Maximum medical improvement (MMI)

In plain English: maximum medical improvement, or MMI, is the point where your doctors expect no further significant recovery with treatment. You might be fully healed, or you might be left with lasting problems. Either way, your condition has plateaued.

MMI doesn't mean you're better

This catches a lot of people out. Being at MMI can mean you still need painkillers, physio to maintain function, or surgery down the line. It only means that your baseline is now known. For a claim, that is exactly what matters: once your doctors know where you've ended up, the full cost of the injury can finally be worked out.

Why it's usually wise to wait

Settling before MMI means guessing. If you accept an offer at three months and then need an operation at nine, you generally can't reopen the claim. Most injury lawyers prefer to wait until a doctor can give a clear prognosis before putting a value on the case.

There are exceptions. If the insurer's policy limit is low and clearly exceeded, or you face a deadline under the limitation period, you may need to act sooner. In those cases a lawyer can issue proceedings to protect your rights while treatment continues.

What changes at MMI

• Workers' compensation. In most US states, temporary disability payments usually end at MMI, and you're assessed for a permanent impairment rating.
• Future care. Doctors can now say what ongoing treatment you'll need, which feeds into future care costs.
• Work. Permanent restrictions can be set, which shows whether you can go back to your old job.
• Negotiation. With a stable picture, a demand can include every head of loss rather than estimates.

When the insurer says you've reached it too soon

Insurers sometimes push an early MMI finding to cut off benefits. If your treating doctor still expects improvement, ask them to say so in writing, with reasons. A disagreement between your doctor and the insurer's examiner is common and is often resolved by a further opinion or, in workers' compensation, by the board's own process.

Next: permanent impairment · settlement vs trial · the claims process.

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