Prepare to Be Examined: Your Workers' Compensation Independent Medical Examination

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You may have had many medical exams in your life, but none of them are likely to be like an independent medical exam (IME). This exam occurs in conjunction with your workers' compensation benefits and is meant to provide the insurance agency with information about your medical status. It pays to be prepared for this important step, so read on to learn more about your IME.

Why Is This Exam Needed?

Not all workers' compensation recipients are asked to undergo an IME. Most of the time, workers take advantage of the workers' comp benefits and return to their previous positions in a short amount of time. Some work-related injuries, however, don't heal as fast or they may not heal at all. When the workers' comp carrier needs to find out whether or not your injury is permanent, this exam is ordered. You must comply if you are to keep receiving benefits.

The outcome of this exam will determine your ability to gain future benefits. If the workers' comp doctor determines that your injuries have healed enough for you to return to your job, that means that your workers' comp benefits have come to an end. If you are still too hurt to work, that ruling is a sign that you need to speak to a workers' comp lawyer for help in having your benefits reinstated.

On the other hand, if you are ruled to have a permanent injury, you may be entitled to a lump sum payment from the workers' comp insurance carrier. Unfortunately, this also means that your choices in employment and your income have been drastically affected by your workplace injury. In some cases, you may be eligible for job training or other benefits as a result of your permanent injury.

How to Prepare for Your Independent Medical Examination

Review your paperwork pertaining to the accident and your treatments up to now. Your doctor will be questioning you, and having the information at hand can make you more relaxed and confident. Take your notes with you into the exam room if you need to. You are also allowed to bring a family member or friend with you.

Be honest but assertive with the doctor about your injury. They will know if you exaggerate but they won't know how the accident has affected your ability to do your job unless you tell them. Past injuries are not a bar to gaining compensation from workers comp. If a past injury was made worse by your accident, speak up and say so.

After the exam, the doctor will provide an opinion on your injury to the workers' comp carrier. If you have been ruled to have a permanent injury, you will need a workers' comp attorney to help you negotiate the settlement.

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1 November 2018

Consulting with an Accident and Personal Injury Lawyer

Ten years ago, I was injured in a car wreck while commuting to work. When a driver rear-ended my car, I hurt my back. Unfortunately, I had to undergo a couple of weeks of physical therapy. Even after receiving physical therapy, my back never felt as good as it did prior to the wreck. Have you been injured in a car wreck recently? Consider talking with an experienced accident and personal injury lawyer. This type of attorney can help you decide whether filing a lawsuit is your best course of action to take. On this blog, I hope you will discover the benefits of speaking with an accident and personal injury attorney soon after getting injured in a car wreck. Enjoy!