The defense insurance company or attorney will call it an Independent Medical Exam (IME), but do not be fooled as their is nothing "independent" about it!  There is nothing independent about an involuntary medical exam, and it should be exposed for what it truly is - a defense sham.  The process begins with actual medical exam, and this article focuses on the plaintiff attorney attending the defense medical exam.

When the plaintiff attorney attends the injured party (plaintiff) to the IME, the very presence of the attorney gives the plaintiff "moral support."  Also, it emphasizes to future jurors the involuntary and adversarial nature of the medical exam. The attorney may also observe specific conduct that may later be used to attack the credibility of the witness, for example, the defense doctor may have:

1. devoted an entire hour on the plaintiff's medical history, but only six minutes on the physical exam;
2. dictated the report while referring to the defense medical record summary instead of the actual medical records;
3. had the plaintiff completely disrobe even though the symptoms of injury were entirely upper body;
4. spent more time examining non-injured portions of the plaintiff's body that the injured parts of the body;
5. read a book while other members of a panel asked questions to the plaintiff;
6. conducted the exam in a manner which aggravated the symptoms; or he or she acted rudely or nonprofessionally;
7. declined to look or review the actual X-rays and imaging studies brought to the IME;
8. was significantly late to the IME or even fell asleep!

Additional information about the defense medical doctor should be collected by obtaining his or her curriculum vitae, networking with other injury attorneys to locate deposition transcripts (Consumer Attorneys of San Diego), sample reports, or even performing a jury verdict search. Additional information can be obtained via subpoena too.