Five Key Purposes Of An Independent Medical Exam After A Work Injury

If you have been injured at work and are planning to move forward with a workers’ compensation claim, you’ll need to undergo what’s known as an independent medical exam. This medical exam provides the foundation for your injury claim, as it helps to establish five key aspects of your case. In today’s blog, we explore the five key purposes of an independent medical exam during a workers’ compensation case.

Why An IME Is Key To Injury Compensation

Your IME will help to establish your case and provide you with a path towards compensation because five key factors are established at the conclusion of your IME. They are:

1. Validity Of Injuries– For starters, your IME will give credence to your claim that you have suffered a compensable injury. You can’t just say that your neck hurts after a work accident; a medical professional needs to document the true existence of your injuries. A physical exam and any relevant imaging tests can help to clearly showcase that you have valid and compensable injuries resulting from your work accident.

2. Treatment Course– You IME will also help to establish a tentative treatment schedule to help you recover and get back to work after your injury. This is also important because it helps to determine which treatments are considered medically necessary. Treatments that are deemed medically necessary will be covered by a workers’ compensation claim. The insurance company may wish to stop making payments for certain treatments, but if your IME physician decides the treatments are medically necessary, they’ll need to cover the cost of these sessions.

3. Disability Rating– Some work injuries, especially those that are permanent in nature, will pay out a lump sum of money based on what’s known as a disability rating. An IME will establish your disability rating so that you can determine how much you are entitled to receive if your compensation is dictated by a disability rating chart.

4. Return To Work Possibilities – An IME can also help to establish when and how an injured employee may be able to return to work. For example, your doctor may place you under some physical restrictions, and if your company can find light duty work that abides by these restrictions, you may not have to miss as much time away from work as originally expected. The IME will begin to chart a course for an employee’s return to work, and this will allow the company to either prepare for their absence or make accommodations to help them return to work in a safe and compliant manner.

5. Settlement Negotiations– Finally, an IME can also help to set the stage for settlement negotiations. The IME can help your lawyer and the insurance company get a ballpark idea of the lifetime cost of your claim so that both sides can work towards a settlement that brings the case to an end instead of extending it indefinitely.

If you have questions or concerns about anything during the IME or what is written in your IME report, talk with your lawyer. You can typically have another provider conduct a second IME, and your lawyer can argue that this second opinion is more valid if you believe it’s a more accurate report. Many medical professionals offer very fair IME reports and disability ratings, but it’s always wise to consult with a lawyer if you’re wondering where you should turn for an independent medical exam after a work injury.

For more information about IMEs or filing an injury claim, reach out to Dean and the team at Margolis Law Firm today at (952) 230-2700.