Maximum Medical Improvement & Your Injury Claim

 Posted on February 23, 2016 in Personal Injury

When an accident occurs and a victim is harmed due to someone else's negligence, it is always recommended that the victim contact legal representation right away. Sometimes there is documentation and evidence to be collected and diligent counsel can do this in preparation for an eventual injury claim. However, it is not always recommended that the victim pursue a claim as quickly as possible.

This is because it is critical that the injury victim reach a status known as maximum medical improvement (or MMI) before filing suit. A patient reaches MMI when doctors determine that they can no further improve from their accident injuries. Sometimes this means that they have made a full recovery. Other times, when victims have sustained catastrophic injurieslike brain damage or spinal cord injuries, it means that their recoveryhas plateaued and that more improvement is not reasonably foreseeable.

Why is MMI important?

Establishing MMI is important because it allows plaintiff counsel to proceed with full scope of the client's accident-related expenses. Health matters are not always predictable and filing before MMI is determined can mean that medical expenses that should have been covered in the injury suit are left for the victim to pay for.

In cases where there has been catastrophic injury, MMI is even more critical. These injuries usually result in a change in the quality of life for the victim. Often, they cannot return to workor require ongoing therapy or care to live the fullest lives possible.When this is the case, counsel must work with doctors and loved ones to establish the remaining lifetime costs of these burdens and incorporate them into the suit against the responsible parties.

How MMI Works

To demonstrate how crucial establishing MMI before an injury suit is, let'slook at a theoretical case of "Rachel," a teacher who was hitby a negligent driver while she was out jogging. Rachel's injuries were relatively minor and she was able to file suit and recover the money she needed to cover her emergency medical care.

However, the effects of Rachel's injuries lingered and it was discovered that she'd suffered a concussion. Unable to focus and suffering frequent headaches, she delayed her to return to work for some weeks and, as are sult, suffered a reduced income. This is the point in which Rachel has reached MMI. Because she and her counsel did not wait to assess the full scope of her post-accident burdens, she is left with costs that were not included in her initial suit.

If you or a loved one has been hurt by someone else, then the renowned and sought-after New York personal injury lawyers atIvey, Barnum & O'Mara, LLC are ready to hear from you. Our firm has recovered millions of dollars on behalf of our clients who have been wronged and have the resources and diligence to ensure that you seek maximum compensation for the negligence that harmed you.

Start exploring your injury suit options today. Use our online form to request a free case evaluation.