Payouts Up in Ireland

Compensation claims hit insurers for €200m last year, it was revealed today.

The Injuries Board findings show 25,919 new claims were registered, an increase of 5% on 2008 figures.

But there was a reduction in the number of successful claims.

Patricia Byron, chief executive of the Injuries Board, said the rise in unemployment obviously affected work-related claims.

“Workplace accident claims were down by 6.5% due to less people at work,” she said.

“In the year ahead, we would anticipate that the average award may fall as we deal with less workplace accidents, which tend to attract the higher award,” she added.

The highest award was €493,902, made following a road accident fatality.

According to the Injuries Board annual report the average award was €23,163, which is significantly lower than 2008 figures.

“The average award of €23,163 in 2009 was 6% lower than in 2008,” Ms Byron said.

The Injuries Board did not see a huge increase in personal injury claims following the recent big freeze, Mrs Byron said.

“Despite the high number of injuries sustained from trips and falls in recent weeks, the expectation is that few will result in claims as compensation would only arise if the injury arose from negligence by another party,” she said.

“Of course it’s early days still and we will handle any claims which are made in the normal way,” she added.

The Injuries Board is an independent statutory body which resolves personal injury claims without going through the courts.
http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/ireland/compensation-claims-up-5-to-over-200m-last-year-442904.html