Medico Legal Reports

Defining the true functional impact and associated cost of any physical, cognitive and/or psychological injury.

Welcome to
Independent OT Medico Legal

Independent OT Medico Legal (formerly Independent OT Services) was founded in 1984 and has a solid reputation for providing quality medico legal reports. We pride ourselves on consistently meeting specific requirements of the brief and producing quality, timely and comprehensive reports.

Independent OT Medico Legal employs experienced Occupational Therapists who conduct thorough, objective medico legal examinations of both children and adults.

Our Medico Legal Process

At Independent OT Medico Legal we have two occupational therapists attend for all independent medical examinations. All therapists are trauma informed, compassionate and objective. There is no additional cost for this service, though we’ve found that it improves the peer review process, improves the speed of delivery for the report, and results in a more robust report.

We are mindful that the thought of the assessment process, and having a second person attend, is often daunting for our clients. However, all have appreciated our method of practice following completion of the assessment. Having two therapists attend also reduces the number of questions required following the consultation, as there are two people taking notes and making observations. We’ve found that this aspect is very much appreciated by the people we assess.

Our primary objective is to provide a comprehensive report with regard given to minimising as much of the negative impact and stress on the person being assessed.

Our main services

We offer medico legal reports considering the functional impact and associated costs of any physical, cognitive and/or psychological injury as a result of:

Asbestos and Silicosis exposure icon

Brain Injury

Assessments to support legal cases involving traumatic brain injuries and related conditions.

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What to Expect From an Independent OT Medico Legal Assessment

Prior to the assessment, we will have reviewed all medical evidence provided including hospital discharge summaries, and relevant medical records and reports from medical specialists (including treating doctors, psychiatrists, occupational physicians, rehabilitation consultants, allied health practitioners etc). Prior to the assessment we will have completed an analysis of this medical evidence to determine a timeline of events from the time the injury was sustained to the time of our OT assessment.

Typically an Independent OT Medico Legal assessment takes between 2-3 hours to complete and will likely involve a combination of interview (lots of questions), paper-based assessments and clinical observations of physical and cognitive abilities. We welcome a support person to be present with the individual being assessed to assist them to feel more comfortable. We often find that a support person who knows the individual well can also provide valuable insights into the impact of the injury sustained, and perhaps provide examples of how this effects day-to-day function.

During the assessment we will obtain a full history from the injured party and confirm that the timeline of events that we have prepared from analysis of the medical documentation is correct and complete. If the individual has any other health conditions or medical issues that are not related to the compensation claim, this will be explored during the various assessments to ensure that any care or equipment recommended relates only to the relevant medical conditions.

We will ask questions to determine what support (if any) has been provided by the individual’s family as a result of the injury and any associated functional limitations. Information provided by the individual and/ or their support person will be examined in conjunction with our own observations and paper based assessments to determine the extent of past gratuitous care that may be considered in a compensation claim. Any past gratuitous care is discussed in detail in the medico legal report and linked with medical evidence provided to ensure our assessments are justified.

We will request information regarding any treatments or rehabilitation services that have been undertaken, and the impact that these have had on the injured individual’s ability to function in day-to-day life. We may ask for contact details for any treating allied health or medical practitioners in order to discuss any future treatment options with them.

Once the consultation has been conducted, the report writing commences. As we analyse and evaluate all the information gathered, there may be some additional questions in the following weeks if there are any details that require further clarification.

Typically our medico legal reports are ready for release within 6 weeks of the assessment date.

Why Choose Independent OT Medico Legal?

All our Occupational Therapy staff have extensive experience in their area of clinical specialty and are committed to ongoing professional development in order to maintain currency of knowledge regarding various conditions, treatments, products and equipment.

We have extensive expertise and specialised knowledge across a range of clinical fields including:

  • Physical diagnoses including (though not limited to) spinal injuries; brain injuries; amputees; burns; multi-trauma; neurological conditions including cerebral palsy, Autism Spectrum Disorder, multiple sclerosis, stroke, functional neurological disorder; vision and hearing impairments; dust diseases including mesothelioma and silicosis; and chronic pain conditions.
  • Psychological diagnoses including anxiety, depression, personality disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder. Many clients with physical impairments also experience psychological impairments and so assessment of both physical and psychological impairments is common.

If compensation claims or NDIA Appeals are not settled prior, we will give expert evidence in court or at a tribunal hearing. Our report and witness testimony can play a crucial role in assisting the court to understand the functional impact of health condition so that an informed decision can be made.

Our clients’ experience with our services

Our Medico Legal Professionals

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes we work with both defendant and plaintiff lawyers. At Independent OT Medico Legal, we view our role as being to provide an independent and objective assessment of the functional impact of a condition on the claimant, and to compile an unbiased report to help the court to make an informed decision.

We request that all relevant medical records be made available, along with a letter of instruction which outlines any specific questions that are to be addressed in the report. Relevant medical documentation may include hospital discharge summaries, surgical reports, specialist medical reports and GP records if relevant. Generally we require records from the time of injury onwards, unless there are co-morbid conditions or other reasons as to why medical history preceding the date of injury may be relevant.

Typically an Independent OT Medico Legal assessment takes between 2-3 hours to complete and will likely involve a combination of interview (lots of questions), paper-based assessments and clinical observations of physical and cognitive abilities. We welcome a support person to be present with the individual being assessed to assist them feel more comfortable. We often find that a support person who knows the individual well can also provide valuable insights into the impact of the injury sustained, and perhaps provide examples of how this effects day-to-day function.

We do offer video consultations in some circumstances. This will be assessed on a case-by-case basis and will depend on the type of injury to be assessed, and the ability of the claimant to communicate via that forum.

Some medico legal assessments cannot be effectively or safely undertaken via videoconference such as when there is a significant psychological injury and therefore this forum is not offered for those assessments.

When assessing people with spinal cord injuries, amputations or those who are wheelchair bound for other reasons, in-home assessments are preferred as there are often environmental barriers that prevent easy access in a wheelchair, and these are difficult to accurately assess via videolink. The physical ability of a wheelchair bound person is also often difficult to fully assess without an in-person assessment.

Once the consultation has been conducted, the report writing commences. As we analyse and evaluate all the information gathered, there may be some additional questions in the following weeks if there are any details that require further clarification.

Typically our medico legal reports are ready for release within the following time frames:

  • Motor vehicle, workers compensation, medical negligence: 6 weeks from the assessment date.
  • NDIA Appeal: 2-3 weeks from the assessment date.
  • Mesothelioma: 1 week from the assessment date.

The final report will only be released to the legal party who instructed Independent OT Medico Legal to write the report. The report will be peer reviewed by a member of our clinical team to ensure accuracy, though no other members of the team will have access to the report. All documentation and records are securely stored.

Yes.

Should the nature of injury or relevant symptoms change due to progression of the disorder, surgical intervention, or other condition we can provide an updated medico legal report or supplementary report. This would comment on the physical/ cognitive/ environmental changes applicable since the time of the initial report, and determine any change to recommended future equipment or services, as well as address any specific questions posed in the letter of instruction.

Should the matter be proceeding to trial, then an updated medico legal report is recommended to ensure that the information regarding the claimant’s level of function is current, and that the costs of future assistive equipment and care needs are up to date.

No. An Independent OT Medico Legal report will be the same regardless of the avenue of compensation.

No. We do not diagnose, nor prescribe medications or surgeries that may be applicable for a claimant as this is outside the scope of occupational therapy. This will require independent medical examination or other expert medical opinions.

Schedule an appointment with our expert Occupational Therapists for specialised care and expertise!

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