It’s daunting to suffer a workplace injury or work-related illness. Unfortunately, you may miss time from work while recovering from your condition, and it’s often up to a medical professional to determine when you are well enough to return to work.
One term you may hear is maximum medical improvement or MMI. This aspect of workers’ compensation insurance can significantly impact your ability to obtain benefits. We make it easy to understand MMI, its impact on your claim, and ways to overcome the potential obstacles it can present.
Your Maximum Medical Improvement
After an injury, a doctor will continue to monitor your condition until you reach your maximum medical improvement. The moment you reach your MMI, it means doctors have tried all treatment options and that there is no further improvement for your condition. The doctor will explain how severe the injury is and what job restrictions you may have.
Maximum medical improvement can impact your claim significantly. If you are still totally disabled upon your MMI designation, you may continue to recover full benefits for your condition. However, if your doctor determines you have improved enough to work in various capacities, it may limit how much you can recover or if you can obtain benefits at all.
A Point of Contention
Maximum medical improvement is often highly contested in workers’ compensation claims. Because insurance companies would like to protect their profits, they want doctors to provide an MMI that allows you to return to work, meaning they pay out less in compensation and benefits.
Once you reach MMI, it’s essential to determine what a fair settlement looks like and how it can help you. It’s best to speak with a legal team that knows how to pursue the maximum benefits you may receive during this difficult time.
At Pacific Workers', The Lawyers for Injured Workers, we put your needs first. Our Oakland workers’ compensation lawyers have been protecting injured heroes since 1994, and we stand ready to build the strongest case possible to obtain the outcome you deserve.