#1 What is an Independent Medical Exam (IME)?

QUESTION: What is an Independent Medical Examination, also known as an IME?

ANSWER: An Independent Medical Examination (IME) is requested by insurance companies to evaluate your car accident-related injuries, not for treatment. Despite the name, IMEs are not independent. IME doctors are hired and paid by the insurance company. Their role is to examine you and write a report that provides justification for the insurance company to stop paying for your medical treatment. If the insurance company is requiring you to attend an IME, consult with a personal injury attorney. They will provide advice and guidance on how to protect your benefits from ending.

What is an Independent Medical Examination, also known as an IME?

Based on Oregon law, any insurance company paying PIP benefits for a car accident has the right to require that you be examined by one of the insurance company’s medical providers.

There are significant differences between the healthcare providers who are treating you for the injuries from your auto accident and an IME doctor.

The first thing you need to know about having an appointment with an IME provider is that they’re not seeing you to treat you for your car accident. They are not your doctor and they’re not on your medical provider team. They will examine you, but they won’t provide treatment.

It’s important to understand that there is no patient-doctor relationship with an IME doctor.

That means they are examining you for the benefit of the insurance company that’s hired them.

Secondly, while they’re called ‘Independent Medical Exams, there’s nothing independent about them. 95% of IME reports say that the person they examined either doesn’t need treatment or whatever treatment that a patient needs is not due to the auto accident. That is why we call them ‘Insurance’ Medical Exams, not ‘Independent’ Medical Exams.

Third, remember, the doctors are hired and paid by the insurance company. They’re requiring the exam in an attempt to get out of paying your medical bills. There is a small group of specific doctors that insurance companies use for IMEs. The insurance company does not randomly pick doctors to be fair and impartial.

They have a network of doctors that the insurance company knows will write medical reports that will work against you and result in payment by the insurance company for your medical treatment being stopped.

It’s important to know when you go to an IME, the doctor and the exam are anything but independent. The providers hired by the insurance company are not there to help you get better.

Not only are they not on your side or even neutral — they are examining you to help the insurance company.

If you are required to attend an IME, you can read more about how to prepare for your IME appointment here.

Ya sea nuestro cliente o no, queremos ser un puente de apoyo para usted.

Hemos desarrollado una sólida biblioteca de artículos y videos organizados en cuatro temas que incluyen nuestras respuestas a las preguntas más frecuentes relacionadas con los reclamos por lesiones personales.

• Los 10 Principales Errores En Lesiones Personales Que Debe Evitar
• Lo Que Necesita Saber Sobre Su Reclamo
• ¿Cómo Se Pagan Mis Facturas Médicas y la Pérdida de Salario?
• Cómo Prepararse para Su Examen Médico Independiente

Los artículos brindan consejos y pautas para ayudarle a navegar cada fase del proceso de reclamos por lesiones personales. Ya sea que lo representemos o no, nos apasiona ayudarle a proteger sus derechos, asegurando que reciba la atención médica necesaria para recuperarse de sus lesiones y que tenga la información necesaria para evitar errores que puedan perjudicar su reclamo por lesiones personales.