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The President of the High Court, Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns, has established a working group to examine how damages are paid in catastrophic injuries cases. Here he outlines the background

DAMAGES IN personal injury cases are awarded on a one-off or lump sum basis. In the vast majority of cases, the awards reflect an attempt by the courts to ensure that a claimant is adequately compensated for the damage done and for the injuries suffered. Adequate compensation can be defined as compensation intended to place the plaintiff in the position he would have occupied if the injury had not been suffered, insofar as that objective can be achieved by an award of money.