How to Appeal an IME Decision Successfully: Appealing an Independent Medical Examination (IME) decision can be challenging, but many have been successful by following these strategies: 1. Get a Second Opinion from Your Treating Physician: A strong strategy is to get a detailed medical report from your own doctor that directly counters the IME findings. Ensure your doctor explains why they disagree with the IME and provides evidence from your medical history, diagnostic tests, and treatment plans to support your claim. Doctors who have treated you for a long time may have a better understanding of your condition than an IME doctor who only sees you once. 2. Gather Comprehensive Medical Records: Collect all of your relevant medical documentation, including test results, treatment records, and reports from specialists. These documents can be crucial in showing the extent of your disability. Provide any new medical evidence or records that have come up since the IME decision, to help reinforce that your condition is real and continuing. 3. Challenge the IME’s Credibility: If you suspect bias, you can challenge the credibility of the IME doctor. Research if the IME doctor regularly works for insurance companies and whether their assessments often favor insurers. This can be useful to highlight possible biases in the decision. Look for discrepancies or factual errors in the IME report and point these out in your appeal. 4. Check IME Results Timeline: Typically, after your IME, the doctor submits their results to SDI. You may not be told the result at the exam itself. Many people have reported seeing updates in their SDI online portal about 10 days after the IME. Others receive a decision letter in the mail within 2 weeks. SDI doesn’t always notify your original doctor about the IME results, so it’s important to stay proactive and keep track of the status by calling SDI or checking your account online. 5. Hire an Attorney (If Necessary): If you’re unsure how to navigate the appeal process, consulting a lawyer who specializes in disability claims can help. An attorney will know how to challenge an IME decision and can assist with gathering medical evidence or getting expert testimony. 6. Present Expert Testimony: If you can, submit testimony from a medical expert, especially one who specializes in your condition. Their insight can help strengthen your appeal and challenge the IME findings effectively. 7. Write a Detailed Appeal Letter: Your appeal should include a comprehensive letter that clearly explains why the IME decision is incorrect. Make sure to back it up with all relevant medical records, reports from your treating physician, and any other evidence. Specifically address how the IME’s conclusions are wrong, incomplete, or inconsistent with your medical history. 8. Monitor Your SDI Status: SDI Portal: Regularly check your SDI portal for updates on your claim or decision. If you see that your benefits have been denied or that there’s no update after your IME, it’s crucial to follow up directly with SDI. Mail Notification: You should also receive a letter in the mail with the decision from the IME, which will outline if you’re cleared to continue receiving benefits or not. 9. Follow the Appeals Process Closely: Once you receive the IME decision, you have the option to appeal if you’re disqualified. Make sure to follow the appeals process closely, adhere to deadlines, and submit the required documentation. 10. Stay Proactive: As mentioned in the discussion, your treating doctor won’t be notified of the IME results, so it’s up to you to stay on top of the process. Many have found that you need to call SDI regularly, as their system is often overwhelmed. It’s important to take charge of tracking the status of your claim or appeal. Success Stories: Many people have had success by: Obtaining strong rebuttals from their treating physician. Ensuring they provide clear, well-documented medical records. Hiring attorneys when necessary, especially in complex cases. Some have reported being able to see updates on their SDI account within 10 days after the IME, while others received letters in the mail. --- Additional Information: When to Expect Results: After your IME, it usually takes around 10 days to see an update on your SDI portal or receive a decision letter. However, processing times can vary depending on your specific case and the volume of claims at SDI. Proactive Monitoring: Since your doctor won’t be notified of the IME results, you should stay in regular contact with SDI by checking your online account or calling them directly. --- Final Thoughts: If you feel the IME decision was unfair, appealing it successfully will require careful preparation, detailed medical documentation, and persistence. Stay proactive in checking your SDI status and seek legal help if necessary to give your appeal the best chance of success.

Here's the dialing shortcut to get a live person at SDI (EDD State Disability office) -- there's also a tool at the end of the video that guarantees you speak with an agent without any hold time: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ

Just wanted to add that you should also check with your grocery store's HR about any short-term disability benefits they might offer through their employee benefits package. Sometimes these can supplement your SDI benefits or cover the 7-day waiting period. Also, if you're union, they may have additional resources or advocate for you with EDD if you run into issues. Don't forget to factor in that your Social Security retirement benefits will continue uninterrupted during your recovery - that's one less thing to worry about! Wishing you a smooth surgery and recovery process.

Hi Miles! I went through almost the exact same situation last year - I'm 65, on Social Security retirement, and work part-time at Target. Had to get knee replacement surgery and was terrified about the finances. The good news is that you absolutely CAN get SDI benefits while receiving Social Security retirement - they're completely separate systems! My advice: Start your SDI application online as soon as your doctor gives you a surgery date. Don't wait until after surgery like I did - I lost almost 3 weeks of benefits because of the processing time. Also, make sure your doctor knows they need to be very specific about your work restrictions and expected recovery time on the medical forms. One thing that helped me was calculating roughly what my SDI benefit would be beforehand using EDD's online calculator, so I could budget accordingly. With part-time wages, it won't replace your full income, but every bit helps during recovery. The whole process was less scary than I thought it would be once I got started. You've got this!

I'm currently going through this exact same situation with my disability claim for depression and anxiety! It's been 6 days of trying to get through the ID.me verification and I'm honestly at my breaking point. The irony of having to deal with a system that causes this much stress when you're filing for mental health disability isn't lost on me. Reading through everyone's solutions here has been incredibly helpful though - I had no idea about clearing cache/cookies or that certain browsers work better than others. I'm going to try the incognito mode + desktop computer approach tomorrow morning, and if that fails I'll definitely go straight to the Trusted Referee option instead of torturing myself with the automated system anymore. Thank you to everyone who shared what worked for you, especially Owen for the update! It's reassuring to know that people do eventually get through this nightmare.

As someone who's been helping people navigate EDD issues for years, I want to chime in with a few additional tips that might help others still struggling with ID.me verification: 1. **Document quality matters more than you think** - Make sure your ID photos are taken on a flat, dark surface with even lighting. Avoid shadows or glare that can confuse the system. 2. **Network stability is crucial** - If you're on WiFi, try switching to mobile data or vice versa. Sometimes one connection type works better than the other. 3. **Time of day really does make a difference** - Early morning (5-7 AM) or late evening (after 9 PM) tend to have fewer system crashes. 4. **Keep detailed notes** - Screenshot any error messages or reference numbers. This helps if you need to call EDD later. For those still stuck, remember that the Trusted Referee option is there for a reason - don't feel like you're "cheating" by using it. The automated system simply doesn't work for everyone, and that's not your fault. Stay persistent but take breaks when you need them. This process is stressful enough without adding unnecessary pressure on yourself!

Just to add one more important thing - make sure you certify properly every two weeks once your claim is active! The EDD won't automatically send your payments if you don't complete the bi-weekly certification. I missed one certification period and my payments got delayed by almost 3 weeks while they sorted it out.

Just wanted to share my recent experience since it might help! I filed an SDI claim for a knee injury in December and was really glad I didn't wait. My primary doctor was able to certify me for 6 weeks initially, which got my benefits started right away. When I eventually had surgery, my orthopedic surgeon just submitted an updated certification that extended my claim seamlessly. One tip that really helped me - when you meet with your surgeon on February 1st, bring a copy of your current SDI claim number and ask them specifically about timeline for return to work for your type of job. Warehouse work is definitely going to require longer recovery than a desk job. My surgeon was really helpful in being realistic about the timeline once she understood what my daily work tasks involved. Also, don't stress too much about the paperwork details. EDD processed my claim pretty smoothly as long as all the required sections were filled out. The key thing is just getting it filed ASAP like everyone else said. Good luck with your recovery!

lol good luck. took me 3 tries to get someone competent enough to help me change mine 🤡

I went through this process about a month ago and it was actually pretty smooth once I got through. One thing I'd add to all the great advice here - have a backup plan ready in case your first call doesn't go well. I kept a list of different phone numbers (the main line plus the disability-specific line) and different times to call. Also, make sure you're calling on a weekday if possible - I noticed way shorter wait times on Tuesday-Thursday compared to Mondays and Fridays. The whole process took about 15 minutes once I had an agent on the line. Good luck!