Updated October 21, 2026 A driver slams into the back of your car on the Staten Island Expressway near the Clove Road exit. Months of physical therapy and painful injections don't help, and a spine surgeon eventually fuses two levels of your neck. Then the insurance company's doctor examines you for 15 minutes and writes a report saying you've "fully recovered." This is the moment treating physician testimony matters most. In New York injury trials, jurors weigh the surgeon w

Updated November 3, 2026 You were rear-ended on the Long Island Expressway in Suffolk County eight months ago. Your neck and lower back haven't been the same since. The MRI shows two herniated discs, your orthopedist has restricted your work duties, and you still can't lift your toddler without sharp pain shooting down your leg. Then a letter arrives from the defense lawyer scheduling you for an independent medical examination with a doctor you've never met, in an office in a

Scale of Justice with Medical Symbols Updated October 27, 2026 Independent Medical Examinations (IMEs) are medical evaluations requested by insurance companies in personal injury and workers’ compensation cases. The IME doctor is not your treating physician and does not provide care. What you say, how you behave, and how the exam is conducted can directly affect your benefits or settlement. Preparing properly, answering honestly, and understanding your rights helps protect yo