When the medical bills begin piling up and the stress of a lawsuit becomes overwhelming, the temptation to accept a fast, early settlement check from the insurance company is massive. Adjusters exploit this desperation, offering quick payouts just weeks after the accident. Accepting these early offers is one of the most dangerous things you can do. Under Florida law, you should never sign a release until a doctor explicitly declares that you have reached Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI). Failing to wait can result in a devastatingly low settlement.
Defining Maximum Medical Improvement in Florida
Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI) is a critical legal and medical milestone. Under Florida Statute §440.02, MMI is defined as the point at which further recovery from, or lasting improvement to, an injury can no longer reasonably be anticipated based upon reasonable medical probability.
Crucially, reaching MMI does not mean you are 100% healed or back to your pre-accident condition. It simply means that your physical condition has plateaued. Your injury has stabilized, and while you may still be in pain or require lifelong palliative care to maintain your current state, additional surgeries or therapies are unlikely to make you “better.”
The Danger of Settling Prematurely
If you sign a settlement release two months after a crash because you think your back is feeling better, the case is permanently closed. If your back suddenly gives out a week later and an MRI reveals you now need a $60,000 spinal fusion surgery, you cannot go back to the insurance company and ask for more money. You will be forced to pay for that surgery entirely out of pocket.
By waiting until you reach MMI, your attorney can accurately calculate both your past medical debts and your future medical requirements.
MMI and the Permanent Impairment Rating
Once your treating physician determines you have reached MMI, they will evaluate whether the accident caused lasting damage. If it did, they will assign you a Permanent Impairment Rating (PIR) based on the Florida Uniform Permanent Impairment Rating Guidelines.
This percentage (e.g., a 7% whole-body impairment for a surgical spine injury) dictates the baseline for your permanent disability compensation. Do not let an insurance adjuster dictate your medical timeline. Use reliable 2026 calculators to project what your permanent impairment might be worth before agreeing to close your claim.