Head & brain claim values
in Ireland.

• No statutory cap on general damages
  Personal injury (general)
  Bands set by PIAG; courts apply the same bands

  There is no statutory cap; the Guidelines themselves set the upper bands. The Supreme Court has indicated upper-band figures should be applied conservatively.

1. 1
   Letter of claim

   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.

2. 2
   Application to PIAB

   A claimant submits Form A together with a medical report. PIAB notifies the respondent and gathers responses.

3. 3
   PIAB assessment

   PIAB makes a written assessment of damages without a contested hearing. Most cases are assessed within 9 months.

4. 4
   Acceptance or rejection

   Either side has 28 days (claimant) or 21 days (respondent) to accept or reject. Rejection results in an Authorisation to issue court proceedings.

5. 5
   Court proceedings

   If proceedings issue, they are commenced in the Circuit Court (≤€60,000) or High Court for higher-value claims.

6. 6
   Mediation and settlement

   The Mediation Act 2017 encourages mediation; many cases settle at the door of the court.

7. 7
   Trial

   Bench trial only, there is no civil jury for personal-injury actions in Ireland (Courts Act 1988).

A driver rear ended at a Cork roundabout in 2020, left with post-concussion syndrome and worsening migraines, was awarded €75,000 for those injuries plus €55,000 for her whiplash, knee and other injuries: €130,000. A passenger in a four car collision in Limerick was awarded €40,000 for post-concussion syndrome and €67,900 in general damages overall.

• Sheehan v Beamish
  High Court · 2026
  €130,000 general damages

  On 27 November 2020 the plaintiff was stopped at a roundabout at Shannon Park, County Cork, when the defendant’s vehicle struck the rear of her car; she had no memory of what happened immediately afterwards. Her post-concussion syndrome, with worsening migraines, was valued at €75,000, and €55,000 was added for her whiplash, knee and other injuries. Special damages were added on top.

• Fitzgerald v Mirabelle & Ors
  High Court · 2025
  €67,900 general damages

  On 10 October 2020 the plaintiff, a long time carer for her husband, was a passenger in a car that was rear ended and pushed into the car in front on Childers Road, Limerick. The court gave €40,000 for the dominant injury, post-concussion syndrome, and two thirds of the value of her neck pain, carpal tunnel syndrome and psychiatric difficulties.

• How much is a head & brain claim worth in Ireland?

  The band table on this page shows head & brain values in Ireland by severity. The most severe matching band is €300,000 to €550,000, from the Personal Injuries Guidelines, Judicial Council (2021). The exact figure within the band depends on severity, prognosis, recovery time, the medical paper trail, and any percentage of fault attributed to the claimant under Ireland's comparative-fault rule.
• What is the statute of limitations for head & brain claims in Ireland?

  2 years from date of injury or date of knowledge. Source: 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.
• Does fault allocation reduce a head & brain settlement in Ireland?

  Civil Liability Act 1961, s.34, reduction by percentage of fault. No bar threshold. Reductions are calculated as a percentage of the total damages award before any cap is applied.
• Are there caps on head & brain damages in Ireland?

  Yes — Ireland applies the following caps that bear on head & brain claims: No statutory cap on general damages. See the caps section on this page for the figures and the conditions under which each applies.
• How long does a Ireland head & brain case take to resolve?

  Soft-tissue presentations commonly resolve within 6 to 12 months from medical stability. Complex cases with surgery or contested liability routinely take 18 to 36 months. Cases that proceed to trial commonly take 2 to 5 years. The procedural pathway on this page sets out the typical milestones in Ireland.
• Is settlement preferable to trial for a head & brain claim in Ireland?

  For most Ireland head & brain claimants, yes. The vast majority of personal-injury cases settle before trial. Settlement provides certainty, removes appeal risk, and resolves faster. Trial is appropriate where liability is genuinely contested or where the defendant's insurer is unrealistic about quantum given the published authority.