A Second Opinion Before You Settle

A second opinion is not about distrust. It is about not building the biggest financial decision of your recovery on a single voice, especially one paid by the insurance company. It often makes sense when:

• The company doctor released you, but you are still in pain
• Your MMI rating seems low for what you can no longer do
• Surgery was recommended, then delayed or denied
• The offer does not account for future medical care or permanent restrictions
• Your injury was written off as a pre-existing condition
• Your current lawyer is pushing a quick settlement, or has stopped returning calls

Some of the people who call us already have an attorney. The offer feels low, the case has sat still, the lawyer quit or stopped calling back, or everything is pointed at a fast settlement. You are allowed to ask another firm to look at your case, and you are allowed to change attorneys in a Missouri workers’ comp case.

A case review looks at the same things a settlement should be built on: the rating, the permanent restrictions and what they mean for your working life, whether future medical care is in or out, and what your Missouri workers’ comp case may be worth. If the answer is that your current path is sound, that is worth knowing too.

A second opinion only matters if it can hold up. Insurers know which firms will actually try a case, and it changes how they negotiate. Our office has handled roughly 1 in 4 of recent workers’ compensation trials at the St. Louis Division of Workers’ Compensation, and in 2025 alone we spent over $700,000 on expert witnesses: orthopedic surgeons, neurosurgeons, pain management physicians, vocational experts.

That is what turns a second opinion from a difference of views into evidence: independent doctors on the record, depositions taken, and a case prepared as if it will be tried. Every case is different; results depend on the facts. This page is part of protecting your Missouri workers’ comp claim.

Can I get a second medical opinion in a Missouri workers’ comp case?

Yes. The insurer usually does not have to pay for it unless it agrees, so most workers obtain one at their own expense or through their attorney as an independent medical examination. Done properly, it becomes evidence in your claim.

Will a second opinion hurt my claim?

Sought the right way, it should not. A second opinion adds to the medical record rather than undermining it; problems usually come from unauthorized treatment, not from an evaluation. Talk with an attorney before scheduling one so that it counts.

Can I change lawyers in the middle of a workers’ comp case?

Generally, yes. Injured Missouri workers change attorneys over slow progress, low offers, or lost contact. If you are considering it, get a case review first, so the decision is based on the file rather than frustration.

Is it too late once I have reached MMI or have an offer?

Usually not, if you have not settled. An MMI finding and a settlement offer are both opinions that can be answered with better evidence. After you sign, the settlement is generally final, which is why the second look belongs before that point.