacity as adults.

See the National Longitudual Youth Survey website for studies that have looked at these issues.