What Is An Independent Medical Examination?

An Independent Medical Examination (IME) is when the workers’ compensation insurance carrier sends the Injured Worker to a doctor of the carrier’s choice to evaluate his or her condition and make treatment recommendations.

Typically, the insurance carriers in Arizona are able to send Injured Workers for these examinations once every six months for a respective body part. Therefore, on certain cases, you will end up with multiple IMEs if the Injured Worker has multiple injuries.

Typically, these examinations are mandatory and if the Injured Worker misses the examination, their compensation can be suspended. Furthermore, if they are late to the examination, their compensation can be suspended.

The only time an IME can be cancelled is if a motion for a protective order is filed and upheld by an administrative law judge (ALJ). This is still a very difficult standard to meet and many times ALJs will not approve the motion for a protective order.

If you receive a notice of IME, please feel free to contact Fendon Law Firm for a free consultation on your Arizona workers’ compensation case.

Fendon Law Firm is the largest family owned and operated workers’ compensation and Social Security disability law firm in Arizona. We offer free consultations for both workers’ compensation and Social Security disability cases. We treat clients like family because we are family.