Case Study

Case summary:

Incident:

Amelia was sitting in a stationary car on the rear passenger side of the car and was not wearing a seatbelt. Suddenly, another vehicle parked nearby reversed at speed and struck into the left side of the car that Amelia was sitting in.

The windows on her side of the car were broken and the door was dented inwards. During the collision, Amelia was knocked onto the floor, landing on her left side. Following the impact, Amelia was in shock and felt pain throughout her body.

The Gardai attended the scene of the accident.

The next day, Amelia attended her GP due to pain in her neck, back, left shoulder, left hip, and left side of her chest. She was also experiencing dizziness and difficulty sleeping. Her doctor prescribed sleeping tablets and pain relief medication.

Amelia was unable to work for three days after the accident.

When she returned to work in her hospitality job, she was unable to stand for long periods of time because of the ongoing pain in her hip. As a result, Amelia had to switch to an office-based job.

The collision impacted Amelia’s daily lifestyle. Following the accident, she developed post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and experienced feelings of emotional distress when reminded of the incident. Furthermore, she was unable to do her regular weightlifting in the gym and was more dependent on family for transport following the crash.

The defendants were negligent in their duty to maintain a safe environment for road users. As a direct result of this negligence, Amelia suffered not only physical injuries but also ongoing pain, mental distress, and financial hardship.

Case progression:

The Injuries Resolution Board assessed the injury at €24,852.40. Solicitor Ruth Foy reviewed the Injuries Resolution Board assessment and felt that it did not properly compensate Amelia for the injuries incurred. Ruth instead instigated Court proceedings, and the case was brought to a successful conclusion.

Case settlement:

The case was settled on the 6^th of May 2025 for the sum of €27,500. This was a great result for our client. We are proud of all the work put in by Ruth Foy and her team to achieve this outcome.

*Note: Client name changed for GDPR reasons.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I make a car accident claim?

   Following a car crash or other road traffic accident, your first port of call is to check to see if you, any passengers and anybody else involved in the accident need medical attention and to call an ambulance, where necessary, to ensure that medical attention is gotten as soon as possible.

   It is important that, if you have suffered a personal injury that you book an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible after the road traffic accident, even if you are involved in a minor road traffic accident, regardless of how minor you think the injuries are, in some cases these minor injuries can develop into a more serious threat to your health. In worst case scenarios, fatal road accidents can occur.

2. What information will my solicitor need to make a claim?

   In order for your solicitor to proceed with a personal injury claim for you they will need the following information:

   • Details of the person who caused the accident.
   • Names, addresses and contact information of any witnesses to the accident.
   • Where available, photographs of the location of the accident, paying particular attention to the item or area where the accident happened.
   • Name of Gardaí/police and station where the accident was reported – names of any Gardaí who attended the scene of the accident (where applicable).
   • Medical records detailing any injuries/treatment following the accident.
   • Details of any costs incurred following the accident (keep your receipts).
   • Details of any loss of earnings and details of any future loss of earnings if you are to be out of work for a long period of time.
   • Cost of medical treatment – details of future medical treatment needed.

3. How to calculate the value of my claim?

   The Injuries Board Book of Quantum provides us with general guidelines as to how much compensation may be awarded in a personal injury claim and is used by the Injuries Board when they are assessing a personal injury claim. This book was compiled by examining sample cases from over 51,000 closed personal injury cases from 2013 and 2014 and is based on actual court figures. It shows us what personal injury compensation amounts were awarded in the past and help give an estimate as to how much compensation could be awarded based on a person’s specific injuries.