Qualified Medical Evaluators and the Medical-Legal Process in California Workers' Compensation

Sara E. Heins, Amy Mahler, Travis Hubble, Shona Olalere Oluwatola, Danya Birnbaum, Cheryl K. Montemayor, Jennifer Gildner, Michael Dworsky

ResearchPublished May 21, 2026

In this report, the authors examine the role of Qualified Medical Evaluators — physicians who have been certified by the California Division of Workers' Compensation to assess injured workers and write reports — in California's Medical-Legal system. The report includes analyses of data from the California Department of Industrial Relations and stakeholder interviews to assess whether the system is sustainable and is meeting its intended purpose.

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Heins, Sara E., Amy Mahler, Travis Hubble, Shona Olalere Oluwatola, Danya Birnbaum, Cheryl K. Montemayor, Jennifer Gildner, and Michael Dworsky, Qualified Medical Evaluators and the Medical-Legal Process in California Workers' Compensation. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2026. https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA4655-1.html.
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This research was funded by the California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) and conducted by RAND Health.

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