The phase “maximum medical improvement,” or MMI, is occasionally heard during personal injury cases. The issue of maximum medical improvement is sometimes a factor in determining the permanency of the injured person’s medical condition, thus it could also affect the settlement received during a personal injury case. Therefore, it is important to hire a Tampa personal injury lawyer who understands the legal and medical definitions of maximum medical improvement.

In very general terms, maximum medical improvement is the point at which an injury or impairment is not expected to get better. While it is understood that there could be some slight improvement in a patient’s condition, when the patient reaches maximum medical improvement, his or her condition has stabilized and no significant positive changes are expected within the next year. MMI is a fairly good indicator of how permanent a patient’s condition is because medical personnel can say with some certainty that an individual’s medical condition or impairment will not change.

It usually takes time to reach a conclusion for maximum medical improvement. A traumatic crash or accident could cause injuries to several parts of the body such as the spinal cord, brain, abdomen, and chest cavity. Each injury will recover at a different rate. It would be illogical to assume that maximum medical improvement is reached for all injuries at the same time. More importantly, your Tampa personal injury lawyer should make sure that the courtroom understands the extent of all your injuries so that you receive the compensation you will need for future medical bills, loss of wages, disability, etc.

Before you make a decision about hiring a Tampa personal injury lawyer, we invite you to call or e-mail Clark and Martino, P.A., about scheduling a free consultation regarding your case. At that time, we can discuss the possibilities of receiving reimbursement for your injuries and losses.