Maximum medical improvement (MMI) is a term used in Texas workers' compensation cases to describe the point at which an injured employee has reached the maximum level of medical improvement possible from their injury or illness. In this article, we will discuss what MMI means in Texas workers' compensation and what it means for an employee's benefits.
What is Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI)?
Maximum medical improvement (MMI) is the point at which an injured employee has reached the maximum level of medical improvement possible from their injury or illness. This means that further medical treatment is not likely to improve the employee's condition.
Once an employee reaches MMI, their doctor will assess their level of impairment and assign an impairment rating. The impairment rating is a percentage that reflects the extent of the employee's injury or illness and how it affects their ability to work.
What Happens After an Employee Reaches MMI?
After an employee reaches MMI, they may be eligible for additional workers' compensation benefits, depending on their impairment rating and their ability to work. If the employee's impairment rating is less than 15%, they are not eligible for any additional benefits.
If the employee's impairment rating is 15% or higher, they may be eligible for impairment income benefits, which are paid at a rate of 70% of the employee's average weekly wage, up to a maximum of $882 per week. Impairment income benefits are paid for a certain number of weeks, depending on the employee's impairment rating.
If the employee is unable to return to their pre-injury job or earn at least 80% of their pre-injury wage, they may be eligible for supplemental income benefits. Supplemental income benefits are paid at a rate of 80% of the difference between the employee's pre-injury wage and their post-injury wage, up to a maximum of $702 per week.
Maximum medical improvement (MMI) is the point at which an injured employee has reached the maximum level of medical improvement possible from their injury or illness. After an employee reaches MMI, they may be eligible for additional workers' compensation benefits, depending on their impairment rating and their ability to work. Personal injury lawyers like Ryan Pigg can assist employees who have been injured or become ill on the job and help them navigate the process of filing a claim for workers' compensation benefits.
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