Public Liability Occupational Therapy Medicolegal Expert Assessments

Occupational Therapy Expert Opinion

Independent occupational therapy expert witness opinion is provided in public liability matters arising from injury sustained in public, commercial, or recreational environments.

Opinion examines the functional consequences of injury following incidents such as slips, trips, falls, and other accidents occurring in public spaces, focusing on real-world function and vocational impact rather than diagnosis alone.

Purpose of Occupational Therapy Opinion in Public Liability Matters

Occupational therapy medicolegal opinion in public liability matters may assist with:

Evaluating functional impact following slip, trip, or fall incidents
Assessing limitations in activities of daily living and community participation
Examining work capacity, vocational tolerance, and the practical impact of injury on employment
Considering the sustainability and reliability of functional performance over time
Analysing consistency between reported limitation, medical documentation, and observed function
Translating clinical findings into real-world functional consequences relevant to liability and quantum

Functional Focus

A real-world functional lens is applied, with consideration commonly given to:

Physical capacity, mobility, balance, and endurance for daily and vocational tasks
Pain behaviours, symptom variability, pacing, and fatigue
Capacity to perform domestic, community, and work-related activities
Functional performance across differing environments and task demands
Change in functional ability relative to pre-incident status
Reliability and consistency of performance over time

Presentations Commonly Considered

Public liability instructions commonly involve functional impact associated with:

Orthopaedic injury affecting mobility, tolerance, and task performance
Soft tissue injury associated with pain, reduced endurance, or activity limitation
Spinal injury impacting posture, movement, and sustained functional capacity
Persistent pain presentations influencing participation, reliability, and work capacity

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To refer a public liability matter or request occupational therapy expert opinion, please get in touch.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the role of occupational therapy expert opinion in public liability matters?

Occupational therapy expert opinion provides independent analysis of functional capacity following injury, examining how the incident has affected day-to-day functioning and work capacity within a medicolegal context.

How is occupational therapy opinion developed in public liability matters?

A structured medicolegal framework is applied, analysing observed function, endurance, reliability, and vocational impact, and translating real-world functional limitation into clear, objective expert opinion.

What functional domains are commonly considered?

Opinion commonly addresses daily activities, mobility, physical tolerance, endurance, cognitive and psychological functioning, and the impact of injury on capacity for sustained employment.

How are pre-existing conditions considered?

Where relevant, analysis distinguishes between pre-incident function and post-incident change, informed by medical records, reported history, and observed performance.

Do you provide care needs or attendant care assessments?

No. This practice operates as a specialist occupational therapy medicolegal service and does not undertake care needs assessments, attendant care reviews, or recommendations regarding support hours or services. The focus remains deliberately specialised on functional and vocational capacity for medicolegal purposes.

Are reports suitable for disputed or litigated matters?

Yes. Reports are prepared with medicolegal scrutiny in mind, providing objective analysis, transparent reasoning, and defensible conclusions suitable for use in disputed or litigated matters.