Workers’ Compensation - IME / QME / DDE - Mass Tort
As in other personal injury claims, medical record review is an important part of Workers’ Compensation litigation. The work-related injury must be well-documented in the claimant’s medical records. It is of utmost importance that every time a claimant sees a doctor, the doctor knows that he/she is treating a work-related injury. The claimant should also keep a detailed list of all physicians seen for the injury. This will help ensure that a comprehensive and accurate medical history of the injury can be obtained later.
Once the treatment for the work-related injury is completed, an independent medical examiner will examine the claimant and determine whether there is any permanent partial disability due to the injury. Here, the medical examiner would examine the claimant, interview the claimant and also review the relevant medical records that document the injury. Generally, the claimant may have to undergo two independent medical exams – one at the insurer’s expense and one at the claimant’s expense – before the Workers’ Compensation commission allows compensation based on the disability.
Many claimants depend on a reliable Workers’ Compensation attorney to represent them so that the claim processing goes smoothly. A lawyer can be immensely helpful in scenarios such as the following.
- When the injury is so severe that surgery is required.
- When the injury is moderate or severe and may cause partial disability or reduced capacity.
- When the injury is such that the claimant is unable to return to his/her original job, but may be able to work in some other job.
- When the injury does not allow the claimant to work regularly in any capacity.
- When there are pre-existing disabilities.
- When benefits are denied.
Claimants look up to their representative attorneys for reliable legal advice regarding whether they need legal assistance in pursuing the claim; whether an appeal of a decision not in the claimant’s favor will be successful; and whether the injuries sustained are not serious enough to require representation by a lawyer
Workers’ Compensation lawyers can utilize Medical record review for Attorneys , a valuable service provided by a dedicated medical record review company, to ensure that all relevant medical records are carefully reviewed and vital medical data extracted on which the lawyer can build his/her case.
IME'S/QME'S/AME'S/DDE'S
AGS provides full-service medical legal management for our QMEs and AMEs. CME makes the physician’s experience in becoming a QME (or joining our group) as smooth as possible. Our proprietary practice management system allows you to simply see your applicant and dictate your report; there is no full-time office to manage, staff or billing worries. Our concierge service provides all scheduling, offices, transcription, billing, DWC compliance and clear organized and concise records uploaded for easy access. AGS physicians are also assigned a personal scheduler to handle all phone calls, questions and paperwork. We foster a professional and collegial environment in which physicians routinely provide peer to peer consultation to one another. AGS utilizes a rigorous training process to ensure that all physicians are familiar with complex medical legal concepts. This process results in comprehensive and fair reports that are widely respected by the legal and insurance communities.
ATTORNEY'S
AGS’s physicians are widely respected by both applicant and defense bars and are frequently selected as Qualified Medical Evaluators and Agreed Medical Evaluators. AGS doctors are promptly available and issue timely and thorough evaluations that are consistently evidence based. Reports are based on reasonable medical probability and are considered substantial medical evidence. The evaluations include appropriate psychological testing, address both parties’ concerns, contain a thorough review of records, and address applicable labor code and case law. AGS’s comprehensive and prompt reports help reduce case length, facilitate settlement, and reduce the need for supplemental reports and depositions. When supplemental reports or depositions are requested, our doctors and staff will rapidly respond to meet your needs. From start to finish, the evaluation process will be professionally handled by our dedicated and highly trained office staff.
MASS TORT
Working smarter, not harder, is what makes AGS’s mass tort services unparalleled in the industry. Preparing your best case for mass tort litigation can be a complicated and arduous task. Unless you know exactly how to source, assess, and properly document pertinent case facts, you can waste vital time and resources pursuing dead ends—or worse, overlook critical data essential to winning a large suit.
AGS’s staff of trained nurses and wide-ranging roster of professional expert witness consultants have the extensive legal, medical and product knowledge to help you make effective, decisive decisions throughout the course of any litigation from pre-trial to settlement phase.