Important Advice about Car Accident Claims
According to the latest figures released by the Injuries Board Ireland, car accident claims for compensation accounted for 74% of the awards made in 2010, and more than 75 million Euros in damages was assessed for victims injured in car accidents for which they were not to blame. However, the Injuries Board Ireland statistics do not give an accurate reflection of car accident claims in Ireland, with a number of claims for car accident compensation being resolved by litigation in court and many more settled by negotiation — often well before the Injuries Board Ireland has completed their assessment process.
Which Car Accident Claims Process is Best for Me?
Initially, people making car accident claims in Ireland have no option but to apply to the Injuries Board Ireland for an assessment of car accident compensation. The Injuries Board Ireland will reject your application if there is any dispute over liability and issue you with an “Authorisation” to pursue claims for car accident compensation through the courts. The “authorisation” does not eliminate the possibility of a quick settlement by negotiation, it only exists because the Injuries Board Ireland has no mandate to establish liability or determine to what degree a negligent driver was responsible for your injuries.
Where liability is not disputed, the Injuries Board Ireland will proceed with the assessment of car accident claims. However, while this process is continuing, you may be approached directly by the negligent party´s insurance company with an offer of early settlement. Car insurance companies want to save money any way they can, and whereas they will allege that their approach is to save money in legal fees and possibly court costs, their compensation offers to settle car accident claims in this manner are often inadequate. Inasmuch as you may not welcome high-pressure “third party capture” tactics from a car insurance company while you are recovering from your injuries, their approach can be of some benefit to you provided you are aware of the true financial value of your car accident claims.
Solicitors and Car Accident Claims
One of the advantages of seeking legal advice for car accident claims in Ireland is that a personal injury solicitor will usually perform a full assessment of your injuries and the effect they have made to your life prior to compiling the application form to the Injuries Board Ireland. In this way, he or she will be aware of how much compensation you should receive for your car accident claims — avoiding the possibility of you accepting an inadequate offer of early settlement from the negligent party´s car insurance company. However, once the car insurance company has made their approach, it opens the door for a quick and fair settlement by negotiation between your solicitor and the negligent party´s insurers.
Being fully aware of your injuries and how much your car accident claims for compensation are worth will also enable your solicitor to determine whether the assessment made by the Injuries Board Ireland of your car accident claims is a true reflection of the financial cost of your injuries. If not, they will be prepared to represent you in court to assure you of the maximum award of car accident compensation if an acceptable settlement cannot be negotiated in the meantime.
Free Car Accident Claims Legal Advice
If you have been injured in a car accident for which you were not wholly to blame, you are invited to call our Solicitors Advisory Panel on 1800 989 995 and speak directly with a personal injury solicitor to get helpful and practical advice about car accident claims. Our solicitors have a wealth of experience in handling car accident claims in Ireland and will be able to answer any questions you have about claims for car accident compensation as well as putting your mind at rest about the legal process if this is the first time you have sustained a personal injury in a car accident.
There is no charge for calling our free car accident claims legal advice service and you are under no obligation to proceed with car accident claims once you have spoken with us. We offer an advisory service in plain English which is completely confidential and through which you can have a free assessment for your car injury claims for compensation. Even if you have already submitted your assessment to the Injuries Board Ireland, or have been approached by the negligent party´s car insurers with an offer of early settlement, you have nothing to lose by getting free car accident claims advice from experienced and expert Irish solicitors.
What to Expect When You Call
When you call our free car accident claims legal service, you will be speaking directly with one of our experienced personal injury solicitors. Our solicitor will ask you to relate the circumstances surrounding your car accident and the injuries you sustained. We can often tell you immediately if you have car accident claims worth pursuing and explain the initial procedures involved in making a claim.
We will also be able to advise you how long it may take to resolve your claim for car accident compensation and how much —if anything — it will cost. Frequently our advice leads to more questions, so you may wish to have a notepad and pen handy when you call in order to makes any notes you may wish to refer to later.
It is also a common occurrence for people to call our free car accident claims legal advice service and then think of more questions at a later stage. If this happens to you, you are more than welcome to call us again and speak once more to an experienced Irish car accident claims solicitor.
