The independent medical examination is requested and paid for by the employer or its insurance carrier. The examiner’s job is to give an opinion: whether your injury is work-related, whether you can return to work, and how significant your condition is.

That opinion travels. It often becomes the record that shapes when MMI gets declared, what rating you receive, and whether your treatment continues. And like the company doctor, the examiner is chosen by the insurance side, which often uses these reports to look for ways to deny or minimize benefits. Preparation is not optional.

1. How Did You Injure Yourself?

Explain the circumstances of your injury in as much detail as possible. Consistency matters here: this is where the examiner compares your account against your medical records and the injury report.

2. What Are Your Symptoms?

Be prepared to describe your symptoms, including when they started, how they have changed over time, and what makes them better or worse.

3. What Is Your Current Pain Level?

The doctor will likely ask you to rate your pain on a scale, often 0 to 100, with the top of the scale being the most severe pain imaginable. Be honest. This answer is used to help gauge the extent of your injuries.

4. Have You Been Treated for This Condition Before?

If you have seen other doctors for your condition, be prepared to provide information about those treatments, including traditional medical care and alternative therapies such as chiropractic care or massage therapy.

5. What Is Your Current Medical Treatment?

Provide details about your medication and any other treatment you are receiving, such as physical or occupational therapy.

6. What Are Your Current Physical Limitations?

The doctor may ask what you can and cannot do because of your injuries: lifting, bending, sitting, standing, walking. Give specific examples of activities you can no longer do, or that are now harder to do.

7. How Do You Spend Your Day?

The doctor will want to know how you spent your day before the injury and how you spend it now: work, household chores, child care, leisure. Be prepared to explain how your injury has changed your ability to do these things.

A few habits protect you inside the exam room:

• Be honest in your answers. Do not downplay your symptoms, and do not exaggerate them either.
• Be clear and concise. The doctor will have many questions, so answer each one directly.
• Take a moment to think before you answer. A considered response beats a rushed or inaccurate one.
• Ask for clarification if you do not understand a question, or if the doctor uses medical jargon.
• Do not volunteer extra information. Stick to the facts that are relevant to your injury.
• Consider bringing a friend or family member to take notes and provide support.

In 2025 alone, our firm spent over $700,000 on expert witnesses. When an IME report minimizes your injury, we answer it with independent medical experts, depositions of the examiner, and a record that proves the restrictions and future care the report left out.

Our firm handled roughly 1 in 4 of recent workers’ compensation trials at the St. Louis Division of Workers’ Compensation, out of hundreds of attorneys representing Missouri workers. Insurers know which firms will actually try a case, and it changes how they negotiate.

That is what a trial firm changes about the IME: the report stops being the final word and becomes one opinion among several, weighed against real evidence.

Is the IME doctor on my side?

No. The examiner is selected and paid by the employer’s insurance company. That does not make every report unfair, but it means the exam is not treatment and the doctor is not your advocate.

Can I bring someone with me to the IME?

Bringing a friend or family member to take notes is generally a sound idea. It gives you support on the day and a record of what was asked and how long the exam lasted.

What happens after the IME?

The examiner sends a report to the insurer, and it often shapes decisions about treatment, work status, MMI, and settlement. Reviewing that report with an attorney is one of the most useful steps you can take for your claim.

What if I disagree with the IME report?

You can challenge it. A second medical opinion arranged through your attorney can become evidence, and disputes can be taken to the Division of Workers’ Compensation. Every case is different; results depend on the facts.