Maximum medical improvement in accident victims may not fully recover from their injuries. Some accident victims reach a point where continued medical treatment may not be effective. An example: A victim of an injury may only be 80 percent of the person they were before the crash. This percentage could be unaffected by any treatment.
We will discuss below why it is so important to achieve maximum medical improvement before you settle a claim.
What Does Maximum Medical Improvement Mean?
Accident victims with more severe injuries may have had to receive additional medical attention. And could have been able to recover as much as possible. They may still have some residual injuries and problems.
Who Determines When a Person Has Reached Mmi?
Your treating physician should be the one to determine if you have achieved maximum medical improvement. It is important to remember that you can seek multiple opinions on your injuries and the treatment.
Do Elective Procedures Affect My MMI Designation?
Some injury victims are concerned that rejecting a procedure could affect the doctor’s decision regarding MMI. This issue must be considered individually.
If you refuse treatment with surgery that may improve your condition, a doctor might be able to declare you have reached MMI.
Do I Wait Until I Have Reached Mmi Before Sending a Demand Letter?
It is best to wait until you are at your maximum medical improvement before sending a request letter. There are situations where a demand letter may be necessary as soon as a diagnosis is made.
If the victim sustained serious injuries, an attorney might recommend that a demand letter be sent to MMI before the victim can reach MMI. The policy limits may not cover the entire value of the claim.
This post was written by Kelly-Ann Jenkins of Jenkins Law P.L. Kelly-Ann is an auto accident attorney in St Petersburg. She focuses on personal injury, car accidents, and bicyclist injuries. The information on this site is not intended to and does not offer legal advice, legal recommendations, or legal representation on any matter.
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