How does Wrightsville Maximum Medical Improvement affect your compensation? Workers compensation is a broad insurance policy with various terms use and types of benefits given to an injured worker. As such, anytime a worker has been injured while at work or while executing work-related tasks, they turn to workers’ compensation for help. Workers’ comp benefits will cover the medical expenses and lost wages.
While filling the workers’ compensation, you will definitely come across a variety of legal terms that may be confusing and intimidating. One of such terms is Maximum Medical Improvement which is abbreviated as MMI. This term is important in determining a lot when it comes to your compensation claim. In fact, it affects a worker’s future.
Although a worker is legally owed workers compensation for their injuries, a lot of the time the insurance company will look for ways to either minimize or deny the claim. This is where an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer in Wrightsville, GA comes into the picture.
At Workers Compensation Lawyer Coalition Atlanta, we are experienced in handling all cases pertaining to workers’ compensation. That is because we deal with workers’ compensation cases only. Speak to our experienced workers’ compensation lawyer today by dialing 470-518-5026 . We will assist you will all legal aspects of your case.
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What Is Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI)?
This is a term used in workers’ compensation after a worker has been injured and has a significant meaning. Because workers’ compensation is a state-mandated insurance policy, it can mean different things in different states. This is why it is one of the biggest issues after a worker has been injured. That is because there are plenty of questions raised by lawyers, insurance firms, and even lawmakers regarding this requirement.
This is why the rules constantly change. The fair compensation for an injured employee and the choice to, or not to for the final settlement comes down to Maximum Medical Improvement. It is all based on the degree of total or partial body impairment, which is raised the moment MMI is established.
In a nutshell, the definition of MMI (Maximum Medical Improvement) is when an injured worker’s injuries cannot improve further medically. In this case, the worker may experience both disability and/or pain due to the injury for the rest of their life. MMI may occur when an injured worker is still receiving treatment.
Who Determines When You Reach Maximum Medical Improvement in Wrightsville, GA?
The person responsible for determining if a worker has achieved maximum medical improvement in Wrightsville, GA is a licensed physician. Of course, the treating physician will declare if MMI has been reached and the date, which most likely the insurance carrier will conduct their own independent analysis by consulting an Independent Medical Examination.
The moment an independent examination has been done, a copy will be sent to the treating physician for review. If both parties agree with the report, total temporary compensation will be terminated on the effective date. If both parties disagree with the report, the matter will be forwarded to the judge or commission for hearing and a ruling will be made.
Does Medical Treatment Continue After MMI Diagnosis?
Medical treatment and income benefits may continue after a worker has a Wrightsville maximum medical improvement diagnosis. It mostly applies when the injured worker cannot continue with the work or can go back to work but with restrictions or earn less than they did previously before the injury.
On the other hand, if a worker can go back to work without restrictions then the insurance carrier may suspend the income benefits, even if the worker’s injuries have reached MMI. It is important to note that few exceptions apply.
What If You Can’t Return to Work or Perform at the Same Level After MMI?
Whenever a worker reached MMI, it becomes an important milestone in the whole process. Because it determines many other things like:
- If the employee can return to work
- Determining if the employee has permanent restrictions
- The level of impairment
- The kind of disability benefits they qualify
- Future medical treatment needs
- The point the employee is eligible to get PPD benefits
- The settlement values
According to the Georgia Workers’ Compensation Act, if an injured worker cannot return to work they may continue to receive medical treatment and weekly income benefits for the maximum allocated duration (400 weeks). In this case, it does not matter if the worker is MMI diagnosed.
The best thing is that in this case, insurance carriers prefer settling the matter and pay as a whole-sum. In such a situation, it is wise to seek the services of an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer in Wrightsville, GA. At the Workers Compensation Lawyer Coalition Atlanta, we will help you get the best deal and ensure your rights are protected.
Call Us to Understand Your Wrightsville Maximum Medical Improvement
Anytime a worker has been injured or become ill due to work conditions, they are legally entitled to receive compensation for their injuries. To determine an injured worker’s compensation and the period they qualify to get it, both the doctor and workers compensation case manager will look closely at the few determining factors like MMI (Maximum Medical Improvement).
To better understand what MMI is and get answers to questions you may have, you should consult an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer. A lawyer is in a better position to answer any personalized questions and offer the best legal advice.
At the Workers Compensation Lawyer Coalition in Wrightsville, Georgia, we will help you know more about MMI and how it may affect your workers’ compensation case. We will answer any question you may have and guide you accordingly based on Georgia Workers Compensation Act.
Do not forget; we offer free initial non-obligations case review. Use this opportunity to know more about your Maximum Medical Improvement Case and what it means in Georgia. Do not worry about the cost of hiring us because we work on a contingency basis. This simply means that we don’t get paid if we do not get you the compensation you are rightfully owed. Speak to an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer at 470-518-5026 .
