News & Insights
Fight back against rise in insurance premiums
Insurance companies are desperately trying to get us to pay more for our motor and home cover. Some insurers have already raised their premiums, with others threatening increases of up to 20pc. Take Hibernian Aviva. The company recently noted a sharp rise in claims, with a 20pc increase in own damage claims — where people […]
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PIAB must deal with solicitors
We look at the recent judgement of O’Brien -v- Personal Injuries Assessment Board: Supreme Court,Judgment delivered by Mrs Justice Denham on December 19th, 2008, Mr Justice Murray concurring. Judgment If an applicant to the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) wishes to have a legal representative, he or she is entitled to have one. However, PIAB is […]
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Supreme Court rules Piab must deal with solicitors
The Supreme Court has unanimously ruled the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (Piab) is not entitled to pursue a policy of dealing directly with clients rather than through their solicitors. The board has no power under the Personal Injuries Assessment Board Act of 2003 to adopt such a policy and, if claimants choose to hire solicitors, […]
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Drivers warned to watch out for freaky Friday
October is the most dangerous month of the year and Friday is the riskiest day of the week on Irish roads, new analysis of almost 10,000 motor accident claims has revealed. “As part of our ongoing claims profiling, we have analysed 9,655 personal injury awards made in 2006 and 2007 on foot of motor accidents,” […]
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Bus Eireann wont prevent bus crash victims families compensation claims
It had been feared that a number of the families would not be able to claim compensation for the loss of their daughters as they had not lodged claims with the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) within the statutory two-year period of the accident in May 2005. Claims must be lodged with the PIAB – […]
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IP installation reduces bogus injury claims
Tackling bogus ‘slip and fall’ personal injury claims is one of the many innovative functions of an award winning IP installation at a shopping centre. The installation at the Douglas Court Shopping Centre in Cork, Ireland, has won a ‘Best Security Solution’ award for Axis Communications, Milestone Systems and integrator RPC Consultants. The partnership won […]
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Psychiatric nurses end action after deal
Psychiatric nurses have ended industrial action in a dispute over compensation for assaults in the workplace after they backed a settlement reached at the Labour Relations Commission earlier this week. The Psychiatric Nurses’ Association and Siptu said they would lift their ban on overtime and that all units affected by the dispute will be fully […]
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Personal injury payouts higher for men
Men receive higher average payouts than women when it comes to claims through the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB), but women make more claims. But this can be explained by higher car-ownership and higher wages among men, according to Patricia Byron, chief executive of the PIAB. In all, the PIAB awarded EUR181m in claims last […]
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Switchboard operators claim hearing loss
A group of former telephone operators are to issue civil proceedings in the coming weeks against Eircom for loss of hearing. It has beenlearned that a leading audiologist has tested more than 150 retired operators, two thirds of whom showed varying signs of hearing loss. The Communication Workers Union has confirmed that a number of […]
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PIAB plans to pay vulnerable claimants solicitors fees
The Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) plans to pay legal fees to solicitors who represent ‘‘vulnerable’’ personal injury claimants. PIAB has said that additional costs might be justified for certain claimants because of ‘‘exceptional circumstances, which may inhibit their access to the service’’. The fees will normally be paid by the respondent insurance company. The […]
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Victims lose out due to PIAB loopholes
Loopholes in Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) legislation could deprive personal injuries victims of damages, according to legal experts. Since 2004, all personal injury claims relating to workplace, motor and public liability accidents have had to be submitted to PIAB. In its annual report, PIAB said it made awards worth EUR115.3 million last year – […]
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PIAB awards rose sharply last year
Preliminary figures from the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) show that awarded EUR181m to 8,200 claimants last year. The value of awards was up 56%, while the number of awards was 47% higher. The average award was up 7% at just over EUR22,000, with the highest single award EUR620,000. The PIAB was set up in […]
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