Personal Injury Solicitors Dublin | Articles

Our most commonly asked questions when making a personal injury claim.

Do I need a solicitor to make a personal injury claim?
In the event of an injury or accident, contacting a personal injury solicitor is essential. Only a
personal injury solicitor will be able to protect you from further claims made against you,
including cross-claims and counterclaims, especially if there was an accident where you were
at fault. A personal injury solicitor can also help you to receive any compensation you may
be owed as a result of injuries caused by an accident where you are not at fault. Getting in
touch with a solicitor as soon as possible following an injury or accident is also very
important, as there are time limits when it comes to claiming for personal injury
compensation.
How long does a personal injury claim take to go to court in Ireland?
Most personal injury claims will usually go to court within a 12 month period, taking an
average of seven months to process a claim from start to finish. Once a judge has agreed the
court order setting out the amount of money due to be paid, and the timeframe in which the
settlement must be paid by, it will then usually take around 21 days before your
compensation is received.
What kind of cases do personal injury lawyers handle?
Personal injury lawyers handle a variety of different cases and claims. These can include a
wide array of accidents, such as an accident at work, a vehicle related or aviation accident, or
a slip-and-fall injury. Other types of cases handled by personal injury solicitors include
negligence in all kinds of settings, such as in the workplace or at a nursery. A personal injury
lawyer will also be experienced in dealing with medical malpractice cases as well as
wrongful death cases too.
Are personal injury lawyers worth it?
Only a personal injury lawyer will be able to properly assist victims in order to to ensure they
are receiving the right amount of compensation owed following an accident or injury.
Personal injury lawyers will always act in the best interests of their client, providing up-to-
date legal advice as well as undertaking settlement negotiations if required. Using a personal
injury lawyer will also help to deter any insurance company from wanting to create further
litigation, making it faster and easier to receive a settlement.
Should I accept first offer of compensation?
Before taking legal advice, you should never accept the first compensation offer received
from your insurance company. An insurance company will always protect their own interests
first, so it is important to use an independent personal injury solicitor who will be able to fight for the right amount of compensation you are due. Research has shown that victims could be losing out on half of what they are owed by accepting the first offer of compensation, so this should be strongly avoided.
How long does it take to receive an offer of compensation?
If your personal injury lawyer is able to settle the matter of compensation without going to
court, then you should be able to receive your offer of compensation within a 14 day period.
However, if your claim goes to court, this can take longer, as a court will need to hear all the
details of the accident and a judge will issue a court order to confirm how much
compensation should be awarded and when the payment will be made. Usually this will take
place 21 days after the court order is issued, but the court process can take several months,
usually between 7 to 12 months.
Is it better to settle or go to court?
The majority of personal injury claims are usually able to be settled out of court. This is
because settling out of court is a much faster option, as well as a cheaper option too,
providing the opportunity to avoid paying expensive legal fees. Moreover, once a settlement
is agreed, it cannot then be appealed. This is another reason why settling out of court is a
better option, as it gives instant closure on the matter and enables the victim to move on with
their life faster too.
What happens if I reject a settlement offer?
The only time it is a wise idea to reject a settlement offer is if you are doing so under the
advice of your personal injury lawyer. Otherwise, you are simply at risk of losing out on
money you are owed, creating a circumstance where you may become embroiled in needless
litigation, losing out on more money in the process. If you do decide to reject a settlement
offer under the advice of your personal injury lawyer, then you can expect this to open up a
period of negotiation between your lawyer and the insurance company. In these instances,
you may then receive a counteroffer, which should be more in line with the correct amount of
compensation needed, depending on each unique and individual situation.
How is a settlement paid out?
The majority of settlements will be paid out as one lump sum payment. Sometimes,
compensation payments may also be paid out in the form of a structured settlement, where a
series of payments are made over a period of time. As structured settlements are more rare,
they are usually done to meet the specific needs of an individual victim, but it is important to
keep in mind that once the terms of the settlement have been agreed by both parties, they will
not be able to be changed in the future. This is why most clients opt to go for a single lump
sum settlement payment instead.