June 22, 2026
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Sabeen
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By Pratheep Sevanthinathan, Esq. — The Seva Law Firm
Published June 2026
You’re recovering from a car accident. You’ve been getting the medical treatment you need — physical therapy, pain management, maybe even surgery. Your Michigan No-Fault insurance has been covering it, just like it’s supposed to.
Then you get a letter: your insurance company wants you to attend an “Independent Medical Examination.”
If you’ve received one of these letters, you’re probably wondering: What is an IME? Do I have to go? And can they really use it to cut off my treatment?
These are questions I hear from clients every single week at our Troy, Michigan office. Here’s what you need to know.
What Is an Independent Medical Examination (IME)?
An Independent Medical Examination is a medical evaluation requested — and paid for — by your insurance company. Under Michigan’s No-Fault Act, specifically MCL 500.3151, your insurer has the right to have you examined by a doctor of their choosing when you’re receiving PIP (Personal Injury Protection) benefits.
The stated purpose is to evaluate whether your treatment is “reasonable and necessary” — the legal standard for No-Fault medical benefits in Michigan.
Here’s the catch: despite the name, these examinations are rarely “independent.” The doctors who perform them are hired and paid by insurance companies, often repeatedly. Many of these physicians have built entire practices around conducting IMEs — and their conclusions tend to favor the insurers paying them.
Why Is Your Insurance Company Requesting an IME?
Insurance companies don’t request IMEs because they’re concerned about your health. They request them because they’re looking for a medical opinion that supports cutting off your benefits. Common triggers include:
- Extended treatment duration — You’ve been treating for several months and the insurer wants a reason to stop paying
- Expensive treatment — Surgery recommendations, long-term therapy, or attendant care costs are adding up
- Pre-existing conditions — The insurer hopes to attribute your injuries to something other than the accident
- Wage loss claims — You’re collecting work-loss benefits and they want to argue you can return to work
In my experience handling Michigan No-Fault cases, an IME request is almost always the first step toward a benefit denial. It’s not a neutral evaluation — it’s a strategy.
Do You Have to Attend the IME?
Yes. Under Michigan law, if you’re receiving PIP benefits, you are generally required to submit to a reasonable IME when your insurer requests one. Refusing to attend can give the insurance company grounds to suspend your benefits entirely.
However, “reasonable” is the key word. You have rights:
- Reasonable scheduling — The exam should be at a reasonable time and location. They can’t send you three hours away without good reason.
- Proper notice — You should receive adequate advance notice of the appointment.
- You can bring someone — You’re allowed to have someone accompany you to the examination, and in many cases, you can have the exam recorded.
- You can request the report — You’re entitled to a copy of the IME doctor’s report.
What Happens After the IME?
This is where things get serious. After the examination, the IME doctor writes a report. If that report concludes your treatment is no longer “reasonable and necessary” — which happens more often than it should — your insurance company will likely use it to:
- Deny future medical claims related to your accident injuries
- Cut off attendant care benefits if you have in-home help
- Terminate wage loss benefits by claiming you can return to work
- Refuse to authorize recommended surgeries or procedures
A single IME report can effectively end the medical coverage you’ve been relying on for your recovery. And many accident victims don’t realize they have legal options to fight back.
How to Protect Yourself
If you’ve received an IME notice, here’s what I tell every client who walks through our door:
1. Don’t skip the appointment. I know it feels unfair. But missing the IME gives the insurer exactly what they want — an easy excuse to cut your benefits without even needing a negative medical opinion.
2. Be honest but careful. Answer the doctor’s questions truthfully, but don’t minimize or exaggerate your symptoms. Describe how your injuries affect your daily life. Don’t let the doctor rush you.
3. Document everything. Write down how long the exam lasted (many IMEs are shockingly brief — 10 to 15 minutes for complex injuries), what the doctor asked, and what physical tests were performed. This information matters if the results are challenged later.
4. Talk to a lawyer before the exam. Ideally, you should have legal representation before you even receive an IME notice. An experienced Michigan No-Fault attorney can advise you on your rights, request the IME report, and challenge unfavorable findings.
5. Know that a bad IME isn’t the final word. If your benefits are denied based on an IME, you can dispute the denial. Your treating physicians can provide counter-opinions, and the matter can be taken to court. Insurance companies count on people giving up. Don’t.
The Bigger Picture: Michigan No-Fault Reform Made This Worse
Since Michigan’s 2019 No-Fault reform took effect, insurance companies have become even more aggressive about using IMEs to cut costs. With the fee schedule changes and reduced coverage options that many drivers now carry, the stakes of an unfavorable IME are higher than ever. Accident victims with “limited” PIP coverage can exhaust their benefits much faster — making every denial that much more devastating.
This is exactly why having a knowledgeable attorney matters. The law is on your side, but you need someone who knows how to use it.
Don’t Let an Insurance Company’s Doctor Decide Your Future
If you’ve been injured in a car accident in Michigan and your insurance company is requesting an IME — or has already cut off your benefits based on one — you have legal options. At The Seva Law Firm, we fight insurance companies every day on behalf of accident victims across Michigan. We know their tactics, and we know how to push back.
Call us today for a free consultation:
The Seva Law Firm
(248) 385-5704
100 W. Big Beaver Rd, Suite 500, Troy, MI 48084
www.sevafirm.com
Pratheep Sevanthinathan is the owner and managing attorney of The Seva Law Firm in Troy, Michigan, focusing on personal injury and Michigan No-Fault insurance claims.