Work injury claims Ireland : After any personal injury accident, you first concern should be that of your health. No amount of personal injury compensation will make up for a lifelong health issue or disability that could have been prevented by timely medical intervention. Therefore, after a personal injury accident, summon an ambulance if your injury is severe, or have somebody take you to hospital or your doctor´s surgery as a matter of urgency. Gather witness statements and take photos of the accident scene only if you are physically able to do so — your solicitor will get these for you if required.
Often accident victims are unaware of how much compensation can be claimed as special damages, and as a result the personal injury compensation amounts that are recovered could be lower when legal advice has not been sought. A solicitor will ensure that all costs and expenses — including future costs if known — are included on your claim form under special damages. A solicitor will also arrange for your injuries to be thoroughly assessed by specialist doctors. This is important as your claim must be accompanied by a medical assessment form (Claim Form B). If your medical assessment form does not contain details of all aspects of your injuries – including minor injuries such as cuts and bruises — you will not be able to recover your full entitlement to compensation.
Should someone under the age of eighteen want to pursue a claim for personal injury compensation, it is important to recognise that the Stature of Limitations for personal injuries proceeds from child’s eighteenth birthday. Once the injured party reached the age of eighteen, this is considered their date of knowledge, and after this point they have two years to go to court or file with the Injuries Board. Read more details at What to do after a personal injury accident.
Once adequate time has been provided by the claimant to their solicitor to initiate legal proceedings, the Statute of Limitations should not affect one’s entitlement to compensation. There are, however, some crucial dates involved in the calculation of the Statute of Limitations for personal injuries in Ireland.
If the claimant has admitted to contributory negligence, any negotiations between the plaintiff and the respondent will usually be protracted and claims will take significantly longer to resolve than other, less complex cases. Ordinarily, this is a direct result of the conflict between the parties as to how much negligence will be assigned – the insurers or legal representatives of the accused will want to assign the claimant as high a percentage of the liability as possible. In these instances, it is particularly important that those seeking compensation engage with a solicitor who will negotiate for their best interests. See extra details at http://www.personal-injury-ireland.com/.
Perhaps understandably, many people who have been injured whilst at work are hesitant to claim compensation lest it lead to unemployment, lack of job security or strained workplace relations. Ireland has established laws that protect employees from dismissal in such circumstances, though this can sometimes do mediate the worries of a confrontation in the workplace. Additionally, though many employers will be compassionate to a degree and be concerned that someone has been injured whilst in their employ, they may be reluctant to allow any subsequent safety checks. Some victims may be concerned that they will bankrupt their employer or cause a pay-cut for other employees. However, should a claim result in a settlement, it will be paid by the employer’s public liability insurers, not the employer themselves.
Any claims for car accident compensation that involve a driver that fled the scene should be made against the Motor Insurers’ Bureau of Ireland (MIBI). This organisation was set up by motor insurance companies to allow those injured by an unknown or uninsured driver to recover compensation. However, the Gardaí should be consulted before such a claim is made: they may be able to access CCTV footage or have other methods of tracking down the anonymous driver. The MIBI will likely outright refute any claims made without proof that an effort has been made to track the negligent driver. Read extra info at http://www.personal-injury-ireland.com/work-injury-claims-ireland/.