What are Independent Medical Examinations?

The biggest battles after a car accident where you sustain injuries are how to get the appropriate amount of compensation to cover your pain and suffering and medical treatment. Insurance companies are going to deny you injuries are as serious as you say in all cases because if they accept your claims they have to pay you more in a settlement. The insurance company’s main goal is to save money and reduce payments as much as possible. This is why, if they are sending you to a doctor that they choose it is because they are looking to get as much information as possible to devalue your claim and your injuries. They do this so they won’t have to pay you as much as you deserve and need.

If you had prior injuries, delayed symptoms, undiagnosed health issues, or if you delayed getting treatment for your injuries after your accident any of these things will give cause for the insurance company to argue that your injuries are not as severe as you claim. Through the use of an Independent Medical Examination (IME), you may be able to more clearly outline the extent of the injuries you suffered.

How Do You Define Your Injuries After An Arizona Accident?

Both sides, the plaintiff and the defendant can ask for the injured party to see an independent medical professional for an exam as well as to review the past medical records of the individual. Then the doctor will write up their evaluation of the injuries suffered as well as how those injuries related to the accident. These medical professionals are referred to as expert witnesses during the claims process. As you would expect, when an insurance company sends you to an IME, the results are going to diminish the severity of the injuries suffered and/or explain that the severity of the injuries is not a direct result of the accident. 

To fight back, you can hire your own expert witness and attend your own IME. If your claims are legitimate the results should reflect this. The opinion of your expert witness should then hopefully provide an effective counter to the opinion of the insurance company’s expert witness. This medical documentation is can be very helpful for the plaintiff as they will thoroughly describe injuries that will be used in arbitration, mediation, or if you go to trial. They may also serve as helpful for negotiation a final settlement.

Why You Need The Assistance Of An Arizona Attorney When You Are Battling The Insurance Company

Insurance companies have their pool of doctors that they know will issue opinions that favor the outcomes they want. These doctors will issue statements that are against the Plaintiff and that will downplay the extent of their injuries. Because both medical opinions may be at opposite sides of the spectrum, the strength of the Plaintiff’s report may be diminished. Without the help of an effective Arizona serious injury attorney to develop strategies which will strongly oppose IME reports that undermine victims, injured parties will have a much harder time obtaining the compensation they truly require to help them heal and recover.

An experienced Phoenix personal injury attorney knows these tactics insurance companies employ and they know how to fight them. The aggressive legal team at ELG cares about ensuring victims see a full and most of all fair settlement after they sustained injuries in an accident that was not their fault.

Call ELG today at (623) 877-3600 to set up your free consultation at either of our locations in Phoenix and Mesa, Arizona.