If you’ve been injured at work in Florida, you may hear the term “maximum medical improvement” (MMI) during your recovery. This is a key point in the workers’ compensation process. MMI affects your benefits, your future treatment, and even whether you return to work.
What is maximum medical improvement?
Maximum medical improvement happens when your doctor decides that your condition has stabilized. In other words, your injury is unlikely to improve any further with more medical treatment. You might still need care, but it won’t make your condition any better than it is at that stage. Reaching MMI does not mean you are fully healed; it just means further recovery is unlikely.
Doctors use medical exams, treatment results, and your current condition to decide if you’ve reached MMI. They might also give you a permanent impairment rating, which tells the insurance company how much lasting damage your injury caused. This rating plays a big role in the benefits you may receive going forward.
How does MMI affect your workers’ comp benefits?
Once you reach MMI, your temporary disability benefits usually stop. These are the payments you may have received while recovering and unable to work. If you have lasting effects from your injury, you may qualify for permanent impairment benefits, depending on the impairment rating your doctor gives.
If your injury keeps you from returning to your old job or working at all, you might qualify for permanent total disability benefits. Your employer may also offer you vocational training or help finding a new job. These programs aim to help you rejoin the workforce, if possible.
What can you do after reaching MMI?
When your doctor says you’ve reached MMI, you should review your options. This includes checking the impairment rating, understanding what benefits apply next, and following up on any future care instructions. You may still need therapy, pain management, or follow-up appointments, even after MMI.
Reaching MMI marks a turning point in your workers’ compensation case. It helps define your long-term health outlook and determines what support you may continue to receive.