What does PIAB stand for?
The Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) is Ireland’s independent state body which assesses personal injury awards for people that have been injured in an accident through no fault of their own. Sometimes the PIAB is known and referred to as the “Injuries Board”.
PIAB is an independent body set up under the Personal Injuries Assessment Board Act 2003. The Personal Injuries Assessment Board (Amendment) Act 2007 was enacted to extend the Personal Injuries Assessment Board Act 2003.
What is the role of the PIAB?
The role of PIAB is to calculate the amount of damages due to a person who has suffered a personal injury through no fault of their own. It is important to note that PIAB do not process medical negligence claims.
PIAB publishes on their website what is called the Book of Quantum which gives the approximate value of injuries to various parts of the body. The approximate value given is purely indicative and may be subjective up or down to a variety of factors.
How does the PIAB work?
PIAB is the first route that the claimant must follow when seeking damages for a personal injury suffered through no fault of their own – your Solicitor will complete this process on your behalf, as there is a number of “pitfalls” that you need to avoid. PIAB provides an assessment of personal injury awards for victims of workplace accidents, motor accidents, public liability accidents (slips, falls or trips).
If you have suffered a personal injury and are making a personal injury claim, it is a legal requirement in Ireland that you first lodge a claim with PIAB before you can use the courts system to obtain an award of damages.
PIAB will only assess a claim if the other party (known as the respondent) does not dispute liability for the accident. The Respondent must first consent to the assessment before it can be assessed by PIAB. Personal Injury Claims are assessed by PIAB, based on all of the medical evidence provided, having regard to the Book of Quantum to assess the award for a particular injury. This is known as assessment in accordance with the Book of Quantum (see above). The PIAB assessment is not binding on either party and if either of the parties is dissatisfied with the award from the PIAB, then the claim can be transferred to the courts. If this is your case then pick up the telephone and call Personal Injury solicitors Dublin now on 01 524 0606.
Do you need a Personal Injury Solicitor to file a personal injury claim with the PIAB?
No you do NOT need to have a Personal injury solicitor to file a claim the PIAB. However there are some very strong reasons why you should have a Personal injury solicitor on board before filing a claim with the PIAB;
- Any mistake that you make in filing with PIAB may well lead to your claim being rejected by the PIAB and may lead to serious consequences in any future court proceedings. Simple mistakes like the incorrect address or name of the respondent may not be corrected and lead to rejection. You may only find this out many months later and this might be crucial bearing in mind the statute of limitation. Major mistakes is you naming the wrong Defendant or legal entity, or not remembering to inform PIAB of a previous accident or injury. These omissions may result in your claim being thrown out by the Courts and an Order of Costs being issued against you;
- PIAB DOES NOT OWE YOU A DUTY OF CARE and if a mistake is made, you cannot sue PIAB – you will be left with to deal with the consequences!
- Should the PIAB assessment be rejected then you may be forced, many months after the accident, to the court system to obtain a successful outcome of your claim. Witnesses and vital evidence may be lost and may not be available to you at that stage;
- So our advices is simple, always appoint a solicitor. We offer practical legal advice to you & can advise on all options should you wish to proceed. We are experts in personal injury claims & ensure you get the advice and support you need.
So it would be best to talk to Personal Injury Solicitors Dublin to both look after your claim and gather the relevant evidence for you so call them on 01 524 0606 now.
