Case Study

Case summary:

Incident:

One afternoon, Donna and her husband were on their way to pick up their daughter from pre-school. Donna’s husband was driving their car and Donna was the front seat passenger. As they were turning right at a junction where they had the right of way, a stolen car, which was being chased at by the Gardai, hit into the driver’s side of their car. The stolen car fled the scene.

The force of the collision pushed Donna to the left side of the car and she felt immediate pain in her right shoulder, neck, arm, and lower back.

Donna was brought to hospital by ambulance where she was assessed and had x-rays taken.  She was discharged home with a prescription for anti-inflammatories and a letter for her GP.

While Donna’s pain was not severe immediately after the accident, it intensified and became more persistent. As a result, Donna was unable to work for three weeks and needed to attend seven physiotherapy sessions.

Donna became severely impaired by her shoulder pain. Donna and her husband have two young children, and she was unable to carry her baby for more than two minutes at a time. She was unable to hold her phone for long in her right hand and she could not carry shopping or any item over 2kgs. Donna found it painful to sleep on her right side and the pain in her shoulder would frequently wake her.

She also had difficulty sleeping as she experienced nightmares about the collision. Donna’s mood became depressed after the accident. She was very anxious, her energy levels were low and she experienced excessive tiredness.

Donna had previously been a learner driver but stopped driving after the accident. She was nervous travelling by car and was extremely vigilant for danger.

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

Case progression:

The Injuries Resolution Board assessed the injury at €20,813.46. Solicitor Philip Gleeson reviewed the Injuries Resolution Board assessment and felt that it did not properly compensate Donna for the injuries incurred. Philip instead instigated Court proceedings, and the case was brought to a successful conclusion.

Case settlement:

The case was settled on the 9^th of May 2025 for the sum of €36,000. This was a great result for our client, we are proud of all the work put in by Philip Gleeson and his 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.