FAQ

The IME doctor will review your doctor’s records and any objective medical records including x-rays, CT scans, MRI reports or anything similar. This will help them determine if there are any “objective” signs of an injury related to your VA active military service-related accident, injury, or disability.

During the examination, the doctor will likely start out by asking you how your injury happened, what your relevant medical history is, and the course of your treatment so far. The doctor may also conduct a physical exam and tests (such as physical tests to measure your grip strength or range of motion).

Independent Medical Exam: the evaluation of an injured party that utilizes a third party, independent medical professional to issue an unbiased opinion on the injury.

Following the exam, the IME doctor must then generate a report with their findings. If the report finds the need for surgery is appropriate and connected with a service-related accident, the VA will authorize payment. If not, the insurance company will deny authorization.

Conducting an independent medical examination does not establish a typical doctor/therapist-patient relationship as exists when a clinician treats a patient in the hospital or at an outpatient clinic. However, the independent, objective (unbiased) nature of the examination does not absolve the doctor from all professional responsibilities. For example, in most independent medical examinations, the clinician should assess for possible psychiatric disorders and ask the individual if he or she has been thinking of hurting or killing themselves or someone else. If upon further questioning after an affirmative response it becomes apparent that the person poses a significant risk of imminent harm to self or others, the examiner must take steps to prevent such harm and to facilitate referral to appropriate treatment and psychosocial support. Thus, a “limited doctor-patient relationship” exists when conducting independent medical examinations.

An independent medical examination is a medical evaluation performed by a medical professional on a patient who was not previously involved in the treatment of that patient, to evaluate the patient’s course of prior treatment and current condition.

An independent medical examination is a medical evaluation performed by a medical professional on a patient who was not previously involved in the treatment of that patient, to evaluate the patient’s course of prior treatment and current condition.