Dr. Amar Patel, MD is a fellowship-trained hand and upper extremity surgeon and a California Panel Qualified Medical Evaluator (QME), providing medical-legal evaluations for workers' compensation cases involving hand, wrist, elbow, and upper extremity injuries. With extensive clinical experience treating these conditions surgically and non-surgically, Dr. Patel delivers thorough, objective, and defensible evaluations for attorneys, claims adjusters, and injured workers throughout Orange County.
Areas of QME Evaluation
Dr. Patel provides Qualified Medical Evaluations for a wide range of upper extremity conditions and claim types, including:
- Industrial and work-related hand, wrist, and elbow injuries
- Cumulative trauma (CT) claims
- Post-termination claims
- Carpal tunnel syndrome and other nerve entrapment conditions
- Distal radius and other upper extremity fractures
- Tendon and ligament injuries
- Apportionment analysis, including cases involving pre-existing conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis
- Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI) / Permanent and Stationary (P&S) determinations
- Whole Person Impairment (WPI) ratings under the AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment, 5th Edition
Panel QME Status
Dr. Patel is certified as a Panel Qualified Medical Evaluator by the California Division of Workers' Compensation, qualified to serve as an unrepresented or panel QME in hand and upper extremity cases.
What Sets These Evaluations Apart
- Fellowship training in hand and upper extremity surgery, providing evaluations grounded in active surgical and clinical practice
- Clear, well-documented reports designed to withstand scrutiny
- Objective, medically-grounded MMI/P&S determinations
- Accurate WPI calculations using AMA Guides 5th Edition methodology
- Careful analysis of apportionment issues in complex cases
For Attorneys and Claims Adjusters
To schedule a QME evaluation or request records review, please contact our office directly here:
