Yes, they can. And I don’t mean yes they can in the sense that they can pick what doctor is your treating doctor, the doctor whose job it is—like any doctor you see normally—to get you better. What I mean is: if the insurance company sends you a notice that they want to have you examined by a doctor they’ve chosen, hired, and paid for, you do have to go to that examination.

But they can’t decide who your treating doctor is. You can continue to treat with your doctor. You continue to be entitled to receive medical treatment and care for your injury.

But they—the insurance company—have the right to have you examined from time to time at reasonable intervals by a doctor of their choosing. And it’s important to realize that that doctor’s not your doctor. They have no physician-patient relationship with you. They’re not there to treat you or get you better.

In fact, you can’t sue them for medical malpractice if they give a wrong opinion to the insurance company about your case.