When a plaintiff in a personal injury case needs to claim disability, the defendant will gather medical evidence to call those claims into question. An IME is hardly independent nor impartial. In fact, it is done by a professional hired by the defendant.
So, most of the time, it nearly works for the defendant’s benefit. If you have several illnesses, the defendant may request that you undergo a series of tests performed by their own medical professionals. Expect to spend a lot of time with doctors, but do not worry, the defendant will cover the costs. You are also under no duty to comply with their medical advice.
If the plaintiff is represented by a lawyer, the IME is usually scheduled by mutual agreement between both sides. If not, the defendant will be the one to schedule the IME and the specialists who will check the plaintiff. Bring your medical records to your IME medical doctor. Be respectful while not lying about your medical history. Also, arrive early for your appointment.
Being late can have a negative impact on your IME file. Consult with your attorney before going to your IME appointment. He or she will advise you on which medical tests you should avoid because they are irrelevant to your IME, among other things. Here are some of the things that the medical doctor examines during the IME.
Medical Records
Your IME medical doctor will review your medical records, which may include CT scans, x-rays, and other tests. This will assist the IME medical doctor in identifying the actual indications of injury associated with the workplace accident, such as pain and discomfort.
Following that, the medical doctor will assess whether theway you explain your injury corresponds to the medical records. Be truthful about your injury and what you can and can’t do anymore because of the accident.
Overall Appearance
Your IME medical doctor will look over your medical records as well as your overall appearance. He or she will keep track of all your actions. How do you look when you walk into his or her clinic? Did you have trouble walking back and forth?
They will help your IME medical doctor in determining whether they are related to your workplace accident. It sounds quite nerve-wracking, but that is how independent medical examination works. If you know to yourself that you are not hiding anything, there is nothing to worry about.
Medical Examination
As part of your IME appointment, your IME doctor will request that some tests be performed to assess the level of your pain caused by a workplace injury. It will also check to see if the level of pain indicated in the medical report is accurate. It may involve some psychological tests, too.
Fraud
It is essential to be completely honest about your workplace injury. If your IME doctor notices that you are exaggerating your workplace injury, he or she will inform the defendant/insurance company, especially if you are perfectly fine in the clinic’s waiting area and then suddenly act in severe pain during the examination. The defendant will conduct some investigation immediately following your IME appointment to know if you are deceiving them.
Prior Injury
Inform your IME medical doctor if you have had a prior injury to the exact same part of the body, for instance, neck, shoulder, or leg. Your IME doctor will specify whether the pain or discomfort is the result of a prior injury or a present injury you just had at your workplace.
If you need to attend an IME appointment but have work, you can request salary loss benefits for missing work to attend the IME.
