Irish personal injury claim values are set by the Personal Injuries Guidelines published by the Judicial Council, with most claims passing through the Personal Injuries Assessment Board before any litigation.
The Republic of Ireland operates a structured personal-injury system anchored to the Personal Injuries Guidelines, the Judicial Council's 2021 framework that replaced the previous Book of Quantum. The Guidelines are referenced both by the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) for pre-litigation assessment and by the courts when claims are litigated. They substantially recast soft-tissue and minor-injury bands compared to the Book of Quantum.
Most personal-injury claims start at PIAB. PIAB makes a written assessment of damages without a contested hearing. Either side can reject the assessment within a fixed window and proceed to litigation; if both sides accept, the assessment becomes binding and the claim resolves without court.
Limitation is two years from the date of injury or date of knowledge under the Statute of Limitations 1957 as amended by the Civil Liability and Courts Act 2004, among the shortest in the English-speaking world.
Indicative settlement values. Each row names its source or is marked as a MyClaimWorth estimate. These are starting points for valuation, not quotes for any specific case.
| Injury type | Band |
|---|---|
| Whiplash / soft tissue (minor) | €500 to €3,000Personal Injuries Guidelines: minor neck injury, recovery within six months |
| Whiplash (1 to 2 years) | €6,000 to €12,000Personal Injuries Guidelines: minor neck injury, recovery in one to two years |
| Neck, moderate | €12,000 to €23,000Personal Injuries Guidelines: moderate neck injuries |
| Back, moderate | €20,000 to €55,000Personal Injuries Guidelines: moderate back injuries |
| Back, severe | €50,000 to €140,000Personal Injuries Guidelines: severe and serious back injuries |
| Brain, moderate | €25,000 to €140,000Personal Injuries Guidelines: serious and moderate brain damage, lower two brackets |
| Severe traumatic brain injury | €300,000 to €550,000Personal Injuries Guidelines: severe and most severe brain damage |
| Wrist fracture (minor, no lasting damage) | €500 to €18,000Personal Injuries Guidelines: minor wrist injuries |
| Arm fracture (serious, lasting disability) | €50,000 to €100,000Personal Injuries Guidelines: other arm injuries, severe |
| Medical negligence (non-fatal) | €30,000 to €400,000+MyClaimWorth estimate |
| Workplace injury (employer liability) | Valued on the Personal Injuries Guidelines bracketAssessed by the Injuries Resolution Board under the Personal Injuries Guidelines (2021), which replaced the Book of Quantum. |
Statute of Limitations 1957, s.3 as amended
Time runs from the later of the date of injury and the date of knowledge. Time pauses while a claim is before PIAB and resumes on issue of an authorisation to proceed to court.
Civil Liability Act 1961, s.34, reduction by percentage of fault. No bar threshold.
Caps that bite on damages awards in Ireland, ordered by impact.
There is no statutory cap; the Guidelines themselves set the upper bands. The Supreme Court has indicated upper-band figures should be applied conservatively.
Each sub-jurisdiction has its own variations.
High Court for above-Circuit-Court value
Circuit Court for mid-value claims
The procedural pathway from injury to settlement under Ireland law.
Section 8 of the Civil Liability and Courts Act 2004 requires a formal letter of claim to be served within two months of the cause of action accruing.
A claimant submits Form A together with a medical report. PIAB notifies the respondent and gathers responses.
PIAB makes a written assessment of damages without a contested hearing. Most cases are assessed within 9 months.
Either side has 28 days (claimant) or 21 days (respondent) to accept or reject. Rejection results in an Authorisation to issue court proceedings.
If proceedings issue, they are commenced in the Circuit Court (≤€60,000) or High Court for higher-value claims.
The Mediation Act 2017 encourages mediation; many cases settle at the door of the court.
Bench trial only, there is no civil jury for personal-injury actions in Ireland (Courts Act 1988).
Reported decisions that shape the framework. None of these is a substitute for advice on your case.
Supreme Court endorsed the constitutional validity of the Personal Injuries Guidelines.
Court of Appeal on the use of comparators in quantum.
Short, direct answers to the questions people ask most.
Vocabulary that comes up in any conversation about claim value in this jurisdiction.
Every claim turns on its own facts: severity, prognosis, recovery time, the medical paper trail, lost income, the applicable cap, and the published band that most closely matches. The figures on this page are illustrative, not a quote. For representation, consult a solicitor or attorney qualified in Ireland. See our disclaimer for the full scope of what we do and don't do.
