An Agreed Medical Evaluator (AME) is when both parties ‘agree’ on a physician to perform an Independent Medical Evaluation. If you have an attorney, your attorney and the claims administrator may agree on a doctor without going through the California state system used to pick a Qualified Medical Evaluator (QME). The doctor your attorney and the claims administrator agree on is called an agreed medical evaluator (AME).
A Qualified Medical Evaluator (QME) is picked from a list of state-certified doctors issued by the DWC Medical Unit. QME lists are generated randomly. An AME can only be used if you are represented by an attorney. Once you see an AME you are not entitled to see a QME. An AME may be used regardless of the year of injury. An AME physician may be a QME, but does not have to be one
