Every once in a while…. justice is served. Recently an alleged Independent Medical Examiner (IME) was sanctioned by the State Board of Psychology of Ohio.
The nice doctor was found to have engaged in the following misconduct: 1) Rendered opinions beyond the stated referral questions; 2) Commented on the cause and relationship of the medical conditions when the referral was only to determine whether claimant was Maximally Medically Improved (MMI); 3) He was disrespectful and inappropriate; 4) Sought histories of other family members that were not germane to the medical exam; 5) The doctor conducted the exam in the waiting room; 6) The report contained pejorative language, misuse of standard tests, and selective presentation of historical data. In my opinion, many of the Independent Medical Exam doctors are neither independent, medically competent, or conduct adequate exams.