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One of the things that may arise in a worker's compensation claim is the need for an independent medical exam. If you're not familiar, it's an assessment conducted by a physician selected by the insurance company. The goal of this appointment is to formulate an independent evaluation of your injury before the determination is made on the case. Here are a few things that you should know before you go to the appointment.

Write Things Down First

In the days or weeks leading up to the appointment, take time to write down all of the information you can remember about what happened. Detail your injuries, the appointments you've been to, your treatments, and any prognosis you've received. The more information you can put in writing, the better. After all, independent medical reviews mean seeing a doctor that you don't know and aren't familiar with. This can leave you feeling uncomfortable and may make you nervous enough to forget information.

A few days before the appointment, make sure you review your notes and any supporting documents that you have. This is a good opportunity for you to refresh your memory about the details so that you're prepared for your appointment. Remember that you'll need to provide full explanations of the pain that you're experiencing so that the doctor can give you a relevant physical evaluation.

Bring a recorder or notepad with you to the appointment so that you can keep track of everything that the doctor suggests. You'll also want to make a note of any tests that the doctor requests so that you have record of the entire process.

Tie Everything Back To Your Claim

During the independent medical exam, the doctor will evaluate your injuries as they apply to the claim and the accident you reported. Don't provide the doctor with any other medical information unless it is relevant to the claim itself. That way, you don't risk causing any confusion about a pre-existing condition that isn't relevant to the situation.

If you do have a pre-existing condition that is worsened by the accident, you'll want to explain exactly what has changed since the incident occurred. The clearer you can be about what is and isn't affected by the accident, the easier it will be for the case to be settled appropriately.

The better prepared you can be for the appointment, the easier the independent medical evaluation will be. The information here will help you to draft the supporting information that you need to help the doctor evaluate the situation.