Car Accident and Independent Medical Exam

It is not always enough to get a medical exam after you have been in a car accident. In fact, you may think that you have done your due diligence by seeking medical care after a car accident and believe that this is going to be enough for your claim. However, going to your personal doctor might not afford you the information you need when filing your claim. Instead, the insurance company involved may require you to go through what is known as an independent medical exam. If you have not heard of this before, it may seem like a minor inconvenience, but not so bad, right? This is not necessarily the case. Read more to find out why. 

What is an independent medical exam (IME)? 

Sure, getting a third party to look you over can’t be too terrible. However, do not let the name mislead you. An IME is not actually quite so independent at all. As a lawyer, like a car accident lawyer from Ward & Ward Law Firm knows, the IME is typically conducted by a doctor of the insurance company’s choosing. Now, it is important to understand that the doctor is probably not going to outright dispute your injury claim or tell you that you are not telling the truth. However, car insurance companies are happy to use doctors who make their career off of looking at people’s injuries after accidents and using the end result of the medical examination to find holes in the claim. Some of the possible outcomes that could come out of the IME are: 

• The doctor determines that you were indeed injured but the injuries are not as bad as you are stating they are. 
• You are injured but they are pre-existing injuries and not caused by the accident. 
• You were not injured in the car accident at all.

While not every single IME doctor will be “out to get you” in this way, it happens very often and it can be incredibly frustrating. When you are required to go through the IME, it is important to speak with your lawyer about what you should and should not say during the exam. 

Can you argue against doing the IME? 

It is possible that the insurance company will want you to do an IME and you can speak with your lawyer about fighting against the necessity of doing it. With the help of a good lawyer, you may be able to argue that the IME truly is not necessarily when it comes to your claim. 

What do I need when I am facing an IME? 

One of the best things you can do is get help from an attorney you can trust who can help walk you through the IME, prepare you for what it might be like, and potentially even fight against needing to go through it in the first place. If you are looking for a lawyer, reach out to a local law firm today for more information.