Chose the QME over the AME for my work comp eval. Big mistake?

My lawyer said pick between a QME and an AME for my spine injury case. I went QME because it was faster. Got my report back. Doctor said I'm only 5% disabled. My chiropractor says I'm at least 15%. Anyone else pick the wrong one and regret it?

3 comments

3 Comments

hugo8257d ago

Oh my, I need to clear up something here. You said the QME was faster, but that's actually not how it works in most cases. A QME is appointed by the state and you have less control over the timing, while an AME is chosen by you and your lawyer together, so you can usually schedule it sooner. So picking the QME because it was faster might have been based on a misunderstanding. The bigger issue though is the difference between your chiropractor and the QME doctor. Chiropractors and medical doctors can disagree a lot on disability ratings, especially with spines. A QME doctor is supposed to be neutral and follows strict state guidelines, but they can also miss things. I would ask your lawyer about getting a second opinion or challenging that 5% number if your symptoms are really that bad. I hope you can get this straightened out. Work comp cases are tricky enough without feeling like you made the wrong call.

gibson.elizabeth6d ago

Same thing happened to me with my knee, QME lowballed me hard and I'm still fighting it.

parker_park86d ago

Man idk, feels like some of this stuff gets blown way out of proportion. Like @hugo825 mentioned all that about QMEs vs AMEs and strict guidelines, but honestly half the time these ratings are just a doctor guessing on a bad day. Unless you're literally in a wheelchair, is 5% really worth the headache of fighting it for months? I'd probably just take the money and move on, but maybe that's just me being lazy.