Glossary

Independent medical examination (IME)

A one-time exam of an injured worker by a physician who is not treating them, used to assess diagnosis, cause, treatment needs, impairment and ability to work.

Also called: IME, independent medical evaluation, employer medical examination, compulsory medical examination

An independent medical examination is a records review and physical exam by a doctor who has no treatment relationship with the injured worker. In workers' compensation, the insurer, employer or the state agency orders one when there is a dispute or a decision to make. Typical questions are whether the injury is work-related, whether the proposed treatment is necessary, whether the worker has reached maximum medical improvement, what impairment remains and what work the person can do.

The name overstates things. An IME doctor is usually chosen and paid by the insurer, so the worker's lawyer may call it a defense exam. Several states instead use a neutral examiner assigned by the agency or board, with names and rules that vary. Frequency, notice, travel limits and who may attend all depend on state law, and a worker who refuses a required exam can have benefits suspended.

The report can drive real consequences: authorizing or denying surgery, ending temporary disability, setting a permanent impairment rating or supporting a settlement. Employers rarely order IMEs directly, but they should know that a clear job description and light-duty options give the examiner something concrete to evaluate. Keep records of the findings. The guide on the the workers' comp claims process for employers places the IME in sequence, and workers' comp settlements and the employer's role shows how it figures in negotiation.

Last reviewed October 10, 2026

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Related terms

Maximum medical improvement (MMI) The point in a work injury when the condition has stabilized and further recovery is not expected, so permanent impairment can be measured and rated. Permanent partial disability A workers' comp benefit for a lasting impairment that limits but does not end a worker's ability to work, set by an impairment rating or state schedule. Temporary total disability Workers' comp wage-loss benefit paid while an injured worker cannot work at all but is expected to recover, commonly about two-thirds of pre-injury pay. Return-to-work program An employer program that brings injured workers back to modified or transitional duty once a doctor clears them, to shorten claims and keep them connected. Light duty Temporary, modified work offered to an injured employee whose doctor has set restrictions, so the person stays on the job while recovering from a work injury.

Related guides

Return-to-work programs: how to build one How to write a return-to-work program that gets injured employees back on the job safely, cuts lost-time claim costs and holds up under the ADA and FMLA. The workers' comp claims process for employers What happens after a workplace injury for the employer: care, reporting deadlines, the insurer's decision, benefits, return to work and the effect on your mod. Workers' comp fraud: employee, employer and provider schemes The three kinds of workers' comp fraud (claim, premium and provider), the red flags for each, what employers should do, and how penalties vary by state. Medical costs, opioids and workers' comp Why medical care is the biggest piece of workers' comp losses, what NCCI data shows on 2025 severity, fee schedules and opioids, and what employers control.