A Guide to International Data Sources

Forensic economists are often asked to calculate economic damages in cases that are tried in the United States but involve the death or injury of a citizen or resident of a foreign country. Commonly called international cases, they can range from a single tourist who is killed or injured when visiting the United States to mass torts such as plane crashes or product liability claims. The single plaintiff cases are typically relegated to state courts whereas the Federal District Courts are often deemed to have jurisdiction over the determination of liability and subsequent economic damages in mass torts. In these and other types of international cases, macroeconomic data compiled by various governmental or private sources within the United States are of very limited use to the forensic economist preparing economic loss estimates. The decedent or injured party’s economic, demographic, and social environment may differ significantly from individuals living in the United States. Rather, they are impacted by the macroeconomic conditions of their country of domicile. As in the United States, economic loss estimates in international cases can only be accomplished when appropriate data are available. It is locating and correctly applying the underlying data to the case at hand that presents the greatest challenge to the forensic economist when working in the context of an international case. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the data sources that are available to assist the forensic economist in preparing reasonable economic loss estimates in international cases. The paper is organized as follows. Part II provides details regarding the sources of various types of data that are useful to the forensic economist in determining economic losses, along with an indication of some of the limits of the data. Part III presents special issues relevant to international cases. Summary and concluding comments are offered in the last section of the paper.