Have You Reached Maximum Medical Improvement?

Medical improvement

When car accident victims are injured in a crash, doctors are not always able to predict if and when they will make a full recovery from their injuries. When a full recovery does appear to be unlikely, doctors will periodically evaluate the victim’s progress in healing from their injuries. When the accident victim reaches a point where their injuries do not seem to be getting any better, their doctors are likely to inform them that they have reached maximum medical improvement. If you have been injured in an automobile accident and you are healing from injuries, it is important that you understand what maximum medical improvement is, in case it becomes a part of your healing process.

The concept of maximum medical improvement is useful in a number of ways. First, it helps accident victims to predict the future cost of treatment for their injuries, because it lets them know whether there are any physical conditions that they will have to deal with in their everyday lives, and whether any ongoing care for their injuries will be needed. For example, a person with an injured neck may have to visit a chiropractor periodically for adjustments, and they may also experience a permanent restriction of their range of motion. This knowledge not only helps accident victims plan for future treatment, it enables them to provide an estimate of how much the injury is likely to cost them in the future, both in medical bills and lost wages, so that they can make a claim for those damages.

Accident victims who are not expected to make complete recoveries must continue seeking treatment for their injuries until they reach maximum medical improvement, if they wish to be compensated for all of the damages that they have sustained as a result of the accident. Likewise, accident victims who have reached maximum recovery are expected to follow their doctors’ recommendations for follow-up treatments, such as physical therapy or medication, which will help them to maintain the level of health that they have been able to attain.

If your injuries are serious and it is taking a long time for you to heal, it may be tempting to accept a settlement offer from an insurance company before you reach maximum medical recovery. It is important that you do wait, though, so that you do not accept a settlement offer which will not compensate you for the full amount of your damages. Sometimes, insurance companies put pressure on accident victims, in the hopes of persuading them to accept settlement offers prior to achieving maximum medical recovery. When you seek the assistance of an experienced auto accident attorney, your attorney can take over the task of communicating with the insurance company, so that you will not feel any pressure to settle your claim.

If you have been injured in an automobile accident, it is important that you speak with an experienced car accident lawyer as you continue treatment for your injuries and work towards attaining maximum medical recovery.