Personal Injury

The personal injuries guidelines system will "inevitably begin to fray" if the government continues to veto inflation-based increases in awards, the chief justice has warned at the opening of the new legal year. Chief Justice Donal O'Donnell said it was "simply counter-productive" to prevent the gui

The High Court has awarded €130,000 in general damages to a mother whose son was killed when he was struck by a vehicle in 2017. Delivering judgment for the High Court, Mr Justice Tony O’Connor found that “the plaintiff has suffered PTSD from the 'horrific experience that she had' i

Medical professionals have again urged the government to implement pre-action protocols to speed up clinical negligence claims, nearly a decade since the passing of legislation paving the way for their introduction. Dr Rob Hendry, chief member officer and medical director at the Medical Protection S

The Injuries Resolution Board has published its first research report on personal injury claims arising from farm-related accidents between 2019 and 2024. The 32-page report shows that almost a quarter of all claims relating to farm accidents involved serious injury — significantly higher than

A proposed increase in Northern Ireland court fees will jeopardise access to justice, the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) has warned. The Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunal Service (NICTS) has just closed a consultation on a proposed nine per cent increase in civil court fees, spread

An inflation-linked increase in personal injury awards is set to be effectively vetoed by the government. The Judicial Council proposed a 16.7 per cent increase in awards to the justice minister, Jim O'Callaghan, in February this year.

Half of all awards by the Injuries Resolution Board were accepted last year, with €76 million estimated to have been saved in legal costs, according to a new report. A total of €168 million was awarded in compensation during 2024, with acceptance rates increasing to 50 per cent from 48 per

The High Court has dismissed a claim by the former employee of a racehorse trainer who injured his back at work, finding that liability could not be established simply because the incident happened on the trainer’s premises and/or while the appellant was working for him. Delivering judgment fo

Belfast lawyer Sabrina Lawlor has been appointed as the Northern Ireland representative on the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) executive committee. Ms Lawlor, regional manager of personal injury and senior lawyer at Thompsons Solicitors Northern Ireland, brings a wealth of experience t

Northern Ireland personal injury law firm JMK Solicitors has welcomed recognition for two of its team members from the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL). Solicitor Una O'Neill has been appointed as joint regional coordinator for APIL's Northern Ireland group, a post previously held by th

Over €700 million in compensation has been awarded for injuries sustained in almost 40,000 motor accidents over the past six years by the Injuries Resolution Board, according to a new report. The State body, previously known as the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB), today published a co

Personal injury lawyers in Northern Ireland have expressed disappointment with a U-turn on plans to require compensation settlements for injured children to be approved by judges. Justice minister Naomi Long has said there are "evidential and practical difficulties" with proposed legislation on mand

Law firms have joined organisations representing patients, doctors and dentists to urge the government to take the final steps needed to implement pre-action protocols in clinical negligence cases. Matheson, Carson McDowell and Hayes solicitors have signed a letter co-ordinated by the Medical Protec

Northern Ireland's justice minister has rowed back on plans for legislation requiring compensation settlements for injured children to be approved by judges. Sir John Gillen's 2017 review of civil justice recommended that minor settlements in personal injury cases where legal proceedings have not be

A public consultation has been launched to help shape the government's next action plan for insurance reform. The first action plan for insurance reform, published in 2020, led to the introduction of the personal injuries guidelines and major reforms to what is now known as the Injuries Resolut