The Process

Initial consultations are free of charge and without obligation. During this consultation we collect all the required information and answer any questions you may have. In the event you have a valid claim for personal injury compensation, we will inform you of the options and the procedures that will then be followed

• Have I a Case?
• Costs
• Litigation
• Outlay
• Will I Have To Go To Court?
• What Is The Value Of My Case?
• How Long Will It Take?
• The Statute Of Limitations
• What Is The Procedure?
• Court Lodgements
• Medical Examinations
• Defendant’s Medical Examination
• Settlement Meetings
• Notice For Particulars
• Child Plaintiffs
• Going to Court
• Appeals
• Our Promise
• Personal Injury Assessment Board (PIAB)
• Road Accidents
• Work Accidents
• Public Accidents

Have I A Case?
If you have suffered injury, loss, damage or expense as a result of the negligent act of omission of another party, then you may be entitled to compensation from that other party or his/her insurers.

The purpose of this information is not to discuss the particular laws involved. Before accepting your instructions, we will have discussed your case with you and will have advised you of the strengths and weaknesses (if any) of your case. In many cases, it is very clear from the outset that an injured party will succeed in being fully compensated, for example, where the injury results from a motor accident when the client is a passenger, to give but one example. In some cases, the courts apportion liability, i.e. they rule in favour of the Plaintiff but make a deduction from the full value of the case on the basis of the Plaintiff’s “contributory negligence.”

It is important to note that many valid claims are never brought because an injured party feels the accident was his own fault, whereas the primary cause of the accident may well rest with some other party, and the injured party’s own carelessness may only have been a contributing factor. In such cases the courts may apportion Liability. It is therefore always advisable to consult a solicitor concerning any injury resulting from an accident.

Costs
The law requires a solicitor to provide a client with particulars in writing, when the solicitor is instructed, or as soon as is practicable after that, of:

• The solicitor’s actual charges, or, where this is not possible or practicable
• An estimate of the solicitor’s charges, or, where this is not possible or practicable
• The basis on which the solicitor’s charges are to be made

The value of your case in terms of General Damages will depend on the nature and severity of the injury or injuries, the pain, suffering and inconvenience resulting there from, the length of time for recovery and the prognosis for the future. In addition to General Damages you are entitled to claim compensation for all financial losses and expense sustained by you as a result of the accident, including loss of earnings, doctors’ fees, hospital fees, medication, travelling expenses etc.

Medical Examinations
For the purpose of your claim we will request your doctor and / or the casualty consultant of any hospital you may have attended and any other medical practitioners, to prepare medical/legal reports on your injuries. Sometimes these medical practitioners may furnish reports based on the notes taken when they examined you previously, but very often they will write back to us giving us a date, time and venue for a medical examination.

Defendant’s Medical Examinations
It is standard procedure in all cases for Defendant’s insurance company to request that you attend a doctor from their own panel of medical practitioners. Depending on the severity and nature of your injuries, the insurers may wish to have you examined by more than one medical practitioner. In very serious cases, there may be several medical examinations carried out by specialists in different fields.

Our Promise

• We will deal with your enquiry and / or application promptly.
• We will focus on meeting all your needs.
• We will respect your privacy at all times.
• We will be courteous, fair and polite in all our dealings with you.
• We will make all efforts to ensure our offices are accessible to everyone including people with disabilities.
• We will facilitate all our clients to complete their business in a friendly, efficient and comfortable environment.

Injuries Board
Since 2003, the majority of Personal Injury Claims, must be assessed by the Injuries Board, before any Court Proceedings can be issued. Having taken your instructions , we will obtain the necessary medical reports. On receipt of the medical reports we will then submit your case to the Injuries Board. The defendant or their insurers must consent to the matter being dealt with by the Injuries Board. If they so consent, the Injuries Board may arrange an independent medical examination. It will then issue a valuation of the claim. If you are willing to accept this decision and provided the Defendant or their insurers are willing to pay it, then the valuation is accepted and paid out. However if either you or the other side does not accept the Valuation then the claim will proceed to Court.

The Injuries Board does not award legal costs. You will therefore be liable to pay these costs from your award from  P.I.A.B.