I just saw this blog by fellow injuryboad blogger Jamie G. Goldstein for Chicago where State Farm’s practice of hiring supposed independent medical examiners is being exposed in New York . I wanted to alert any reader to the post and lawsuit against State Farm as it is an example of what we face in Oklahoma all the times with these supposed ‘independent medical examiners.”
In her blog, she points out that there are documents and testimony that are believed to show the doctors hired by State Farm were told to leave out certain opinions that would favor the injured person. The claims of the injured person would then be denied by State Farm as not medically necessary.
The same thing happens in Oklahoma, especially once a case enters litigation. I can’t tell you how many times a so called independent doctor visits my client ONE time and opines that the back surgery or treatment they recieved was “medically unnecessary.” These so called independent doctors are anything but independent. They are paid by insurance companies and some due this as their sole practice. I can think of more than a few so called “independent doctors” in Oklahoma who rarely if ever have testified that a patient actually needed a surgery. This opinion most often occurs after a brief review of records and maybe 30 minute exam.
This has gotten under my skin for years. Contrary to public opinion, in most cases our clients have chosen before ever hiring us to represent them. Then 6 months later, some joker comes in after being paid by the insurance company and gives a medical opinion almost always negative towards my client.
Anyway, should i go on? You want to know how I really feel? Maybe one day I will write a serial blog on this, its happening in our great State every day.
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