NY Times expose on worker's comp IME's

The New York Times ran a series on how injured workers are abused by doctors who perform independent medical examinations (IME's) in connection with their worker's compensation cases.  The basic conclusion was that many of the reports prepared by the examining doctors do not truly reflect the seriousness of the exam findings and the extent of the injured worker's disability and need to further care.

The story featured doctors in New York and the New York worker's compensation system, but could have jusy as easily been written here in Illinois.

In speaking with dozens of injured workers, I can almost tell them that when they get sent for an independent medical exam for a worker's comp case, it is a pretty fair bet that the doctor will send them back to work, tell them that their problems are not related to their work accident, and that they do not need any further care.  I wll also tell them that it is time to hire an experienced Chicago worker's compensation lawyer because the insurance company will not be treating you in a decent and honorable way.  The sad part is that I am almost always right.