There are various terms associated with workplace injuries that you need to be aware of, including maximum medical improvement (MMI). This is a phrase related to the process of determining when a person has reached the point in their recovery process that additional medical treatment will likely not change the situation. Maximum medical improvement can only be determined by a doctor. In this article, we want to describe how maximum medical improvement applies and what you can do if you disagree with an MMI decision.
Work Injuries and MMI
The term maximum medical improvement will typically be used in the aftermath of a work injury occurring. This can include any type of work injury, such as a broken bone, laceration, chronic illness, head injury, repetitive stress injury, and more.
When a person is injured on the job, they may or may not have to miss out on work. Regardless of whether or not an individual can work after their injury, they will be entitled to complete coverage of medical expenses related to the on-the-job injury. Additionally, if a person is unable to work, there will be entitled to a significant portion of their lost wages for the duration of the injury, at least until they can return to work.
Workers’ compensation claims could last for a short amount of time, or they could last quite a while. The final determinant of when a workers’ compensation claim should end revolves around when the injured worker in question reaches maximum medical improvement.
Only a doctor can determine when a person has reached MMI. This is the point when the patient’s (the injured worker’s) condition is not likely to improve any further with continued medical treatment. It is important to note that maximum medical improvement does not necessarily mean that a person has fully recovered. There are times when a person will not fully recover after sustaining an injury. However, the person will reach MMI after the doctor determines that the condition will improve no more, regardless of how much medical care the person receives.
Contact an Attorney for Help Recovering Compensation
Any person who sustains an on-the-job injury should be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. This is a no-fault system, meaning individuals do not have to prove the fault of any other party in order to recover this insurance. However, that does not necessarily mean that the claim will be easy, particularly if the employer or the insurance carrier chooses to deny the claim or end benefits too soon.
We strongly encourage you to reach out to a skilled work injury lawyer in San Bernardino who can help you through this. If you have been injured on the job, you deserve compensation. When you have an attorney by your side, you will have an advocate willing to stand up for you throughout the workers’ compensation claim process. If your claim is denied or if your benefits are terminated too early, your attorney will work diligently to ensure that you receive the compensation and coverage you are entitled to. This includes coverage of all medical bills associated with the workplace injury as well as any lost wages you may be entitled to.
