• A Texas Board
  • Certified Trial
  • Lawyer With
  • More Than
  • 30 Years Of
  • Experience

CALL OUR OFFICES FOR A CONSULTATION

A Texas Board Certified Trial Lawyer With More Than 25 Years Of Experience

Handling All Types Of Insurance Law Disputes

Know how to handle your independent medical examination

On Behalf of | Sep 30, 2021 | Delayed And Denied Insurance Claims | 0 comments

Successfully navigating an insurance claim can be quite the endeavor. Even when it seems clear to you that your claim should be paid, an insurance company might do everything in its power to find a way out of payment, or at least reduce the amount of payment that it’ll make under the claim. There are many tactics that insurance companies use to try to achieve this goal. One of them is by requiring the claimant to undergo an independent medical examination.

What is an independent medical examination?

An independent medical examination, oftentimes referred to as an IME, is basically a second medical opinion obtained by the insurance company. The doctors who perform these IMEs will assess your medical records, your current treatment and symptoms, and any other factors deemed relevant to a determination of your injuries and your prognosis. They will then generate a report that will be given to the insurance company. The insurance company, in turn, will use this report to assess whether it should pay your claim.

Preparing for your IME

Of course, these doctors might seem biased since they are oftentimes chosen by the insurance company, which is why you should be prepared going into your IME. To do so, consider these tips:

  • Know your medical history and the treatment that you’ve received
  • Identify all symptoms, but don’t exaggerate them
  • Distinguish any pre-existing conditions or injuries
  • Be honest about how your injuries have limited your abilities
  • Dress appropriately for your examination
  • Bring any medical assisting devices, such as crutches or sunglasses, to the appointment if you need them on a daily basis
  • Act as if you’re being observed at all times
  • Be polite

Remember, the insurance company is going to do everything it can to avoid paying you. This means that you should suspect that they’ve been investigating you, your daily activities, and even your social media. So, while you don’t want to exaggerate your injuries, you also don’t want to minimize the impact that they’ve had on your life.

Get what you deserve from your insurance company

The IME is just one challenging aspect of an insurance claim. As frustrating and nerve-wracking as that may be, you should take comfort in the fact that there’s a lot that you can do to support your claim and hold insurance companies accountable. To learn more, please continue to read our website and seek out assistance if you feel like you need it.

 

""