You will need to bring ALL your medical records and documents. The doctor will want to know about any previous injuries, serious illnesses, surgeries/procedures, prescriptions, and pre-existing conditions. It’s important to be as thorough as possible with your medical documentation. Otherwise, even if you receive a favorable report your employer’s insurance could argue that the examination was incomplete and therefore not valid.
This is a lot of information, so another thing to consider is having things written down ahead of time. During the actual examination you might not remember everything you had wanted to say, or you may be nervous or anxious. Having as much information as possible written down beforehand ensures that you don’t forget any important medical details. Reading from a piece of paper is much easier than trying to remember all your work-related injury details on the day of the exam.
Your QME will need to know:
- Previous or existing injuries
- How the injury happened (where exactly you were and what exactly you were doing)
- Whether company equipment was involved
- Details of the injury (affected body parts, size and coloring of the wound)
- Current symptoms (bruising, sickness, soreness, pain)
- What is the level of pain currently and when the injury occurred (on a scale of 1 to 10)
- What pain medications have you been taking since the injury
- What activities has your injury affected (both during and outside of work)
Either write everything with pen and paper, type it on a computer, or ask a friend to dictate. Coming prepared with all these details formally written shows the QME that you are serious about recovering from your injury and not simply trying to scam your employer.
Finally, don’t be afraid to bring a friend or family member with you for support. They add another layer of credibility to your case and can act as witnesses during your QME evaluation.
To discuss preparation for your QME evaluation or other Workers’ Compensation questions please call toll-free 1-877-292-4888 or visit workercompla.com to speak to an experienced trial attorney.