As part of your worker’s compensation claim, you may be required to complete an independent medical examination, otherwise known as an IME. This is a common part of the worker’s compensation journey to ensure you can progress with your claim and get the compensation needed for your recovery.
What is an Independent Medical Examination (IME)?
An independent medical examination (IME) is an examination carried out by a specialised practitioner or allied healthcare professional.
The examination is designed to provide an objective assessment of your injuries, condition, and overall health to assist the insurer to make decisions regarding your worker’s compensation claim.
What to expect
The IME process varies for everyone, but there are a few common steps:
We’ll collect your medical records, which may include medical reports, X-rays, ultrasounds, laboratory tests, neurological evaluations, and other relevant documents. We’ll provide these materials to the insurer in support of your claim.
Your insurer will allocate an IME doctor. Rest assured, these doctors are employed by independent, third-party practices to ensure fairness
The examiner will ask you a series of questions and may require you to perform various movements and tests. These may include range of motion tests, questionnaires, vision tests, and other assessments relevant to your condition.
You’re welcome to bring someone with you to the appointment, and you can claim the reasonable cost of travel expenses through your state’s relevant workers’ compensation authority.
After the examination, it typically takes 1-2 months for the IME doctor to submit their report to the insurer. We’ll also obtain a copy of the report on your behalf to discuss the results with you.
The difference between an IME doctor and a regular doctor
Regular doctors, such as your local GP, handle a wide range of medical conditions and typically operate out of public bulk-billed centres or privately owned practices. They provide general medical care, including routine check-ups, treatment for illnesses, and management of chronic conditions.
In contrast, are specialised professionals who work in clinics specifically designed to perform evaluations and are experts in assessing workplace injuries and related impairments. Their role is to answer a set of questions asked of them by the insurer in relation to the specific injured worker they are assessing.
IME doctors are highly familiar with the legal and procedural aspects of workers' compensation claims, including court proceedings and regulatory requirements.
Their expertise ensures an objective and thorough evaluation tailored to the needs of insurance companies, employers, and legal entities.
Preparing for the IME
Once you receive your IME appointment, there are a few simple steps you can take to ensure the process runs smoothly:
As IME doctors are specialised in their respective fields, they’re often located in capital cities. If you need to travel from a regional area, you can claim reasonable travel expenses through your state’s relevant workers’ compensation authority.
Your lawyer will provide you the necessary documents for your appointment. Although the IME doctor may already have these on file, it's important to carry them yourself. It’s also important you take any physical radiology reports with you such as scans or x-rays.
Bringing a support person can be helpful, especially if you've suffered significant injuries. However, be aware that for privacy reasons, your support person might be asked to leave the room during the examination (unless they’re your litigation guardian).
Discuss with your lawyer about how to claim reimbursement for travel or missed work due to the IME.
How does Slater and Gordon support you during the IME process?
Our Workers’ Compensation team have helped many clients throughout the IME process and will guide you every step of the way.
Your lawyer will explain the whole IME process to you well in advance. Plus, our legal support team can help organise travel, gather medical records, and prepare you for the examination.
If you decide to lodge a complaint regarding your IME, our team can assist you through the process by reviewing forms, directing you to necessary resources, and guiding you through the lodging process.
WorkCover claim rejected while awaiting an IME report
There has been a rise in rejected WorkCover claims while workers are still waiting for their IME or the final report to be prepared. These delays are often out of your control, such as scheduling issues, slow turnaround times, the need for additional testing, or your employer or the insurer disputing aspects of your claim.
If your claim has been rejected before the IME process is finalised, it’s important to keep your rejection letter and get legal advice from a workers’ compensation lawyer as soon as possible to understand your rights and the next steps to take.
Find out more about rejected WorkCover claims and your rights.
Your IME will be paid for by the WorkCover insurer or other insurance company. However, there is often a non-attendance cancellation fee if you don’t attend your appointment.
Yes – you can bring a support person to accompany you during your appointment. This could be a partner, family member, or close friend. Be sure to note that your support person may be asked to leave the room during certain periods of the IME.
However, your support person can remain in the room if they’re your litigation guardian.
Yes – if you’re unsatisfied with the IME or feel you’ve been treated unfairly, you can lodge a complaint or contest the report.
In such cases, your IME may be referred to your state’s medical board for review.
Rest assured, this will all be discussed by your lawyer. If you choose to proceed with an official complaint, your legal team will guide you through the process and help you explore your next steps.
In some cases, you may need to attend more than one IME. This may result from needing to see IMEs specalising in different medical disciplines, such as a cardiologist, neurologist, orthopedic surgeon, or psychiatrist.
In some road and traffic cases, your IME may be jointly requested by both your legal team and your state insurance authority. Unlike an IME, a joint medical examination (JME) involves both your lawyer and insurer jointly requesting the report required from the JME.
Your lawyer will choose the examiner and submit a form to your insurer for their agreement to using that examiner. The questions and materials can be jointly put to the examiner then by both your lawyer and the insurer.
IMEs range from as little as ten minutes to over an hour. But don’t be disheartened if you feel your IME was too long or too brief. Your IME only forms part of your report as the examiner will already be intimately familiar with your medical history, circumstances, and injury.
No – you cannot claim costs associated with IMEs on Medicare as there will be no costs to you.
State and territory resources
- WorkSafe VIC
- WorkSafe - Travel expenses policy
- Public advocate - Litigation guardian