Case Study

Case summary:

Incident:

Kate was driving her car to a funeral mass at the time when suddenly a vehicle driving on the wrong side of the road collided with her causing Kate’s car to spin out of control. Kate had severe pain in her right foot, neck, both hips and knees.

The accident left Kate in a significant level of pain and she could not walk properly for four months. She was unable to do housework and her hobbies which previously included going to the gym, swimming, cycling, and walking the dog were all affected. Kate was a carer for her mother before the accident but had to give up this responsibility and have her brother take over.

In the months following the accident, Kate underwent a right total hip replacement and an injection for her right foot problems. Kate is still continuing to use painkillers and physiotherapy for her ongoing back issues.

As a result of the accident, Kate is now a nervous driver, she struggles with anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances. Kate walks with a limp on the right side and the pain in her right foot is unlikely to improve and there is no surgical solution for her. It is expected the pain will deteriorate slowly over time.

Case Progression

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

Case Settlement

The case was settled in the High Court on the 1^st of March 2023 for the sum of €105,500.

This was a great success for our client, we are delighted with the work and care Paul and his team put into the case.

*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. In worst case scenarios, fatal road accidents can occur.

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.