Car Accident Lawyer Baltimore know that the insurance company will likely schedule an Independent medical evaluations

In a personal injury or a worker’s compensation claim, insurance companies typically set up the plaintiff or claimant for an evaluation to be done by the insurance company doctor. Insurance companies call this an independent medical evaluation; however, this is actually an insurance company’s medical evaluation. The insurance companies carefully and deliberately pick what doctors they want to perform specific evaluations.

Car Accident Lawyer Baltimore know most of these doctors are not in fact independent, have frequently done work for that insurance company and typically only work for insurance companies, rather than plaintiffs. These doctors solicit business from the insurance companies by offering to do medical evaluations for them knowing that the insurance company will not refer the doctor again unless the reports are favorable to the insurance company.

Reasons why they are requested

Car Accident Lawyer Baltimore know Insurance companies usually schedule independent medical evaluations when they are skeptical of the claimant or plaintiff’s injuries, when they feel that that property damage of the car in the accident is not consistent with the medical treatment that been provided to date, when they want to get the injured party back to work, when they would like any medical treatment provided so far to be terminated, when questioning the reasonableness or necessity of any medical bills or treatment, or when they are contesting the causal relationship between the accident and the medical treatment and/or injury.

Please note that when you see the insurance company’s doctor you are not seeing him/her for the purposes of treatment or finding an explanation for your medical problems.Car Accident Lawyer Baltimore know  Insurance companies’ independent medical evaluations are done in workers’ compensation claims to question whether any permanent injury has been sustained from an accident. The sole purpose of this evaluation is to allow the insurance company to gather information that will enable it to either terminate its obligation to pay your medical bills or develop doubt on your injuries in general, prior to going to trial.

Tips for success from Car Accident Lawyer Baltimore

• Keep your appointment

Please make sure that when you have a medical evaluation scheduled with the insurance company, you keep the appointment. Failure to keep the appointment can result in suspension of your workers’ compensation benefits, refusal of the insurance company to pay your medical bills and/or you being held responsible for the doctors’ fee for your failure to appear. Although most doctors are honest, the fact remains that they have been selected by the insurance company to perform this exam because they have given favorable results in the past.

• Be honest—and considerate

Some doctors are very conservative in nature and are generally biased against people who are injured in automobile accidents or work related injury. Be sure that when you go to an independent medical evaluation you are honest, polite and cooperative with the doctor. If you try to lie or fake your injuries or exaggerate your injuries during the exam, the doctor will certainly recognize this and will undoubtedly mention it in his report. Do not be evasive in the medical examination and/or in your answers to the questions the doctor asks and always try to maintain eye contact when speaking with the doctor. Although it is unlikely that the doctor will help you in your case even if you are cooperative, it is even more unlikely that he/she will be helpful if he/she doesn’t like you or believes that you are not being truthful.

• Prepare for questions

Prior to attending an independent medical evaluation, please prepare yourself for questions regarding your medical history such as details about any prior injuries, other medical treatments, testing or test results. Let the doctor know what parts of the body you have injured, your symptoms, times when your injuries cause you pain, any movements or activities that aggravate your injuries, any medication you take to mitigate pain, and what activities, if any, are limited or affected. When answering the doctor’s questions, make sure to answer each question carefully and to ask the doctor to rephrase the question or provide clarification if any of those questions appear unclear or confusing.

• Keep it simple and to the point

Do not give long or elaborate answers to any of the doctor’s questions; rather, give each question an appropriate answer. Maintain courtesy and honesty throughout the interview by responding to a “yes or no” question with a yes or no answer and by responding to a short, to-the-point question with a short and to the point answer. When telling the doctor what your complaints are, describe each area fully and discuss at what times you experience problems. It is your responsibility to let the doctor know what causes your pain to flare up even if you are not in pain at the time of your evaluation. Do not under any circumstances exaggerate your injuries; doctors have ways of testing to see whether

you are making up your complaints. On the other hand, don’t underestimate your pain and don’t be the type of person who doesn’t like to complain. These doctor visits are set up exclusively for you to tell the doctor what complaints you have as a result of the accident, so it is important to be truthful and forthcoming. Behave consistently during your entire exam from the minute you park your car in the parking lot to the minute you leave the parking lot for the final ride out. Doctors who do independent medical evaluations are trained to observe the patient in the parking lot, in the exam room and the waiting room.