Independent medical examination (IME): what to expect

An independent medical examination (IME) is an assessment arranged and paid for by the insurer, carried out by a doctor who is not part of your regular treating team. Insurers use IMEs to get a further, independent clinical opinion on your injury, treatment, or capacity.

Being asked to attend one is a normal part of many CTP claims — it does not mean the insurer doubts you or that anything has gone wrong.

Why insurers request an IME

• To clarify a diagnosis or the extent of an injury.
• To assess capacity for work or usual activities.
• To review whether current treatment is reasonable and related to the accident.
• As part of assessing an injury classification or a disputed issue.

What happens at the appointment

An IME usually involves a history taken by the examining doctor, a physical or psychological examination depending on your injury, and sometimes a review of imaging or other records. It tends to be more formal and shorter than an ongoing treatment consultation — the examiner is assessing you for a specific purpose, not managing your ongoing care.

IMEs are generally conducted in person, since a physical or detailed examination is usually needed for the report to be useful. The insurer's letter will confirm the format and location.

Preparing for an IME

• Bring identification and any letter the insurer sent about the appointment.
• Take a simple written timeline of your symptoms, treatment, and any changes since the accident — it is easy to forget details under time pressure.
• Answer questions honestly and specifically; describing a genuinely bad day as your only day does not help the assessment reflect your real function.
• If the examination involves movement or exertion, wear clothing that makes this practical.
• Arrive on time — some assessments are tightly scheduled.

What an IME is not

The examining doctor is not there to treat you, and the appointment is not an opportunity to start a new treatment relationship. They will not usually discuss their conclusions with you on the day — their report goes to the insurer, and sometimes to your solicitor if you have one.

An IME also does not replace your own treating doctor. Keep attending your regular appointments and certificates around an IME — one assessment does not pause the rest of your care.

If you disagree with the IME report

You are generally able to request a copy of the report. If you believe it does not reflect your presentation on the day, or conflicts with your treating team's findings, your treating doctor can provide a response addressing the specific points of disagreement. Formal disputes about an IME report are a legal question, and CTP Doctor is a medical service, not a law firm — this is general information, not legal advice, so check SIRA's guidance or speak to a solicitor.

How CTP Doctor supports you around an IME

We are not the IME provider, but we can make sure your own clinical record is thorough and current going into the assessment, and help you understand — in plain terms — what an IME report means for your ongoing treatment plan. Appointments with your treating doctor run by telehealth across NSW, or in person where appropriate.

The difference between an IME and your treating doctor

It helps to keep this distinction clear: your treating doctor is on your side of the process in the sense that they manage your actual care over time, get to know your presentation across multiple visits, and document your progress as it happens. An IME doctor sees you once, for a defined purpose, at the insurer's request.

Neither role is adversarial by design — both are meant to produce accurate clinical information. But because an IME is a single point-in-time assessment, presenting your symptoms and function as accurately and consistently as you can on the day genuinely matters, since there is no ongoing relationship to fill in context afterwards.

If more than one IME is requested

It is not unusual for an insurer to request more than one IME over the life of a longer claim, particularly if your injury involves multiple body systems, or if capacity or classification is reassessed at different stages. Each request should relate to a specific purpose stated in the insurer's letter.

If you feel you are being asked to attend an unusually high number of examinations, you can raise the pattern with your case manager or a lawyer — there is no fixed rule on this page about what is reasonable, since it depends on the complexity of your claim.