In life, there is always a chance that you will get hurt. No matter how careful you try to be, something can always go wrong and bad things can come your way. No matter how safe you make your life, with all the healthy food and supplements, the safest cars, the safest neighborhoods, and the safest homes, something can still go wrong.
One famous adage called Murphy’s Law which states: “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong”. Click here to learn more about Murphy’s Law. There are only so few that you can do to make things as perfect as your plans but for things you cannot control, you will need a backup plan. Be it insurance or a claim from a respondent, it is helpful that this is expedited.
One way that these processes move faster is through the Personal Injury Assessment Board or the PIAB. This state body in Ireland helps claimants process their claims for physical injury. Here are the process of the Personal Injury Assessment Board and how you can file for claims.
PIAB Injuries Board Claims
The first thing that you need to do when filing for claims is to file and submit a claim with the Personal Injury Assessment Board or PIAB Ireland. You will also need to submit a medical certificate and proof of special damages which will account all that you have spent out of your pocket because of the injury.
The next thing that will happen is PIAB will contact the respondent that you have indicated. This is the person or company who has caused the accident and is allegedly responsible for your physical Injury. They will be asked if they are willing to settle in the PIAB injuries board with the amount that you have demanded. If they say yes, then an amicable settlement will be reached but if they refuse, the PIAB will automatically give you the authorization to proceed. This authorization is a piece of paper that will state that there was no amicable settle reached and the case is ready to proceed in court.
Hiring a Solicitor for the Case
If your claim does not end in the PIAB injuries board claims, then it will definitely go to court. It will always be best to hire a Solicitor to make sure that you are well represented in court and so that you can claim the largest amount possible. The Solicitor will also guide you with the complicated processes in filing cases in court. If you don’t hire one then you will be representing yourself and unless you yourself are a lawyer, then you will be at a disadvantage.
Hiring a lawyer does not ensure that you win the case but it definitely gives you an edge than not hiring one. If your claims are true, there is little to no chance that you will lose a case as long as you have a lawyer to help you and represent you.
Which court?
The choice of the court depends on the amount of the claim of your case against the defendant. There are three courts where your case could go and these are the district courts, circuit courts, and the high courts. Your case will go to the district court if the claim is equal or less than 15,000 euro. If your claim is equal or less than 60,000 euro but is more than 15,000 euro then your case will go to the circuit court. At the instance that your claim is more than 60,000 euro then your case will directly go the high court. Here is a link for the different types of courts in Ireland: http://www.courts.ie/Courts.ie/Library3.nsf/pagecurrent/D20EEB58D73F3D688025810D0046BB1B?opendocument&l=en.
Awards
At the instance that you win the case in court, you will be compensated for the damages that have been incurred physical through physical injury and including the inconvenience of the process of claiming. General damages are those that pertain to your physical injury and what the case is all about. The court will determine how much you will and can claim pertaining to your mishap.
There are also special damages that you can claim when you win a case in court. This will most likely be more than the general damages because this includes a range of claims that need to be calculated as a result of the case reaching the court. These will include your solicitor’s fees, your loss in earning due to the inability to work, and even your travel and lodging to the courthouse.
Moving forward to court might be tempting especially since the money involved is bigger if a case reaches the court. However, it is still better to settle it amicably for less hassle and so that you will also have fewer enemies in life.
