If you’ve got an injury claim, you might get scheduled for an “Independent Medical Exam,” or IME, which is just a second opinion to confirm what your regular doctor already said.
But here’s the thing most people don’t realize: IME doctors aren’t truly independent.
They’re paid by the insurance company. And that means their goal often isn’t to help you – it’s to help the insurer find a reason to reduce or deny your claim.
Now, not every IME doctor plays games, but enough of them do that it’s smart to be ready.
They’ve got a few tricks up their sleeves to make you look healthier than you are or cast doubt on your injuries. In this post, we’ll go over 10 common IME doctor tricks you should know before your exam.
1. Acting Friendly to Lower Your Guard
They’ll smile. They’ll joke. They might even ask about your weekend plans or your favorite sports team. It feels harmless, but there’s a reason they do this.
When someone acts friendly, you naturally relax. You open up. You talk more.
And the more you talk, the more little details they can twist or use against you later. Even things you think are unrelated (like saying you drove to the exam or went grocery shopping) can end up in the report, making it seem like your injury isn’t that serious.
So be polite, sure. But keep your answers short, clear, and focused on your symptoms.
Also Read: What NOT To Do While On Workers’ Comp
2. Cutting the Exam Short
You’d expect a proper medical exam to take a little time, right? But with IMEs, it’s not uncommon for the whole thing to be over in five or ten minutes.
They might do a few quick physical tests, ask a couple of questions, and that’s it.
But somehow, the report will be pages long with all kinds of conclusions. It’s frustrating because it can feel like they already made up their mind before you even walked in.
If the exam seems rushed or incomplete, jot down your thoughts as soon as you leave.
That way, if anything in the report is way off, you’ve got your own notes to back it up.
3. Twisting Your Words
This one’s a classic IME doctor trick.
You might say, “Some days the pain is better than others.” And then in the report? “The patient reports pain has improved.” Or maybe you say, “It only hurts when I sit too long.” And they write, “The patient is fine when sitting.”
They pick and choose bits of what you say to make it sound less serious than it is.
That’s why it’s important to be clear and consistent. Stick to the facts and don’t downplay your pain just to sound tough.
Also Read: What to Do When Your Workers’ Comp Treatment Claim Is Denied
4. Asking Questions With A Trap
These doctors ask questions that sound innocent but are designed to catch you off guard.
Stuff like, “Can you bend over and tie your shoe?” or “How did you get here today?”
If you say you drove, they might use that to say you’re physically fine. If you do a movement that technically hurts but don’t say anything, they might say you didn’t show signs of discomfort.
So here’s the move: always speak up if something hurts. Even if it’s a small movement. Let them know. Don’t just try to push through it to be polite.
5. Ignoring What Your Treating Doctor Said
This one can be super annoying.
You’ve been seeing your regular doctor, going to physical therapy, maybe even seeing a specialist. But the IME doctor spends ten minutes with you and suddenly claims your treatment plan isn’t necessary.
They’ll often act like your own doctor is exaggerating or doesn’t know what they’re doing.
They may suggest you can go back to work immediately even if your doctor said you need more recovery time.
It’s not fair, but it happens all the time.
6. Making It Seem Like You’re Malingering
“Malingering” is just a fancy term for faking it. And unfortunately, some IME reports include little phrases that suggest this, even if there’s no proof.
They might write stuff like “symptoms are not consistent with objective findings” or “non-organic signs present.”
These are coded ways of saying, “I don’t totally believe this person.”
This is especially common with soft tissue injuries where stuff that doesn’t show up on X-rays or MRIs but still hurts like hell.
Don’t let it shake you. Just keep showing up to your regular appointments and documenting everything.
7. Not Taking Notes in Front of You
During a typical exam, you’d expect the doctor to be scribbling things down as they go, right?
But IME doctors? Many of them don’t take notes at all while you’re in the room.
Then later, they submit a super detailed report that may not match your experience at all.
That’s why it’s smart to write down everything that happened as soon as you leave the exam. What you said, what they asked, how long it lasted – just jot it all down while it’s still fresh.
If you’re allowed, having someone come with you to the exam can help too. They can act as a witness in case something shady goes down.
8. Using Old Injuries Against You
This is another common IME doctor trick.
Say you had a back issue five years ago that got better. If you now have a new injury in that same area, the IME doctor might say it’s just the old problem flaring up.
They’ll dig through your medical history looking for anything they can blame instead of the accident or work incident.
Even if it’s clearly different this time, they may still try to pin it on your past.
This is where having your treating doctor clearly document the difference between the two injuries is a huge help.
Also Read: What Are Workers Compensation Class Codes?
9. Reporting Things You Never Said or Did
Believe it or not, this happens. Some IME reports will say you did something you definitely didn’t or said something that never came out of your mouth.
Maybe they’ll write, “The patient demonstrated no difficulty walking,” when you were limping the whole time. Or claim you denied having any pain during an exam even if you clearly said it hurt.
That’s why your personal notes are so important.
They might not carry the same weight as a doctor’s report, but they help show that something doesn’t add up.
10. Saying You Can Return to Work Too Soon
One of the most common IME tricks is saying you’re “fit for duty” long before you actually are.
This helps the insurance company cut off your benefits sooner.
They might recommend “light duty” even if your employer doesn’t have any modified roles. Or they’ll say you can go back full-time when you’re still struggling to get through daily tasks at home.
If your own doctor says you’re not ready, go with that. And let your attorney know what the IME report said ASAP.
Bottom Line
IME doctors are supposed to offer an objective opinion, but many are hired by insurance companies for a reason. Some will do their best to downplay your injuries, question your honesty, and support cutting off your benefits.
That’s why it’s important to be prepared, stay calm, and document everything you can.
Stick to the facts, speak up about your pain, and don’t fall for the friendliness trap.
And if anything in the report feels off, don’t panic and just loop in your attorney. You’re not alone in this.
