After a worker is injured in an on-the-job accident, the first and most important thing to do is seek out and receive appropriate medical attention. In some cases, the insurance carrier, your employer, or another party involved in your occupational injury may request you visit an independent physician to evaluate your injuries in an examination called an Independent Medical Exam or IME.
What is an Independent Medical Exam (IME)?
Those who are deemed responsible for an injury and have to pay for damages have the right to ensure the person receiving the funds was genuinely hurt as badly as they claim. Before any payment is made, an examination conducted by a physician who is not the victim’s own doctor may be necessary. That exam is referred to as an “independent medical examination.”
An independent medical exam (IME) is an examination by an allegedly neutral physician. While an IME is commonly associated with workers’ compensation cases, the exams are also often utilized in injury cases as well. An IME doctor is supposed to provide an unbiased medical opinion about the victim’s medical condition and prognosis. An insurance company often provides the name of a specific doctor the injured individual has to see. While the exam is called “independent,” the medical experts are not independent – they work for the defendant. The purpose of the IME is to resolve the defendant’s questions about the plaintiff’s medical condition.
After you see the IME doctor, you typically will receive a letter with the report informing you that, based on the good doctor’s examination, a certain outcome is now going to occur. There should be an introductory section with basic data, including injury dates and a summary of the doctor’s conclusions. Then a history of the claim including a thorough review of all medical records along with a description of the initial conversation between the medical examiner and the injured person. Finally, the findings of the physical examination should be documented with detail, and a diagnosis/prognosis should be given.
Texas Workplace Injury Lawyer
At Dax F. Garza, P.C., we practice personal injury law exclusively. We also offer a free consultation, so contact us today. While we cannot promise to take every case, if we do take on your case, we work on a contingency fee basis and charge you no fees or expenses unless we make a recovery on your behalf.
