Do I have to see the insurance doctor after a Butte car crash?

Q: Do I have to see the insurance doctor after a Butte car crash?

The mistake is thinking, "The ER told me to rest, so I'm covered," while the insurance company is already looking for gaps, missed follow-ups, and anything it can call a minor injury. The correct approach is this: the insurance company does not get to pick your treating doctor for a regular car-crash injury claim in Montana. You can usually treat with your own doctor, urgent care, a specialist, or physical therapy. If you were seen in Butte after a Memorial Day or July 4th crash on I-90, keep following that plan. If symptoms get worse, go back. A delayed concussion, neck injury, or back injury is common after a hard wreck. What insurers call an "independent medical exam" (IME) is often not independent at all. It is usually a doctor hired by the insurer to evaluate you, not treat you. A few hard truths: You do not have to switch your treatment to the insurer's doctor just because an adjuster asks. Before a lawsuit, an insurer usually cannot force you to attend an IME for a third-party injury claim. If a lawsuit is filed, a court can sometimes order an exam under Montana Rule 35. If you skip your own follow-up care, the insurer will argue you were healed or not badly hurt. That is why the real issue is not "their doctor versus your doctor." It is consistent medical care versus a record full of holes. If the ER said "follow up in 3 days" and you wait 3 weeks, expect the adjuster to say your pain came from something else, especially if you had a pre-existing back or neck problem. Montana law does allow claims when a crash aggravates an old injury, but your records need to show that clearly. Ask every provider for visit notes, work restrictions, referrals, and imaging reports. If your local care in Butte is limited and you get referred to Billings Clinic, keep that referral. That paper trail matters as much as the diagnosis.

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Accepted Answer

The mistake is thinking, &#34;The ER told me to rest, so I'm covered,&#34; while the insurance company is already looking for gaps, missed follow-ups, and anything it can call a minor injury. The correct approach is this: the insurance company does not get to pick your treating doctor for a regular car-crash injury claim in Montana. You can usually treat with your own doctor, urgent care, a specialist, or physical therapy. If you were seen in Butte after a Memorial Day or July 4th crash on I-90, keep following that plan. If symptoms get worse, go back. A delayed concussion, neck injury, or back injury is common after a hard wreck. What insurers call an &#34;independent medical exam&#34; (IME) is often not independent at all. It is usually a doctor hired by the insurer to evaluate you, not treat you. A few hard truths: You do not have to switch your treatment to the insurer's doctor just because an adjuster asks. Before a lawsuit, an insurer usually cannot force you to attend an IME for a third-party injury claim. If a lawsuit is filed, a court can sometimes order an exam under Montana Rule 35. If you skip your own follow-up care, the insurer will argue you were healed or not badly hurt. That is why the real issue is not &#34;their doctor versus your doctor.&#34; It is consistent medical care versus a record full of holes. If the ER said &#34;follow up in 3 days&#34; and you wait 3 weeks, expect the adjuster to say your pain came from something else, especially if you had a pre-existing back or neck problem. Montana law does allow claims when a crash aggravates an old injury, but your records need to show that clearly. Ask every provider for visit notes, work restrictions, referrals, and imaging reports. If your local care in Butte is limited and you get referred to Billings Clinic, keep that referral. That paper trail matters as much as the diagnosis.