Recovering workers’ compensation benefits can lift a burden off your shoulders. After all, these benefits provide you with real financial relief while you focus on recovering your health. Yet, for far too many workers, this relief is short-lived as their benefits are quickly threatened when their medical condition is alleged to have improved.
What is an independent medical evaluation?
One way this occurs is through an independent medical evaluation. These examinations can be requested by your employer or its insurer at any time after you’re injured on the job. While the intent is to assess your recovery, the insurance company is going to try to find a medical expert who will claim that you’re healthy enough to return to work. The insurance company will then submit a report containing this opinion with the court, which jeopardizes your ability to continue receiving benefits.
Even if the deck seems stacked against you in an independent medical evaluation, you shouldn’t deny the exam. Doing so will just lead to a cessation of your benefits, which can be problematic for your financial stability.
Therefore, you should comply with the request but also consider seeking out your own examination. That way, if the results of the two examinations differ, then you can argue why your expert’s opinion regarding your inability to work should be accepted over the opinion of the insurance company’s medical professional. Additionally, your attorney will have the opportunity to cross-examine the insurance company’s doctor, which may give you the ability to point out weaknesses in his or her assessment.
Don’t let an insurance company derail your workers’ compensation benefits
Insurance companies do everything in their power to try to avoid paying workers’ compensation benefits. You should expect this throughout the process and prepare to counter their claims. This means having foresight and knowing how to position yourself for successful workers’ compensation arguments. If you think that you could use some assistance in that regard, then you may want to think about discussing the facts of your case with an experienced legal professional.