The Central Bank has now sought to compel insurance companies to provide information about the Personal Injuries Assessment Board to claimants.

Under the new code personal injury claimants will have to be informed they are entitled to deal with the Board directly themselves. The Board feel considerable savings will be made for claimants by not using a Solicitor to assist with the application or to advise on any award made.

While it may be the case that potential claimants could process the PIAB application form themselves there are many issues to be considered when taking a personal injuries claim.

In our experience claimants who have suffered personal injuries in a car accident or in work accident benefit greatly from the advice and support of their Solicitor. Unlike the Personal Injuries Assessment Board we are in a position to answer all our clients queries and explain the process from start to finish on a one to one basis.

Time and time again our clients are very happy to be advised and supported through what sometimes can be a very difficult process. In fact in a number of instances we have dealt with personal injuries claimants who considered applying through the Board themselves but invariably turned to us for expert advice on their personal injuries claim. We find that clients who have suffered injury want to be able to call in person to see their Solicitor to discuss sensitive matters. This facility is not available to a claimant who processes their claim on their own.

In a recent article in the Irish Times Ken Murphy, Director General of the Law Society commented on how 95% of claimants use Solicitors for their claims. He also said that people would be “well advised” to use a Solicitor to process their claim. We have to agree with these comments as a specialised personal injuries Solicitor will have a world of experience dealing with these types of claims and claimants can rest assured they will secure their rightful entitlement. Apart from the actual damages for personal injuries a Solicitor will provide careful advice on submitting a claim for loss of earnings and for special damages, for example medical appointment bills and pharmacy bills. Our worry as experienced personal injury litigation Solicitors would be that claimants would miss some important detail in the completion of their claim.

For matters such as this the advice then is to consult your Solicitor in order that you put the best foot forward and secure the compensation your are entitled to.

By: The Litigation Department at Healy O Connor Solicitors.

The Litigation Department at Healy O Connor deal with all types of Personal Injury Litigation including the following matters:

1. Road Traffic Accident Claims, whiplash injuries, soft tissue injuries.

2. Garda Síochána Injury Claims

3. Medical Misdiagnosis Claims

4. Post Traumatic Stress Claims

5. Prison Officer Claims

6. Work Accident Claims

7. Fatal Injuries Claims

8. DePuy Hip Product Recall Claims

9. PIAB (Personal Injury Claims)

10. Stress and Bullying in the Workplace Claims

11. Medical Negligence Claims