“Eman at Yazdchi Law was extremely professional, responsive, and supportive at all times. He and his staff exceeded all of my expectations.”
Andrea Dalessandro
✦ Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation Law — Certified by the State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization ✦
Serving injured workers across California. Board-certified specialist; no fee unless we win.
By Eman Yazdchi, Esq. · Certified Specialist in Workers' Compensation Law, State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization
In California, a Panel QME (PQME) is selected through the §4062.2 panel-strike process — three QMEs assigned by the DWC Medical Unit, each party strikes one — while an Agreed Medical Evaluator (AME, sometimes called IQME for 'independent') is a single physician jointly selected by the parties. Yazdchi Law handles California medical-legal disputes statewide.
In California, a Panel QME (PQME) is a Qualified Medical Evaluator selected through the California Labor Code §4062.2 panel-strike procedure — three QMEs assigned randomly by the DWC Medical Unit, each party strikes one, and the remaining physician examines the worker. An Agreed Medical Evaluator (AME, sometimes called IQME for "independent") is a single physician jointly selected by the parties without the strike process. Both produce medical-legal reports admissible at the WCAB.
Under California Labor Code §4062.2, when a California medical-legal dispute arises in a represented case, either party serves an objection identifying the disputed issue and requests a QME panel from the DWC Medical Unit. The Medical Unit randomly selects three QMEs in the relevant specialty. Each party has 10 days to strike one; the remaining QME — the one neither party struck — is the assigned PQME.
An Agreed Medical Evaluator (AME, sometimes called IQME) is selected by joint written agreement of the California parties — no DWC Medical Unit panel and no strike procedure. AMEs are typically among the more experienced California medical-legal evaluators. The AME report carries even more weight than a PQME report because it reflects mutual selection. Parties commonly prefer an AME when the dispute is technical — apportionment under California Labor Code §4663, future medical care, California Labor Code §3208.3 psychiatric causation.
The assigned PQME (under California Labor Code §4062.2) or AME examines the California injured worker and issues a written medical-legal report addressing compensability, the AMA Guides 5th Edition Whole Person Impairment percentage, apportionment under California Labor Code §4663, the date of Maximum Medical Improvement, and any future medical care under California Labor Code §4600. The report is admissible at the WCAB and applied under the Permanent Disability Rating Schedule under California Labor Code §4660.
California Labor Code §4062.2 governs the panel-strike procedure for represented California workers only. For unrepresented California workers, a different panel QME procedure applies: the worker selects one QME directly from a three-physician panel, without the strike step. The two procedures differ in how the QME is chosen but not in the legal effect of the report — both produce a medical-legal evaluation admissible at the WCAB and applied under California Labor Code §4660.
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