What the insurance company does not want you to know: yes, you can usually get your own medical opinion, and in many Fort Worth injury claims you absolutely should.

The question you should be asking next is: which doctor's opinion will carry more weight with the insurer, the court, or Texas workers' comp?

If this is a car, truck, fleet vehicle, police car, or pothole crash claim, the insurer can send you to an IME or "company doctor," but that doctor is often there to minimize your injuries, blame "preexisting" problems, or say you were fine after that hit on I-35W, Loop 820, or a spring pothole blowout on a Fort Worth arterial. You can still treat with your own doctor, urgent care, orthopedist, or specialist, and that record may be far more useful than a one-time exam paid for by the insurance company.

If this is a Texas workers' comp claim, the rules are tighter. If your employer is in a certified workers' compensation health care network, you usually must pick from that network. If not, you may choose your treating doctor from doctors approved by the Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers' Compensation. A company-requested exam does not automatically control your case.

If you are undocumented, the medical issue and the immigration fear are separate. A crash claim or injury treatment in Fort Worth does not get filed with ICE just because you report injuries to an auto insurer, workers' comp carrier, ER, or clinic.

Move fast:

• Get treatment immediately
• Tell the doctor every body part that hurts
• Report a work injury within 30 days if it happened on the job
• Be aware Texas generally gives you 2 years to file a personal injury lawsuit

If the insurer's doctor says "minor strain" but your own imaging shows a torn shoulder, herniated disc, or suspension-related impact injury after a pothole or cement mixer crash, that conflict can decide the value of your claim.