If you have filed a personal injury claim after a car accident, there’s a good chance the insurance company will eventually ask you to attend what they call an Independent Medical Exam. It sounds fair and objective but make no mistake, these exams are anything but independent.
At Hasty Pope Injury Law, our Gainesville Georgia personal injury lawyers and Canton Georgia injury lawyers have seen how these exams are used as tools to protect insurance companies, not injured victims. Here is what you need to know before stepping into one and how we protect our clients from being pulled into the system.
1. What Is an Independent Medical Exam?
An Independent Medical Exam (often called an IME) is when the insurance company requires you to be evaluated by a doctor they choose. The stated purpose is to verify your injuries or determine if further treatment is necessary.
But in reality, these doctors are often handpicked because they work with insurance companies repeatedly and their reports tend to favor the insurer’s position.
2. Why These Exams Aren’t Truly Independent
Insurance companies pay these physicians for their time and rely on them for dozens of evaluations a year. The outcome is predictable. Reports often:
- Downplay the severity of injuries.
- Suggest the injuries are pre-existing.
- Claim further treatment is unnecessary.
- Question the credibility of the patient.
Their goal is simple: minimize payouts by undermining your medical evidence.
3. The Hidden Risk: Once You Attend, You’re in Their System
Once you attend an insurance-ordered exam, the insurer now has a medical report that can be used to limit or deny your claim. Even a few phrases like “mild discomfort” or “symptoms inconsistent with findings” can be twisted to suggest exaggeration or dishonesty.
That’s why we work hard to prevent our clients from being pushed into these exams unless absolutely required by law.
4. How Hasty Pope Protects You
At Hasty Pope, we take several steps to ensure our clients aren’t caught in the insurance trap:
- We challenge the need for an IME. Insurance companies can’t demand one without valid reason. Our attorneys review every request and push back when it’s unnecessary.
- We prepare clients thoroughly. If attendance is unavoidable, we coach clients on what to expect, how to answer questions truthfully but carefully, and how to avoid manipulation.
- We keep them honest. Whenever possible, we request to have a representative or even a recording during the exam to ensure accuracy.
- We use real medical experts. We work with trusted, board-certified physicians who provide independent evaluations based on medical fact not insurance bias.
This proactive approach helps level the playing field and protects our clients from being placed into an unfair system designed to reduce their recovery.
5. Why It Matters
Insurance companies are skilled at finding ways to reduce what they owe, and IMEs are one of their sharpest tools. Victims who attend without legal guidance often find their claims weakened not by the truth, but by selective reporting and medical opinions written to protect insurers.
Our Gainesville Georgia personal injury lawyers and Canton Georgia injury lawyers know these tactics inside and out. We anticipate them, prepare for them, and counter them with solid evidence and expert testimony.
The Bottom Line
An “Independent Medical Exam” is rarely independent and never designed for your benefit. It’s one more way insurance companies protect profits over people.
At Hasty Pope Injury Law, we make sure you aren’t left unprotected. We step between you and the insurance company, challenge unfair exams, and ensure your injuries are documented accurately and truthfully.
Call Hasty Pope Injury Law Today
If the insurance company is asking for an independent medical exam, talk to us first. Our Gainesville Georgia personal injury lawyers and Canton Georgia injury lawyers will review your case, protect your rights, and help you avoid being pulled into an unfair system.
Free Consultation – No Fees Unless We Win