Hall v. Carlsbad Supermarket/IGA

OPINION

VIGIL, Judge.

{1} This case presents an issue of first impression under the Workers’ Compensation Act (the Act), NMSA 1978, §§ 52-1-1 to -70 (1929, as amended through 2007): Does a doctor who performs an independent medical examination (IME) under Section 52-1-51, pursuant to the parties’ agreement, exceed the scope of his authority when he diagnoses injuries not specifically identified in the agreement and concludes they were caused by the on-the-job accident? We hold that the doctor did not exceed the scope of the IME and that the worker’s compensation judge (WCJ) did not err by…