Frequently asked questions

Common questions from attorneys, workers’ compensation adjusters, case managers, and referring physicians. For the full process and timeline, see How to refer a case.

How do I refer a case?
Send the referral via the contact form or directly to the practice with the case caption, jurisdiction, the specific psychiatric questions you need addressed, the C-4 (for Nevada workers' comp), available medical records, imaging, and any deadlines. We respond within one to two business days. Our complete intake process is described on the How to refer a case page.
What is your typical report turnaround?
Reports are typically delivered two to four weeks after the examination, depending on case complexity and the volume of records to integrate. Examinations themselves are typically scheduled within two weeks of a signed fee agreement. Expedited turnaround is available for time-sensitive matters — please indicate the deadline at intake.
Do you handle scheduling, or do we?
Either works. Sometimes the practice provides available dates and the referrer's office schedules directly with the claimant; other times the referrer prefers the practice schedule directly with the claimant and confirms the appointment date back to the referrer. Tell us your preference at intake.
Are you a California QME?
No. Dr. Cichon is California-licensed (#196699, since 2024) but is not a Qualified Medical Evaluator for California workers' compensation. California civil litigation, personal injury, federal court, and expert witness matters do not require QME certification and are within scope. California workers' comp matters should be referred to a QME-certified provider.
Are you on the Nevada panel of physicians?
Yes — Dr. Cichon is on the Nevada Panel of Treating Physicians and Chiropractors (NRS 616C.090) and is certified for Permanent Partial Disability impairment ratings in Nevada (NIRSAT 86%, certified 2022). She is also ABIME 6th-Edition and AAEME 5th-Edition Guides certified, including the AAEME stress module.
Do you accept both plaintiff and defense retentions?
Yes. Dr. Cichon accepts retentions from plaintiff counsel, defense counsel, workers' compensation carriers and divisions, and the courts. She is also a regular contractor for IME West on TBI/PTSD defense cases in California and Nevada.
Do you do telemedicine IMEs?
Yes — across all five licensed states (Nevada, California, Utah, Arizona, Wyoming). Arizona statute (A.R.S. § 23-1026) explicitly authorizes telehealth IMEs with consent of both parties. Telemedicine works well for the clinical psychiatric interview and (where applicable) cognitive testing. EEG Brainview is performed in-person in Las Vegas; for full neuropsychiatric exams requiring EEG, the examinee travels to the practice or Dr. Cichon travels for substantial matters.
Are examinations available in Spanish?
Yes. Dr. Cichon is fluent in Spanish (degree-credentialed; functional native), so examinations can be conducted directly in Spanish without an interpreter. Standardized psychological testing is administered in its validated Spanish-language edition, intake forms and history questionnaires are available in Spanish, and the final report is issued in English for the case file.
Do you accept liens?
Lien arrangements with personal injury counsel are considered case-by-case. Please raise lien terms before the fee agreement is signed. Workers' compensation engagements bill the carrier or self-insured employer directly and do not involve liens.
Do you accept insurance?
No. Engagements are billed to the workers' compensation carrier, the requesting attorney or law firm, or the court — not to commercial health insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, or the patient directly. Even SCS pre-implantation psychological clearance evaluations are accepted only when the referral is under a workers' compensation claim.
What is a neuropsychiatric examination, and when do you recommend it?
A neuropsychiatric examination integrates EEG Brainview (quantitative EEG against age-matched normative populations), comparative cognitive testing (against age, baseline psychiatric, and TBI-affected norms), and clinical psychiatric evaluation under one TBI-board-certified examiner. We recommend it for any case turning on traumatic brain injury, concussion, post-concussive syndrome, or differentiation between organic TBI sequelae and pre-existing or comorbid psychiatric baseline. The integrated approach saves the attorney from having to coordinate findings across separate neurology, neuropsychology, and psychiatry workups.
What is the difference between an IME and a DME?
In personal injury practice, the same examination is called an IME (Independent Medical Examination) when retained by plaintiff counsel and a DME (Defense Medical Evaluation) when retained by defense counsel. The methodology, report structure, and standards are identical — only the framing and the requesting party differ.
Do you do criminal forensic work or disability evaluations?
No. The practice focuses on civil-side medical-legal work: workers' compensation IMEs, personal injury IMEs and DMEs, expert witness testimony in civil and federal litigation, Rule 35 examinations, neuropsychiatric exams, and SCS clearance. We do not take competency, NGRI, sentencing, sex offender risk, or other criminal forensic referrals, and we do not perform SSDI / LTD / private disability evaluations.
Can a consultation lead to ongoing treatment?
In select cases, yes. Dr. Cichon's outpatient clinical practice can take ongoing psychiatric treatment for traumatic brain injury, post-concussive syndrome, PTSD, and depression / anxiety / adjustment disorders following an industrial or personal injury, when those conditions are within the scope of the workers' comp claim or PI matter. Treatment is not available for general clinical psychiatry unrelated to a case. See the consultation and treatment page for details.
What records should I send with the referral?
Send what you have at the time of referral; missing items can follow. Useful inputs: treating provider notes, hospital and ED records, prior IME / DME / QME reports, imaging reports (MRI, CT, EEG), neuropsychological testing results, pharmacy records, deposition transcripts of treating providers and other experts, and the workers' comp claim file (or, for Nevada WC, the C-4). For deadline-driven cases, indicate the expert disclosure date or trial date.