Average personal injury award rises to €24,320

Injuriesboard.ie today announced that assessments totalling €113 million were made relating to 4,652 personal injury claimants during the first six months of this year.

Releasing half-year figures, Injuriesboard.ie, formerly the Personal Injuries Assessment Board, said there was an increase in average award values made by the Board in the first half of 2008 - from €22,057 in 2007 to €24,320.

This was a direct result of a greater proportion of higher value claims being assessed by the board than previously,” Injuriesboard.ie chief executive Patricia Byron added.

The lowest and highest awards in the period were €1,000 and €519,784 respectively, and 87 per cent of all personal injury cases assessed by InjuriesBoard.ie secured awards of under €38,000, a figure in line with data on court awards.

In terms of the values of awards made in the first six months of 2008, 7 per cent were for amounts under €10,000, 52 per cent were between €10,000 and €20,000, 21 per cent were between €20,000 and €30,000, 7 per cent between €30,000 and €38,000, and12 per cent between €38,000 and €100,000, with 1 per cent surpassing €100,000.

Injuriesboard.ie said it had made its 20,000th award, and that cumulative awards since 2004 would surpass half a billion euro in 2008.

The number of awards has risen from 951 in 2005 to 8,208 in 2007, to 4,652 for the January to June period of this year. In terms of value of awards, the figure has risen from €16m in 2005 to €181.04m in 2007, to €113m for January to June this year.

Commenting on the data, Ms Byron, said that the board has continued to fulfill its mission to deliver personal injuries claims fairly, promptly and transparently.

“The Injuries Board‘s objective has always been to reduce the number of cases which went to litigation to around one third of the pre-board period. This objective is being met. In addition to the awards which the board makes, a similar number of claims are settled, facilitated by the board, but without recourse to our full assessment process”.

Personal injury claims in Ireland - excluding medical negligence - must be processed through the Injuriesboard rather than through the courts.