What Does Maximum Medical Improvement Mean in a Car Crash Claim?

If you are injured in an Alabama serious car crash, you likely have a long road of recovery ahead. Your injuries will not heal overnight. You will have numerous appointments with doctors and therapists.

You may need physical therapy and equipment to help you walk again. You may need to undergo extensive treatment for burns. You may need an artificial limb. Also, medication must be monitored and adjusted as needed. All of this happens while you are in pain and suffering.

A serious Alabama car crash may be the worst day of your life, and in some cases, you may never again regain the health you once enjoyed. During the months following a serious car crash, the progress in your healing may eventually plateau.

Medical professionals call that your maximum improvement, also known as maximum medical improvement or MMI. That means the body can only heal so much, and any improvements after that time may be small and incremental.
During your return to health, we hope you have supportive friends and family. Besides friends and family, you need an experienced Alabama legal advocate to advise you on your next step.

Remember that you are facing a formidable adversary – the insurance industry. There is a reason it is so profitable. Big insurance companies got that way by denying claims, even reasonable ones. This is not a time to try and fight the insurance company on your own.
 Attorney Chip Nix understands the language that Big Insurance speaks, and he will strongly back your claim and prepare it for trial if necessary.

Maximum Medical Improvement

What is Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI), and how does it differ from a full recovery?

A full recovery means you are back to the health you enjoyed before your car crash. MMI means that you will likely not improve any more in the future. Once you are determined to be in an MMI state, you may still need medical management to prevent further deterioration of your condition.

The higher the MMI rating, the more compensation you may receive through a negotiated settlement or trial.  

Conditions That May Not Improve Following a Car Crash

• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) – Long-term cognitive issues may result when the brain collides with the inside of the skull. The results can be severe impairment of basic functioning to a mild personality change involving memory and speech.  
  Amputation – One will never recover an amputated limb from a car crash or personal injury. Prosthetics can help the individual regain some functioning, but it is not the same as before, movement and athletics will be impacted.
  Spinal Cord Injuries – Like TBI, once the spinal cord is injured, it has a limited ability to return to normal. Partial or total paralysis can result.
  Burns – A severe burn can be disfiguring to the face and the entire body. Burns are also incredibly painful, and the recovery is long-term.

Your medical team will assess whetherthe results of your injuries are permanent or have stabilized. It is then that a team of physicians will consult with your car crash attorney to provide a realistic picture of what the future holds for you.  

Will the patient need further medical care, and will that care require regular visits for therapy and changing out implanted medical devices? What can the doctor realistically expect in the future? How will the patient function if he returns to their job?

This is not a negotiation you want to undertake without legal representation. Insurers are notorious for offering a lowball settlement to make you go away.

Your Alabama Car Crash Attorney

This is not a time you want to try and negotiate on your own. Attorney Chip Nix has the experience to know what is a fair and realistic settlement that will allow you to continue with your life after a serious car crash. If the insurance representative is playing hardball to try and get you to settle for less, Mr. Nix understands the process and will prepare you for trial.

Contact the law office of Chip Nix at 334-203-6669 to discuss your options during a free initial consultation.