What Is an AME in Workers’ Comp?
During a California Workers’ Compensation case, the administrator may set up a medical exam with a Qualified Medical Evaluator (QME). If you don’t feel comfortable with the doctor chosen, and you have a lawyer, you can request a new medical examiner, known as an Agreed Medical Evaluator (AME).
What Does an Agreed Medical Evaluator Do?
QMEs and AMEs are called in when there’s a disagreement over the seriousness of your injury. They help decide what you’ll receive in benefits, so they are very important to your case.
QMEs are physicians certified by the Division of Workers’ Compensation Medical Unit. If you don’t agree with the choice for a QME, you can request an AME. However, you can only request someone new if you have a Workers’ Compensation attorney representing your case.
Your attorney would negotiate with California Workers’ Comp administrators to select a medical examiner that both sides will consent to. The Agreed Medical Evaluator would be someone you and your lawyer felt would present your injury and your prognosis fairly.
Your lawyer provides these and other critical benefits:
- Helps you secure the right QME or AME to get a fair examination
- Helps you prepare for what you’ll experience in a QME exam
- Collect evidence to make sure your Workers’ Comp case is backed up with proof
- Protects you when insurance adjusters try to blame an accident on you or say your injury was pre-existing
- Demands more in Workers’ Comp benefits for you than you may have been able to secure handling your case yourself
Contact a California Workers’ Compensation Attorney
Maison Law offers a free consultation to all injured California workers faced with filing a Workers’ Compensation claim or even a lawsuit against an employer. You’ll speak to a real California Worker’s Compensation Lawyer. Contact us to set up an appointment.
Remember, you don’t need to have any money to hire a skilled attorney to represent your case. We don’t get paid unless your case is successful. Then our fee comes out of the money Workers’ Compensation and your employer must pay you.
