How a personal injury claim works in Ireland
Personal injury law in Ireland gives those harmed through the negligence of another person or organisation a route to seek compensation through the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) and, where necessary, the courts. Knowing what is recoverable, how the PIAB process works, and what the procedural rules require at each stage makes the route from accident to resolution clearer. The article below sets that framework out in plain English.
Suffering an injury can have a significant impact on every aspect of a persons life. Our role is to asses each case carefully and honestly, advising clients on the avenues available to them where they have suffered injury as a result of a third parties negligence.
Richard O'Shea, Solicitor
What you can claim for
A personal injury claim in Ireland covers two main categories of loss. General damages compensate for the pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life caused by the injuries. Special damages cover the financial losses arising from the accident — medical expenses, physiotherapy and rehabilitation costs, loss of earnings during recovery, and travel costs to and from medical appointments. In cases of serious injury, future losses — including the cost of future medical treatment and the long-term impact on earning capacity — are also recoverable.
The level of general damages is guided by the Personal Injuries Guidelines published by the Judicial Council in 2021, which replaced the PIAB Book of Quantum. The Guidelines set out appropriate damages ranges for common injury types, and both PIAB and the courts use them as the starting point when assessing claims. We assess each claim against the Guidelines and explain how the injuries are likely to be valued.
The Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB)
In Ireland, most personal injury claims must go through the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) before court proceedings can be issued. PIAB is an independent statutory body that assesses personal injury claims based on the medical evidence and the financial losses submitted. PIAB may make an assessment that either side can accept or reject; in some cases PIAB declines to make an assessment at all. Where PIAB issues an authorisation, the claim can then proceed to court if the parties choose.
We submit PIAB applications on the client's behalf — gathering the medical evidence, completing the application, and responding to correspondence — and review any settlement offer made at any stage of the process. Where an offer reflects the value of the claim under the Personal Injuries Guidelines, we say so. Where it does not, we explain why.
Types of personal injury claims we handle
- Workplace accidentsEmployers in Ireland have a statutory duty to provide a safe place and system of work. We advise where workplace injuries arise from inadequate training, faulty equipment, unsafe premises, or a failure to follow health and safety regulations. We can also advise on any related employment law matter that arises from the accident.
- Public liabilityOccupiers of premises — shops, restaurants, public buildings, and private properties — owe a duty of care to visitors under the Occupiers' Liability Act 1995. We advise on public liability claims where injuries on premises arise from a hazard the occupier failed to address.
- Road traffic accidentsRoad traffic accident matters are subject to specific procedural rules and must go through PIAB before court proceedings can issue. We advise on liability, the PIAB application, dealings with insurers, and the conduct of the claim through to settlement or court if required. See our road traffic accidents page for fuller detail on the procedural rules and the MIBI scheme for uninsured drivers.
- Civil litigationWhere a dispute cannot be resolved by agreement — whether it involves a breach of contract, a property dispute, or another civil wrong — court proceedings may be necessary. We advise on the merits of bringing or defending civil proceedings and act for clients through the litigation, including at trial.
Time limits for personal injury claims
Personal injury claims in Ireland are subject to a two-year time limit under the Statute of Limitations (Amendment) Act 1991. The clock runs from the date of the accident, or from the date the injured person first became aware of the injury (the 'date of knowledge'), whichever is later. Where the injured person was a minor at the time of the accident, time does not begin to run until they turn 18. Missing the time limit will generally end a claim regardless of its merits.
