Section 22-3-7-20 - Physical examinations; board and lodging; traveling expenses; reports; autopsy(a) After disablement and during the period of claimed resulting disability or impairment, the employee, if so requested by the employee's employer or ordered by the worker's compensation board, shall submit to an examination at reasonable times and places by a duly qualified physician or surgeon designated and paid by the employer or by order of the board. The employee shall have the right to have present at any such examination any duly qualified physician or surgeon provided and paid for by the employee. No fact communicated to or otherwise learned by any physician or surgeon who may have attended or examined the employee, or who may have been present at any examination, shall be privileged either in the hearings provided for in this chapter, or in any action at law brought to recover damages against any employer who is subject to the compensation provisions of this chapter. If the employee refuses to submit to, or in any way obstructs the examinations, the employee's right to compensation and right to take or prosecute any proceedings under this chapter shall be suspended until the refusal or obstruction ceases. No compensation shall at any time be payable for the period of suspension unless in the opinion of the board, the circumstances justified the refusal or obstruction. The employee must be served with a notice setting forth the consequences of the refusal under this subsection. The notice must be in a form prescribed by the worker's compensation board.(b) Any employer requesting an examination of any employee residing within Indiana shall pay, in advance of the time fixed for the examination, sufficient money to defray the necessary expenses of travel by the most convenient means to and from the place of examination, and the cost of meals and lodging necessary during the travel. If the method of travel is by automobile, the mileage rate to be paid by the employer shall be the rate as is then currently being paid by the state to its employees under the state travel policies and procedures established by the department of administration and approved by the state budget agency. If the examination or travel to or from the place of examination causes any loss of working time on the part of the employee, the employer shall reimburse the employee for the loss of wages upon the basis of such employee's average daily wage.(c) When any employee injured in Indiana moves outside Indiana, the travel expense and the cost of meals and lodging necessary during the travel, payable under this section, shall be paid from the point in Indiana nearest to the employee's then residence to the place of examination. No travel and other expense shall be paid for any travel and other expense required outside Indiana.(d) A duly qualified physician or surgeon provided and paid for by the employee may be present at an examination, if the employee so desires. In all cases, where the examination is made by a physician or surgeon engaged by the employer and the employee who has a disability or is injured has no physician or surgeon present at the examination, it shall be the duty of the physician or surgeon making the examination to deliver to the injured employee, or the employee's representative, a statement in writing of the conditions evidenced by such examination. The statement shall disclose all facts that are reported by the physician or surgeon to the employer. This statement shall be furnished to the employee or the employee's representative as soon as practicable, but not later than thirty (30) days before the time the case is set for hearing. The statement may be submitted by either party as evidence by that physician or surgeon at a hearing before the worker's compensation board if the statement meets the requirements of subsection (f). If the physician or surgeon fails or refuses to furnish the employee or the employee's representative with such statement thirty (30) days before the hearing, then the statement may not be submitted as evidence, and the physician shall not be permitted to testify before the worker's compensation board as to any facts learned in the examination. All of the requirements of this subsection apply to all subsequent examinations requested by the employer.(e) In all cases where an examination of an employee is made by a physician or surgeon engaged by the employee, and the employer has no physician or surgeon present at such examination, it shall be the duty of the physician or surgeon making the examination to deliver to the employer or the employer's representative a statement in writing of the conditions evidenced by such examination. The statement shall disclose all the facts that are reported by such physician or surgeon to the employee. The statement shall be furnished to the employer or the employer's representative as soon as practicable, but not later than thirty (30) days before the time the case is set for hearing. The statement may be submitted by either party as evidence by that physician or surgeon at a hearing before the worker's compensation board if the statement meets the requirements of subsection (f). If the physician or surgeon fails or refuses to furnish the employer or the employer's representative with such statement thirty (30) days before the hearing, then the statement may not be submitted as evidence, and the physician or surgeon shall not be permitted to testify before the worker's compensation board as to any facts learned in such examination. All of the requirements of this subsection apply to all subsequent examinations made by a physician or surgeon engaged by the employee.(f) All statements of physicians or surgeons required by this section, whether those engaged by employee or employer, shall contain the following information:(1) The history of the injury, or claimed injury, as given by the patient.(2) The diagnosis of the physician or surgeon concerning the patient's physical or mental condition.(3) The opinion of the physician or surgeon concerning the causal relationship, if any, between the injury and the patient's physical or mental condition, including the physician's or surgeon's reasons for the opinion.(4) The opinion of the physician or surgeon concerning whether the injury or claimed injury resulted in a disability or impairment and, if so, the opinion of the physician or surgeon concerning the extent of the disability or impairment and the reasons for the opinion.(5) The original signature of the physician or surgeon. Notwithstanding any hearsay objection, the worker's compensation board shall admit into evidence a statement that meets the requirements of this subsection unless the statement is ruled inadmissible on other grounds.
(g) Delivery of any statement required by this section may be made to the attorney or agent of the employer or employee and such an action shall be construed as delivery to the employer or employee.(h) Any party may object to a statement on the basis that the statement does not meet the requirements of subsection (e). The objecting party must give written notice to the party providing the statement and specify the basis for the objection. Notice of the objection must be given no later than twenty (20) days before the hearing. Failure to object as provided in this subsection precludes any further objection as to the adequacy of the statement under subsection (f).(i) The employer upon proper application, or the worker's compensation board, shall have the right in any case of death to require an autopsy at the expense of the party requesting the same. If, after a hearing, the board orders an autopsy and the autopsy is refused by the surviving spouse or next of kin, in this event any claim for compensation on account of the death shall be suspended and abated during the refusal. The surviving spouse or dependent must be served with a notice setting forth the consequences of the refusal under this subsection. The notice must be in a form prescribed by the worker's compensation board. No autopsy, except one performed by or on the authority or order of the coroner in discharge of the coroner's duties, shall be held in any case by any person without notice first being given to the surviving spouse or next of kin, if they reside in Indiana or their whereabouts can reasonably be ascertained, of the time and place thereof, and reasonable time and opportunity shall be given such surviving spouse or next of kin to have a representative or representatives present to witness same. However, if such notice is not given, all evidence obtained by the autopsy shall be suspended on motion duly made to the board.(Formerly: Acts 1937, c.69, s.12a; Acts 1963, c.388, s.14; Acts1975 , P.L. 235, SEC.5.) As amended by P.L. 28-1988, SEC.54; P.L. 95-1988, SEC.17; P.L. 109-1992, SEC.2; P.L. 99-2007, SEC.183.