If you have been injured by another driver and are expecting compensation as a result, your medical condition is of primary importance. The scope and dollar amount of your injuries will play a surprisingly important role in how much money you end up being offered by the insurance company. Part of evaluating that compensation opportunity is a medical exam and it pays to understand what it means to your entire injury compensation package. Read on to find out about the independent medical exam (IME).

What to Know About Medical Expenses

Once you are somewhat recovered from your accident, you might be ready to take action against the other driver for your injuries. You are entitled to a number of different forms of money damages and your medical expenses are only the beginning. Your personal injury attorney will assemble a list of your damages and submit them along with your request for payment to the other driver's insurance carrier. At the top of many lists are the medical damages, and indeed, if you don't have medical damages from an auto accident, then there is no case against the other driver. This sum of money represents more than just your medical bills, however. The dollar amount of your medical expenses is used to expand the scope of the settlement to cover pain and suffering as well. Pain and suffering can represent one of the largest categories of monetary compensation from a wreck and it is based almost entirely on the seriousness of your injuries.

The Purpose of the IME

When the other side challenges the dollar amount of your medical expenses, they are not just challenging the payment of your medical bills. They are suggesting that your medical expenses involve previous injuries and that you don't need any more medical care in the future. When that happens, they have the right to ask you to undergo an IME. This exam is performed by a neutral, third-party doctor and involves questioning and a physical examination of the injured areas of your body. If you and your attorney disagree with the findings of the IME doctor hired by the other driver's insurance carrier, you have the right to have a doctor of your choosing perform the exam.

To find out how to protect your pain and suffering award and to ensure the coverage of your future medical bills, speak to a car accident attorney as soon as possible.