Yes - and in Minnesota this can play out very differently because no-fault rules change who pays first. In South Dakota, the big myth is that the insurance doctor gets the final word. They do not.

If this is a work-related crash - for example, your employee slid on black ice on U.S. 12 or got hit on U.S. 281 while working - the workers' comp insurer will often send them to a doctor of its choosing. That doctor matters, but it is not the only opinion. Your employee can still get another medical opinion. The catch is payment: the insurer may refuse to pay for a doctor it did not authorize unless the claim process supports it. In South Dakota workers' comp disputes go through the Department of Labor and Regulation. Bad advice to ignore: "If their doctor says light duty, that's the end." It is not.

If this is a regular car crash claim against another driver, your employee can choose their own treating doctor from the start. The other side's insurance exam is usually about minimizing the claim, not treatment. That is especially common after winter head-on crashes outside Aberdeen, where insurers blame snow, salt trucks, visibility, or prior injuries. A second opinion can help if the insurer says the pain is just "degeneration" or old wear-and-tear.

If there is already a lawyer involved and the lawyer says not to get another opinion, that is not automatically correct. Sometimes a second opinion helps. Sometimes it creates conflicting records if done carelessly. South Dakota clients generally can switch lawyers mid-case, but the file, medical records, and any fee claim from the first lawyer need to be sorted out.

The practical split is simple:

• Workers' comp: second opinion possible, but insurer payment is the fight.
• Third-party crash claim: your own doctor is usually fine.
• Lawyer conflict: you can switch, but do it before records and deadlines get messy.

For crashes, watch the 3-year South Dakota injury deadline. For workers' comp, report the injury fast and keep every work restriction, imaging result, and mileage record.