The San Jose California Request for Qualified Medical Evaluator for Workers' Compensation is a formal process undertaken by employers or insurance carriers to select a medical professional to evaluate and provide an impartial medical opinion regarding an injured worker's condition and their eligibility for workers' compensation benefits. This request typically arises when an injured worker's treating physician or primary treating physician determines that further evaluation is necessary to assess the extent of the injury, the worker's ability to return to work, or the need for ongoing medical treatment. The purpose of the Qualified Medical Evaluator (ME) is to provide an unbiased and objective assessment of the worker's medical condition, helping to resolve disputes related to workers' compensation claims. In San Jose, California, there are specific guidelines and regulations that govern the process of seeking a ME. These guidelines ensure that the medical professional selected as the ME is qualified, experienced, and independent of the injured worker's primary treating physician. The ME must have expertise in the specific field of medicine relevant to the worker's injury, such as orthopedics, neurology, psychology, etc. Different types of San Jose California Request for Qualified Medical Evaluator for Workers' Compensation may include: 1. Regular ME Request: This is the most common type of request where the employer or insurance carrier initiates the process to select a ME. It involves notifying the Division of Workers' Compensation and the injured worker about their intention to seek a ME's evaluation. 2. Panel ME Request: This type of request is made when both parties, the employer/insurance carrier and the injured worker or their representative, cannot agree on a specific ME. In such cases, a request is made to the Division of Workers' Compensation to assign a panel of Ames from which the parties can select one evaluator. Each party chooses one ME from the list, and if they cannot agree, the third ME is chosen randomly from the panel. 3. Agreed Medical Evaluator (AME) Request: In certain situations, the employer/insurance carrier and the injured worker may mutually agree on an evaluator without going through the regular or panel ME request process. The chosen evaluator is referred to as an Agreed Medical Evaluator or AME. The San Jose California Request for Qualified Medical Evaluator for Workers' Compensation process aims to ensure fairness and impartiality in assessing the injured worker's medical condition, providing an expert opinion that facilitates the resolution of workers' compensation claims.