Are You Scheduled for an IME in Your Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Case, but You Don’t Know What That Means? Find Out All About What an IMEs in Workers’ Compensation Cases, and Where to Get Legal Help Now
If you were injured at work in Louisiana, and your employer or your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance company has set an independent medical examination (IME), you are not alone if you feel uncertain and unprepared. An IME is a doctor visit arranged to get a (seemingly) neutral medical opinion about your injury, your work restrictions, and what treatment you still need. In Louisiana these exams can be requested by the insurer and may also be ordered by a workers’ compensation judge or by the state medical director when there is a dispute about your diagnosis, treatment plan, disability status, or ability to return to work. Here we discuss what an IME in a Louisiana workers’ compensation case entails, how to prepare for your IME, and where to find legal help with your workers’ compensation case in Louisiana.
IMEs in Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Cases
It is important for injured Louisiana workers who are scheduled for an IME to keep in mind that the IME doctor is not your treating physician and does not form a traditional doctor patient relationship with you. Instead, the goal of an IME appointment is for you to be evaluated and for the doctor to prepare a report for the insurer and possibly the workers’ compensation court. Because the exam is for legal and insurance purposes, what you say and how you present your history will be included in the report. That is why preparation matters when you go to your IME in your workers’ compensation case.
Preparing for an IME
If you are preparing for your IME, there are a few steps that you can take to make sure that you are ready. It may help to bring a short timeline of your injury and recovery, a list of current symptoms and limitations, and a list of medications and past treatments. You should be prepared to explain how the work-related injury happened and how it affects specific tasks at work and at home. The key is that you must answer questions honestly and directly, and do not just guess. If you do not know an answer to a question that the doctor asks you, you can simply say that you do not know, or ask the doctor to rephrase the question until you understand what is being asked. Speaking with an experienced Louisiana workers’ compensation lawyer in advance of your IME is the best way to prepare and to protect your rights at your examination.
Finding a Lawyer to Help You with Your Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Case
If you were injured at work in Louisiana and you need legal help getting workers’ compensation benefits due to you, contact the experienced Louisiana worker’s compensation lawyers at the law firm Lunsford Baskin & Priebe, PLLC. The experienced Louisiana workers’ compensation lawyers at Lunsford Baskin & Priebe, PLLC are here to help Louisiana workers get workers’ compensation benefits due to them. Call Lunsford Baskin & Priebe, PLLC today and speak with an experienced lawyer now.
