Question
Can I deny SunLife's request to have their doctor examine me?
My doctors caught Sunlife lying when they said that they didn’t get the medical reports sent to the case manager when the proof was shown to them that it had been received. For how many times, they tried to destroy the legitimacy of my medical condition in order to cut it off. We have lost our trust in them because of all the wrong information that they wrote in their letter just to justify their attempt to deny my case. Now, they want me to be put into independent assessment of their own physician. Can I deny this request thinking that they have paid that physician in order to render opinion in favor of Sunlife? I asked around and most people whom they sent to Independent doctors of sunlife turns out to be undeniably favoring Sunlife. I have a friend on who went under independent medical evaluation but what happened is that even if his physician are saying that he can’t work , the sunlife doctor said othetwise. Please give an advise on what to do. What shall we do if we are being ripped off by Sunlife using their “paid” doctors In order to give an opinion about our medical conditions?
Answer
Steven, Your policy almost certainly has a provision that states Sun Life has the right to send you to a doctor of their choice for an independent evaluation. If you refuse to go Sun Life would be able to deny your claim and many courts have held that failure to attend an IME as required by the policy is a reasonable ground for denial and in turn uphold the decision. That being said you can request to have the IME videotaped or have an independent observer. Please feel free to contact our office to discuss your situation in greater detail.
