Case Study

Case summary:

Incident:

Anthony was enjoying his usual daily cycle routine when he was abruptly hit from his left side by a motor vehicle. He fell immediately, landing onto his right side.

Anthony was not taken to hospital right away; he got back on his bike and returned home. Once home, he booked an appointment with his GP for the following day.

He was off work for two days but when he returned on the third day, Anthony found that it was far too painful for him to remain on his feet for any significant period. From then on, he stayed at home on sick leave, and he eventually became unemployed.

At his initial visit to the GP, he reported pain in his abdominal muscles, lower back, right arm, and hips. His physical examination showed that his right hip was bruised and there was a wound on his right arm.

He was later diagnosed with a soft tissue injury to his lower back.

Anthony’s mood became depressed. He could no longer play with his children, go cycling or fishing. He described that he was unable to put on socks or pants because of his severe back pain. Anthony was referred to a physiotherapist, where he had over fifteen visits in total.

He was also referred to a psychiatrist to treat his declining mental health.

As time went on, Anthony gained a significant amount of weight due to the agony that any kind of physical activity caused him.

Anthony still suffers from acute stress, an adjustment disorder and insomnia associated with physical discomfort. The accident interfered with his quality of life and he was unable to continue with any of the leisure activities that he once loved.

Anthony lost his sense of independence as he was unable to drive for long periods of time and required help around the clock at home from his already occupied wife.

The defendant failed to show any care or take the necessary precautions that caused Anthony a large amount of both physical and mental pain. Every road user bears the responsibility of ensuring the well-being of other road users.

Case progression:

Court proceedings were instigated, and the case was brought to a successful conclusion.

Case settlement:

The case was settled in the Circuit Court on the 4^th of December 2023 for the sum of €30,000. This was a great result for our client, we are proud of all the work put in by Maria and her team to achieve this brilliant outcome.

*Note: Client name changed for GDPR reasons.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I make a car accident claim?

   Following a car crash or other road traffic accident, your first port of call is to check to see if you, any passengers and anybody else involved in the accident need medical attention and to call an ambulance, where necessary, to ensure that medical attention is gotten as soon as possible.

   It is important that, if you have suffered a personal injury that you book an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible after the road traffic accident, even if you are involved in a minor road traffic accident, regardless of how minor you think the injuries are, in some cases these minor injuries can develop into a more serious threat to your health.

2. What information will my solicitor need to make a claim?

   In order for your solicitor to proceed with a personal injury claim for you they will need the following information:

   • Details of the person who caused the accident.
   • Names, addresses and contact information of any witnesses to the accident.
   • Where available, photographs of the location of the accident, paying particular attention to the item or area where the accident happened.
   • Name of Gardaí/police and station where the accident was reported – names of any Gardaí who attended the scene of the accident (where applicable).
   • Medical records detailing any injuries/treatment following the accident.
   • Details of any costs incurred following the accident (keep your receipts).
   • Details of any loss of earnings and details of any future loss of earnings if you are to be out of work for a long period of time.
   • Cost of medical treatment – details of future medical treatment needed.

3. How to calculate the value of my claim?

   The Injuries Board Book of Quantum provides us with general guidelines as to how much compensation may be awarded in a personal injury claim and is used by the Injuries Board when they are assessing a personal injury claim. This book was compiled by examining sample cases from over 51,000 closed personal injury cases from 2013 and 2014 and is based on actual court figures. It shows us what personal injury compensation amounts were awarded in the past and help give an estimate as to how much compensation could be awarded based on a person’s specific injuries.