Car Accident Injury Claims

A car accident injury claim is a legal case made by the victim of a car accident that was not their fault, brought against the party responsible for their accident in the hope of securing compensation for their injuries. 

According to the PIAB, there were 21,410 personal injury claims brought before the Injuries Board in 2021. 

Some 70% of these were related to motor-based accidents and road traffic collisions, meaning roughly 15,000 road traffic accident claims were made in Ireland in 2021. 

This figure is likely to be even higher post-pandemic as road traffic returns to a normal level, and the PIAB will have to process a huge amount of car accident injury claims every day. 

For this reason, you may want to consider availing of a personal injury solicitor to help construct a solid, well-formatted claim that stands a good chance of securing compensation. 

Responsibility for a car accident claim lies with the party that is proven to have been at fault for the collision, accident or injury that occurred.

This can be a driver who accepts responsibility and freely offers their contact information or it can be an unknown driver who flees the scene after the accident occurs. 

Claims can also be brought against the council if, for example, the accident was the result of the road itself being unsafe and unfit for purpose. 

If your car accident claim is brought against an unknown or insured driver, you can apply to the Motor Insurers’ Bureau of Ireland (MIBI), which is the body that deals with compensation for victims of car accidents involving unidentified and uninsured drivers. 

For the MIBI to consider your case, you will have to prove that you have made every effort to contact the party responsible for your accident. 

Certain factors that can influence car accidents and usually make it easier to attach blame to the guilty party include: 

Certain car accidents occur more commonly than others. Some of the road traffic collisions that can often lead to car accident injury claims include: 

A rear end collision occurs when one vehicle collides with the back of the vehicle in front of them. 

They can happen when cars are in motion or, more commonly, when cars come to a halt at traffic lights or a junction. 

Multiple rear end collisions can occur when a queue of cars are pushed into each other domino style as a result of one driver’s actions. Injuries can be severe, particularly if there is more force in the collision.  

A car accident involving two vehicles colliding into each other can usually mean a head on or side impact collision. 

Head-on collisions occur when two cars crash front-first into one another, while a side impact collision involves one car driving into the side of another. It can be difficult to prove with total clarity who is to blame for this type of accident, so it is important to document the event as best you can. 

Passengers can be even more vulnerable in car accidents than drivers because of their initial, instinctive reaction to a crash. A driver is more likely to be aware of what is happening given their full attention is on the road, but a passenger may react slower and suffer a more significant injury as a result. 

Roundabouts can be notoriously tricky to navigate, especially for new or learner drivers. It can be difficult to attach blame in roundabout accidents but if it is shown that one driver did not obey the rules of the road and directly influenced a collision, there may be a basis for a road accident claim. 

Minor collisions and car accidents may seem insignificant at the time, but sometimes injuries like muscle strains can manifest themselves over time. 

The external damage to a vehicle may not be an accurate indicator of the internal damage its driver and passengers may have suffered. 

There is a broad scope for injury in car accidents but some car accident injuries occur more frequently than others, including: 

This is not an exhaustive list and if you feel you have suffered another injury as the result of a car accident that was not your fault, get in touch with a personal injury solicitor at Hughes & Associates for advice on your case. 

Car accidents can be hugely stressful and your priority in an emergency should always be your health and the safety of those involved in the collision.

If you do suffer a road traffic accident, you may be best served following these steps:

This is not an exhaustive list and if you feel you have suffered another injury as the result of a car accident that was not your fault, get in touch with a personal injury solicitor at Hughes & Associates for advice on your case. 

Compensation for car accident claims varies on a case-to-case basis, but there are different kinds of damages that you may be entitled to, depending on the specifics of your accident. 

General damages cover the pain and suffering you may have experienced as a result of the accident, be it physical or psychological. 

Special damages cover the expenses you incur as a result of any injuries you sustain, be it a loss of wages from an involuntary leave of absence at your place of work, or medical bills you are forced to pay to recover. 

Material damages cover any impact to your vehicle or any other personal property that was damaged in the car accident. 

If you choose to move forward with a personal injury solicitor, these are the steps involved in making a car accident claim:

If you feel you were the victim of a road traffic accident that was not your fault, feel free to contact Hughes & Associates today for advice on your situation. 

Our personal injury solicitors in Dublin have vast experience in preparing car accident claims.