Workers' Compensation Discussion Forums

I had a total knee replacement at the end of June of this year.

I saw my surgeon (joint specialist) earlier this month and he said I will not place me at MMI until June 2009. He said changes will continue in the knee joint and I will not be at maximum improvement until next summer. I have struggled with scar tissue in the joint since surgery and do not have the ROM I should have at 4 months post.

The wc insurance company is sending me for an IME this week. The purpose of the visit is for the evaluation of bilateral lower extermities. I am told to expect the doctor doing the IME to declare me at MMI.

The IME doctor I am being sent to is an orthopedic surgeon, and my former wc treating doctor. Earlier this doctor said there was no relationship between my injury and the need for a knee replacement, his statement caused a 2 years of court hearings.

Lucky for me the 10 other doctors that the insurance company sent me to said there was a relationship between the injury and need for the knee replacement. Earlier this year the judged ruled in my favor, granting treatment and the knee replacement.

Is it possible the judge will take the IME doctor's report over my surgeon's recommendation for continued treatment?

BK, The way I see it, if your treating dr. stands his/her ground and the ime contradicts your dr. It would be up to a third dr. to break the tie. I see it to be an issue of medical and not judicial.

The fact that the IME DR as your previous treating physician should in fact disqualify him form rendering an opinion as he is and cannot be considered independent. Did you inform the folks ?

IC's will pick who they want. These exams should not be called IME's. There is nothing independent about them. They are more appropriately called EME's. That the Employers Medical Exam. If you state workers comp board sends you to an exam with a doctor of their choosing then that would be considered an IME.

Hi Bummer...I agree with Cycler in that this Dr. should not be in the loop at all. I also agree with Stiffnecked that when the IC picks the Dr. it is really no unbiased at all, but you know that. I had 3 IME's and one IR. Never got my disabilty raiting but I settle tomorrow. The first IME was in my court and the second who I saw twice sent me back to work with no restrictions twice. Both times my Dr. was found to be more credible. Also at this time the IC petioned to stop my benefits which they also lost because they had nothing to stand on. In my case and I find this to be true in many, test results, surgeries and the IW along with their Dr. being on the same page makes the plaintiff's side more credible. Best of luck. Let us know.


CAP

Hi Bummer,
i would surely be finding out how many successful knee replacements the IME has done, compared to your current surgeon.
Good luck, & prayers for you, Lilly

Thank you all for responding.

The doctor doing the IME, (my former work comp treating doctor) is the one that referred me to my surgeon. He told me he dosen't do knee replacements as it is not his speciality and it takes a bone/joint specialist to do this type of surgery.

You are being treated by the Doctor that refered you to a Surgeon. That being the fact, the Doctor is your Primary Doctor in your case. That then is not a IME Doctor. Unless you had elected somewhere to change doctor's. But, either way, your Attorney would need to step forward, cancel this as an IME visit, and demand an Independent IME be performed from a Doctor/Surgeon you had not seen.

Thank you BB I will call my attorney this morning.

Bummer, I know you have other proplems, that cause pain, and numbness plus tingling in your body.

But, you must stay focused on that Knee Replacement. You know by now, the outer portion right next to the Knee joint is staying numb. This is normal, and your surgeon should have told you that. As for the scare tissue, you must keep that knee working, 3 to 5 times a day, working it, bending it, bending with light weight applied on the ankle, soaking it, icing it, and walking on it, to re-learn proper balance of it. If you slack off, the joint, muscle, and tendeons will shrink up, and you then have to force stretch them again. You must, I say must, keep working it if you wish good results. That has to be done for atleast 1 full year after the Knee Replacement. I still am working mine, I now am able to bend my knee as much as the other one without the replacement. It takes lots of work.