Independent Medical Exam

Chicago Workers’ Compensation Lawyers for Injured or Sick Health Care Workers

Health care workers have been working short-staffed and under very stressful conditions since the pandemic began. Numerous workers have left the industry. Unfortunately these conditions can result in even more frequent and more catastrophic work injuries. You might assume that your employer, as a health care provider, would understand the extent to which you’ve had to place yourself at risk as a result of your job, and be amenable to paying medical and disability benefits for injuries or illnesses that are job-related. Unfortunately, valid claims are frequently denied by insurers. Additionally, if an insurer has doubts or questions about your medical condition, it may request an independent medical exam (IME). Give the seasoned Chicago workers’ compensation attorneys of Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca a call if you are having trouble with your claim.

We represent injured and sick health care workers in Rockford, Aurora, Champaign, or Quincy, or anywhere in Winnebago, Kane, Sangamon, Cook, and Adams Counties. We can also represent you in a third party lawsuit or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) claim.

Workers’ Compensation Benefits for Health Care Workers in Chicago

Workers’ compensation benefits to which you may be entitled if you were injured as the result of a safety violation include:

• Temporary total disability benefits
• Permanent total disability benefits
• Partial disability benefits
• Medical benefits
• Vocational rehabilitation benefits

In some cases, insurers for a health care provider deny legitimate claims of employees. It is crucial to talk to our lawyers rather than take a denial of your claim at face-value. Additionally, if a portion of your claim is denied or you are asked to go to an IME because an insurer is skeptical about paying the full claim for benefits, it is important to give us a call to protect your rights.

Independent Medical Exams for Health Care Workers

Medical benefits are provided in connection with work-related injuries based on what is considered reasonable and necessary treatment. Unfortunately with this standard, it can be a little difficult to determine what is reasonable, as doctors may disagree about the appropriate standard of care is under the circumstances. Your employer’s insurer may ask for an IME because it disagrees with your treating doctor about how to treat a work-related condition or what kind of medical care would be reasonable and necessary.

In most cases where an IME is requested, the insurer is hoping to save money on your medical care. It doesn’t necessarily have your best interests at heart. For instance, you may suffer a spinal cord disk rupture while helping a nurse lift a patient, but the insurance company may disagree with your doctor about whether you need an expensive surgery to treat it or whether you have work limitations as a result of it.

The IME doctor is supposed to be independent, but typically insurers retain particular doctors to perform IMEs because they recommend conservative (non-surgical treatments) and urge workers to get back to work as quickly as possible. Your IME doctor may be accustomed to sending workers back even when they are not fully recovered. Even so, you are required to go to an IME if you receive a notice from your employer’s insurer that you must attend.

It can be helpful to take a witness with you to observe what the IME doctor does during the appointment. For instance, it could damage the IME doctor’s credibility somewhat if it turns out he didn’t review your imaging or medical records before or during the exam.

It may be appropriate for our trustworthy workers’ compensation lawyers to retain an expert to bolster the medical care and limitations your treating physician recommends for you.

Call Our Workers’ Compensation Lawyers About Your IME

If you are a healthcare worker who is asked to go to an IME, call our trustworthy Chicago workers’ compensation attorneys. Our firm has more than 60 years of experience representing workers and fighting for their full and fair compensation. We can make sure you are treated as fairly as possible in connection with your medical benefits and IME. Call us at 312-724-5846 or complete our online form.