Preparing for an Insurance Company Independent Medical Examination [Video]

By Roger Foisy on May 27th, 2016

Personal injury clients are often asked to undergo an Independent Medical Examination (IME). These evaluations are common practice when you are engaged in a personal injury or long-term disability claim.

What Is an Independent Medical Examination?

IMEs are an independent evaluation of your medical condition conducted by a medical professional.

Although IMEs are intended to be independent and without bias, it is essential to know whether the examiner is evaluating you on the behalf of your lawyer or the insurance company. Remember – your lawyer represents your interests, while an insurance company represents their own interests.

Questions posed to you may be phrased differently depending on whether the medical examiner was retained by your own lawyer or the insurance company. If they were retained by the insurance company, the medical examiner will likely ask pointed and limited questions in order to elicit a limited response from you – instead of asking open-ended questions to allow you to fully explain your injury or illness and its impact on your life.

The IME will be used in your lawsuit, so it’s important to give detailed information beyond what you are asked. You want to ensure the medical examiner understands your explicit injuries or illness and how they affect your life.

In the video below, I explain how to prepare for an IME conducted for the insurance company and how to fully communicate your unique, subjective situation to the examiner:

At an IME, the most important thing to remember is that the more detailed and accurate your descriptions of your symptoms and situation are, the easier it will be for you to receive the compensation that you need.


If you have been injured in Ontario at the fault of another party or have been wrongfully denied long-term disability insurance, please contact Roger R. Foisy and his team of experience personal injury lawyers for immediate support and a free consultation.

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