By Lee Alhambra
Guest Writer
Woodruff Johnson & Palermo
Thursday, Oct. 24, 2013

Section 12 of the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act gives employers a right to request injured employees submit to an independent medical examination (IME) by a physician or surgeon of their choice. The employer or insurer will pay the cost of the IME and is required to provide the injured employee a mileage check and reimburse the employee for travel expenses (i.e. parking, meals). The injured employee is required to attend the IME. The Law Offices of Thomas J. Lavin have legal experts to help. Failure to do so will result in the suspension of workers’ compensation benefits. They can also contact a legal expert from www.brasurelaw.com/areas-served/mcallen/personal-injury-attorney/ to get legal help.

A common question asked is: What should I expect at an IME? Upon arriving, you may be required to complete paperwork to provide a history of your accident (learn here), describe your subjective complaints, list your current medication and give a rundown of your treatment history. The IME examiner will ask you to describe your accident or give a description of the type of work you perform to auto accident attorneys in Boynton Beach – Jesse Davidson, P.A.. It is important to give an accurate history of your accident and complaints. It is also good to contact  workers compensation lawyers from Laura S. Jenkins, PC

Often times, the physical exam takes no more than 10 minutes. Common complaints are the examiner was standoffish and had poor bedside manner. Don’t let this discourage you! In reality, IMEs are never truly “independent.” Insurance companies hire these physicians to issue opinions and often use the same doctors over and over again because they know what to expect. The insurance companies pay the doctors anywhere between $1,000 to $1,500 for an exam. A doctor-patient relationship is not established by way of an IME. This should be made clear by the examining physician from the outset. This means there is no confidentiality privilege and the IME physician can, and very likely will, report anything you do or say during the exam to the employer/insurance company.

Following the IME, the physician will write a report. It will address causal connection, whether additional treatment is needed and whether the employee is able to return to work. It is common for an IME to determine your condition is not work-related and/or you can go back to work without restrictions. Many find no evidence of injury or determine your condition is part of the “natural aging process.”

The insurance company can deny workers’ compensation based on the opinions of the IME physician, regardless of what your own treating physician says. The IME physician’s opinion is not the final word. Your treating physician will likely have a very different opinion. At that point, it becomes a battle of the experts. Depending on the situation, your attorney may want to take an evidence deposition of both doctors and the matter may need to be litigated in the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission. At this point, if you do not have an attorney, it’s highly recommended you hire one. Otherwise, your chances of getting your benefits reinstated are slim.

Remember, you may be observed from the time you arrive at the office, until the time you get in your car to leave the appointment. Often times, the IME report will state how you got in and out of your car, how you opened the door, how you sat in the chair, how you walk, how you were able to get on the examining table, etc. The examiner will be on the lookout for any inconsistencies between your reported disabilities and their observations of these seemingly mundane activities. For example, on the report, the doctor might note: “The claimant stated he has difficulty lifting, pushing or pulling more than 10 pounds. However, on his arrival he was observed pulling open the door with no difficulty. The door requires 15 pounds of force to pull open.” IMEs are no used to denying workers’ compensation benefits and used to chipping away an injured worker’s credibility.

Knowing what to expect during an IME can alleviate a lot of anxiety associated with this experience. Below are some helpful tips I give clients who are scheduled for an IME:

1) Get there on time. Most IME physicians’ office will cancel your appointment if you are late. Although the IME can be rescheduled, the insurance company will treat this as a no-show and suspend your benefits. If you do not have a means of getting to the IME, transportation should be provided to you by the insurance company or employer, but you must arrange for this ahead of the exam.

2) Be honest and cooperative with the examining doctor. There are times when injured workers encounter an IME physician who has an unsympathetic or even hostile attitude. The best way to handle this is to not react. Cooperate with the exam and answer the questions as best as you can.

3) Most importantly, do not exaggerate your complaints or symptoms. Some injured workers feel they have to convince the IME physician their complaints are “real” and as a result, intentionally or unintentionally, embellish their subjective complaints and exaggerate their reactions to clinical tests. This always backfires. Most physicians can easily tell when an examinee is malingering. In fact, IME physicians incorporate a series of tests in their exam, called Waddell Signs, which purportedly correlate with symptom magnification. Exaggerating your symptoms and complaints can only hurt your case.