You'll hear both terms in Florida defense work — IME and CME — often for the same exam, sometimes in the same breath. Most people use them interchangeably. They shouldn’t, especially once a case reaches litigation. Here's the difference:

"IME" is the everyday term.

Independent Medical Examination is what the industry says nationally, and what you'll hear in the claims stage — before a lawsuit, in PIP and workers' comp matters — when an insurer or employer sends a claimant to a doctor of their choosing. It's informal, arranged directly, and it happens outside the court's process.

"CME" is the litigation term in Florida.

Once suit is filed and you're moving under Rule 1.360 of the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure, the exam has a proper name: a Compulsory Medical Examination. The rule lets a party examine the opposing party when their physical condition is in controversy, on a showing of good cause. The exam is compelled through the court — not arranged on a handshake — and "compulsory" is the word that reflects that.

The word "independent" is the catch.

The examining physician is chosen and paid by the party requesting the exam — so "independent" isn't quite accurate and everyone knows it. Several Florida circuits have gone so far as to issue written CME guidelines stating plainly that the exam should not be called "independent." If it's a CME, call it a CME.

Getting the vocabulary right is a small thing, but it signals you know how Florida handles these exams — and it keeps an easy argument out of the other side's hands.

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