Is it really an IMO/IME?

[Berta]

When a vet or widow says here that they have an IMO/IME , or significant medical opinion statements , that they feel support their claims .....I run with that....and base my advice here on believing they do have a strong independent medical opinion that covers the criteria here at hadit 0r very strong other evidence, -to make the opinion probative.

But the fact is that many of these 'IMO/IMEs'  claimants mention here , are not even close to what a true IMO/IME needs to contain.

And a brief medical statement pulled from a VA med rec stack might look good to the claimant but have no real significance at all.

Next time, before I start to give advice on why the VA might have rejected or ignored an IMO/IME- I need to see the actual IMO/IME.

They will ignore good ones, but they also can ignore anything that is not probative and does not advance the claim...this goes for DBQs as well.....if there is no strong nexus statement ( if a nexus is needed for the claim) or if  a 'nexus statement' is given based solely on what the veteran has told the DBQ doctor- it will probably have no value at all to advance the claim.

I spent 4,000 for 2 IMos years ago and that fee would have been far higher, except I laid out a good time line and tabbed specifc records for my IMO doctor- that saved him a lot of time, although he read everything I sent and even found 2 disabilities I had never claimed.

I paid about 1700 again for an additionIMO, but BVA awarded before I got it and the forensic firm refunded to me about 900 of that fee.

So I and many here who advise getting an IMO have had to do that ourselves. As our dear deceased member Carlie said- even if you have to find pops cans to save up for an IMO ,it might be the only way you will ever succeed.

IMOs/IMEs cannot create a miracle. But if the evidence is there, your stuff will get a full medical review, far greater than any medical review the VA will ever give it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Buck52]

I Agree with y Ms berta  Great post.