You've been doing everything right. You reported your injury. You've been going to your appointments. Your doctor has a treatment plan, and you're finally starting to feel like you're on the road back.

Then a letter arrives. The insurance company has scheduled you to see their doctor for what they call a "second opinion," an "independent medical exam," or an "IME."

It's natural to feel uneasy. Why does the insurer want another doctor to look at you? What if that doctor says you're fine when you're not? What happens to your checks and your treatment?

This post walks you through what this exam really is, why it happens, and the steps you can take to protect your claim — before, during, and after the appointment.

What this "second opinion" really is

In Connecticut, this appointment is formally called a Respondent's Medical Examination, or RME. (The "respondent" is your employer and its insurance company.) Insurers often call it an "independent" exam, but it's worth being clear about what that word does and doesn't mean here:

• The insurance company picks the doctor. You don't choose them, and neither does the state.
• The insurance company pays the doctor. RME doctors are often paid a set fee for each exam, and many do this work for insurers regularly.
• This doctor isn't treating you. They won't prescribe anything, follow up, or take over your care. Their job is to examine you and write a report for the insurer.

That doesn't mean every RME doctor is unfair. But it helps to understand why the insurer is asking. RMEs are usually scheduled when the insurance company wants a reason to do one of these things:

• Reduce or stop your weekly benefit checks
• Deny a surgery, test, therapy, or other treatment your doctor recommended
• Argue you've reached "maximum medical improvement" and your treatment should end
• Push for a lower permanency rating, which lowers what your injury is worth
• Say you can return to work, or to light duty, sooner than your doctor believes
• Question whether your injury was caused by your job at all

In other words, the RME is often the insurer's way of building its side of the story. Knowing that is the first step to making sure your side gets told too.

Do you have to go?

In most cases, yes. Under Connecticut General Statutes § 31-294f, an injured worker who is claiming or receiving workers' compensation must attend an exam by a qualified physician when the employer reasonably requests one, or when the Workers' Compensation Commission directs it.

Skipping the appointment can hurt you. Refusing a reasonable request can lead to your benefits being suspended, and the Commission can impose other penalties on a claim when a worker repeatedly fails to attend.

So the best move is almost always to go — and go prepared. If the date or location truly doesn't work (it's far away, it conflicts with a treatment appointment, or you have no way to get there), don't simply skip it. Ask in writing to reschedule, and talk to a workers' comp attorney about whether the request is reasonable.

How to protect your claim: before, during, and after

You can't choose the doctor, but you have a lot of control over how this exam goes. These are the steps that make the biggest difference.

Before the exam

• Read the letter carefully. Note the doctor's name, the date, the address, and what the exam is supposed to cover.
• Tell your own doctor. Let your treating physician know an RME is scheduled, and make sure your records are up to date — especially notes about your pain, limits, and recommended treatment.
• Write a short summary for yourself. How the injury happened, every doctor and therapist you've seen, the treatment you've had, and what you still can't do. Having it on paper keeps you accurate when you're nervous.
• Plan to arrive early. Being late or missing the appointment gives the insurer an easy argument against you.
• Call a workers' comp attorney. This is the best time to get advice — before the exam, not after the report arrives.

During the exam

• Be honest and complete. Describe every symptom, including the ones that come and go. Don't exaggerate, and don't downplay. "I'm fine" is a polite habit that can end up in the report as a medical finding.
• Describe your worst days, not just today. If your pain is worse in the morning or after activity, say so.
• Don't push through pain to look tough. If a movement hurts, say it hurts and stop. Pushing yourself can be recorded as having a full range of motion.
• Stick to the facts. You don't need to discuss your claim, your employer, or how you feel about the insurance company. Answer the medical questions clearly.
• Remember you're being observed. RME doctors often note how you walk, sit, stand, and move — including in the waiting room and the parking lot.

After the exam

• Write everything down the same day. What time you arrived, how long the doctor actually spent with you, what they examined, and what they didn't. A five-minute exam that produces a detailed report is worth pointing out.
• Ask for a copy of the report. If you have an attorney, they'll get it. Read it closely for errors about your history, your symptoms, or what happened in the room.
• Keep up your treatment. Don't stop going to your own doctor because of an RME. A gap in treatment is one of the easiest things for an insurer to use against you.

What if their doctor disagrees with yours?

It happens often: your treating doctor says you need surgery, and the RME doctor says you don't. Your doctor says you can't work yet, and the RME doctor says you can.

The RME report is not the final word. It's one medical opinion. Your treating doctor's opinion counts too, and the Commission can weigh both.

When the two opinions conflict, Connecticut has a tiebreaker: the Commissioner's Medical Examination (CME). An Administrative Law Judge at the Workers' Compensation Commission can send you to a doctor with no connection to either side — one the parties agree on, or one the judge chooses. That doctor reviews your complete medical file and examines you, and their opinion often carries significant weight in resolving the dispute.

This is where having an experienced attorney matters most. A CME has its own procedures, from deciding when to ask for one to making sure the doctor receives a complete, accurate medical file. Getting those details right can shape the outcome of your claim. (You can read more on our Commissioner's Medical Examination page.)

You're doing the hard part. You don't have to do it alone.

Showing up for an exam with a doctor the insurer chose takes courage, especially when you're already hurting. If you prepare, tell the truth fully, and keep your own records, you've done the most important work of protecting your claim.

Where the right guide helps is everything around that: knowing whether the RME request is reasonable, spotting errors in the report, answering it with your own doctor's evidence, and knowing when to ask for a Commissioner's Examination.

That's the work we do every day at James F. Aspell, P.C.:

• Board Certified Workers' Compensation Specialist. Attorney Jim Aspell holds this certification from the Connecticut Bar Association, a distinction held by a small number of Connecticut lawyers.
• Decades in the Connecticut system. More than 35 years representing injured workers — which means we've seen how RME reports are used, and how to answer them.
• Recognized by peers. Selected for The Best Lawyers in America® 2027 in Workers' Compensation Law – Claimants. We represent injured workers, never insurance companies.
• No risk to ask. Your consultation is free, our fee is contingent and approved by the Workers' Compensation Commission, and you don't need to come into the office.

If the insurance company has scheduled you for a "second opinion," call us before the exam at 860-523-8783 or contact us through our website. We'll help you walk in prepared, so you can keep your focus where it belongs: on getting better.

Frequently asked questions

Is the RME doctor going to treat me? No. The RME doctor examines you and writes a report for the insurance company. Your care stays with your own treating doctor.

Can my benefits stop because of an RME report? The insurer may try to reduce or stop benefits based on the report, but there are rules and procedures it has to follow, and you have the right to challenge the decision at the Workers' Compensation Commission. Talk to an attorney right away if you get a notice like this.

What if I can't make the appointment? Don't just skip it. Ask in writing to reschedule, keep a copy, and get advice about whether the request is reasonable.

Can the insurer send me to more than one RME? The statute requires requests to be reasonable. Repeated exams may be challenged — an attorney can tell you whether a request in your case crosses that line.

Is the RME doctor's opinion final? No. It's one opinion. Your treating doctor's opinion counts too, and when the two conflict, a Commissioner's Medical Examination can help resolve it.

This post is general information about Connecticut workers' compensation and is not legal advice. Every case is different, and reading this post does not create an attorney-client relationship. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.