Nurse or Occupational Therapist? Why You Don’t Have to Choose at Tessa Gough Associates

When instructing a care expert witness, solicitors often ask the same question: Should I choose a nurse or an occupational therapist?

Traditionally, nurses have been associated with care reports, while occupational therapists (OTs) focus on aids and equipment. But that split can sometimes lead to inefficiencies and inconsistencies in evidence.

When working with Tessa Gough Associates, you don’t have to choose. Both our nurses and occupational therapists are trained to deliver comprehensive, holistic Care, Aids and Equipment Reports — giving solicitors and insurers a single, cohesive assessment built on experience, accuracy and care.

Understanding nurse and occupational therapist expert witness roles

That isn’t to say nurses and OTs don’t have unique skillsets and bring different experiences to report writing (they do) — so here’s a brief way to understand their roles.

• ›Nurse expert witnesses bring years of hands-on experience from hospital and community settings. They understand nursing standards, complex medical needs, and care delivery in both clinical and community environments.
• ›Occupational therapist expert witnesses specialise in helping individuals regain or maintain independence. Their expertise includes functional ability, rehabilitation, home adaptations and the use of aids and equipment to improve daily life.

While each profession has a different focus, their roles overlap considerably. Both contribute essential insight into how a person lives, and how the right care and equipment can support their recovery and independence.

Why solicitors often prefer OTs

Claimant solicitors often lean towards OTs, believing their skillset better fits assessments involving mobility aids or home modifications. And in some cases — such as those requiring extensive equipment recommendations — that’s understandable.

But Andy Moss, our Business Operations Director, says the decision doesn’t need to be black and white.

“There aren’t really defined case types that require an occupational therapist, unless there’s a significant aids and equipment element or an occupational therapist is already instructed for the other side.”

Our experts (whether nurses or OTs) are equally capable of delivering detailed, impartial, and court-ready assessments that meet all CPR Part 35 standards.

The risks of splitting care and equipment reports

In some companies, a nurse completes the care report and an OT completes the aids and equipment report. This can create:

• ›Disjointed evidence, with overlap or contradictions between recommendations
• ›Higher costs, from duplicate assessments or visits
• ›Longer timescales, as two experts review and finalise separate documents

The result can be a fragmented picture of the claimant’s needs. That’s the opposite of what a robust legal report should provide.

One expert, one report: The Tessa Gough Associates approach

At Tessa Gough Associates, every nurse and OT expert witness is trained to produce a full Care, Aids and Equipment Report.

Our combined approach offers clear advantages:

• ›Consistency – One expert delivering a single, cohesive assessment
• ›Efficiency – Faster turnaround times and reduced duplication
• ›Credibility – Each expert trained, mentored and peer-reviewed to Tessa Gough Associates’ high standards

As Kim Morris, MD at Tessa Gough Associates, explains:

“Our nurses and occupational therapists all produce holistic reports. It’s the training, not the job title, that determines quality — and our training ensures every expert meets the same high standard.”

Why it matters for solicitors and clients

For solicitors and insurers, a unified approach means:

• ›Clearer evidence – One expert covering all relevant aspects of care and equipment
• ›Stronger reports – Comprehensive, impartial and easy to defend in court
• ›Better outcomes – Reports that reflect every part of a claimant’s lived experience

Every expert witness report from Tessa Gough Associates combines clinical understanding with practical insight, provides unbiased opinions and helps those who have sustained injury to rebuild independence, not promote dependence.

At Tessa Gough Associates, you don’t need to decide between a nurse or an OT.

Both are trained to deliver comprehensive, court-ready Care, Aids and Equipment Reports that provide clarity, consistency and confidence for every case.

FAQs: Nurse vs occupational therapist expert witness