MMI Rating and settlement

[hurt mommy]

I was injuried on the Job in July 07 in the state of Ky. My question is do you have to have an MMI rating before workers comp will offer settlement on your claim?

[lfoster21]

I know my lawyer told me that the MMI comes before the settlement. Evidently, the amount of the settlement is determined by what the MMI report says. I am in VA, so I am not sure if it differs from state to state.

[sparkey]

Same here in NH. I had to be at MMI and found to have a Permanent injury and have a AMA guideline rating done to find the level of impairment before any award.

It also has to be agreed on by the IC or the WC judge. I got a 33% from my treating doctor and the IC sent me to their IME doctor who changed it to a 10%. A hearing was set and the court found the IC doctor more credible. I accepted the 10% award.

I feel I could of fought harder if I had a lawyer, but never hired one. I never had the need for a lawyer till there was a dispute about my medication and percentage amount. By then I did not want to hire a lawyer to get involved and drag this on any longer that it was. It has been a long , depressing road and wanted to get it over with. I still have my doctors appointments/treatments paid for.