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New York's average life expectancy has jumped yet again according to new numbers released by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. What's more, the numbers are more impressive than the rest of the nation's average.
The average life expectancy for newborns in NYC in 2009 was 80.6 years. This is almost three years higher than it was in 2000 and it is over two years above the newly-reported national rate of 78.2 years.
The numbers also look good for the older population, which has a higher mathematical life expectancy the older the age group is. 40-year-olds in 2009 have a life expectancy of 82 years, up from 79.5 in 2000. This 2.5 year increase dwarfs the nationwide figure of 1.2 years. 70-year-old New Yorkers are at 86.9 years, up 1.5 years, compared with the average nationwide at 85.1 years, up 0.7 years.
Mayor Bloomberg touted his programs against smoking, obesity, and sodium consumption, but experts point to other causes, namely advancements in HIV testing and treatment. HIV mortality fell 11.3% from 2009 to 2010 and 51.9% from 2002. Also contributing in a large way to the increased life-expectancy are declines in deaths from heart disease, cancer, drugs, and infant mortality. Additionally, deaths from car accidents and smoking have been declining.
This is a welcome change for New York City, which had trailed the nation in life expectancy until 2000. Especially in 1990, NYC had been hit particularly hard by the HIV/AIDS crisis.
COMMENT:
Why are these statistics important?
At trial, a judge will give the jury an instructions about the longevity of the injured victim. This will come from statistical life expectancy tables. In other words, if the victim is a 55 year old female who was working, the statistics will tell us how much longer she can be expected to live and what her customary work-life expectancy would have been had she not been injured.
Why is this important?
If she has a long-term injury or disability, the jury is required to take her longevity into consideration to determine how much compensation she is entitled to receive for the forseeable future.
The question they are asked is "How much do you award Mrs. Jones for the pain and suffering she will be expected to have into the future?"
"For how many years is this award being made?"
MORE INFORMATION:
If you would like more information about how medical malpractice and accident cases work in the state of New York, I encourage you to explore my educational website. If you have legal questions pick up the phone and call me at 516-487-8207 or by e-mail at lawmed10@yahoo.com to answer your questions. That's what I do every day. I welcome your call.
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