Why “Maximum Medical Improvement” Is Important

Accident injuries always come at an unexpected time and greatly interrupt the lives of those affected. These victims are often looking for the swiftest way to recover and get back to their lives. While one can understand their urgency, in many cases it is advised that victims wait before filing an injury claim. Why? Because their doctors must first determine maximum medical improvement, or MMI.

What is MMI?

MMI is the point in a patient’s recovery in which doctors determine that they will no longer improve. In many cases, this means that the patient has made a full recovery and is ready to get back to life as they knew it. In other, more serious cases—such as those that involve brain damage or spinal cord trauma—it means that the patient will continue to suffer from the effects of their injury, even perhaps permanently.

In both scenarios, MMI is crucial: it allows legal counsel to accurately calculate the amount of compensation the victim should be seeking in their injury claim. Even if the effects of an injury are lasting, doctors can help reasonably predict the costs of care well into the future.

Why is it important?

To demonstrate just how important MMI can be to an injury claim, let’s imagine the case of “Megan,” a kindergarten teacher that was hit by a texting motorist while she was biking. Doctors told Megan that her best chance of regaining full use of her leg was surgery. Megan agrees to the surgery, takes action against the driver who hit her to pay for it, and recovers compensation.

Following the surgery, however, Megan’s leg doesn’t respond as well as doctors had hoped. She will still require months of physical therapy and, during that time, is not mobile enough to teach kindergarten. This is around the point where Megan has reached MMI: the forecast of her recovery has been reasonably established. However, because she took legal action too early, the costs of lost wages and the physical therapy were not included in her claim.

At Allen Law Firm, our skilled team of injury advocates is dedicated to recovering maximum compensation for our clients. We understand the challenges and burdens injury victims and their families can face after an unexpected accident and do everything we can to ensure that our clients receive relief that covers 100% of their accident-related needs.

Contact Our Personal Injury Law Firm in North Central Florida

If you need legal assistance, contact the Gainesville personal injury lawyers at Allen Law Firm at your nearest location to schedule a free consultation today.

We have two convenient locations in North Central Florida:

Allen Law Firm, P.A. – Gainesville office
2550 SW 76th St #150
Gainesville, FL 32608
(877) 255-3652

Allen Law Firm, P.A. – Ocala Office
112 S Pine Ave
Ocala, FL 34471
(352) 351-3258