16 May Why Do I need a Personal Injury Solicitor?
At the Ferrys Solicitors LLP offices across Dublin, we are often asked by our clients, “Why do I need a personal injury solicitor to handle my case?”.
Your solicitor brings with them a knowledge of the law and a wealth of experience in Personal Injury claims. They will always have your best interests at heart and will represent your needs first and foremost. It is rarely in your best interest to settle a Personal Injury claim without the benefit of discussing it with an experienced personal injury solicitor.
Can I handle my personal injury claim without a solicitor?
Can I go to the Injuries Board without a solicitor?
If you have received a personal injury through no fault of your own, you can take your accident claim to the Injuries Board without being accompanied by a personal injury solicitor. However, the Injuries Board (also known as the PIAB or Personal Injuries Assessment Board) will not negotiate on your behalf and will only seek to settle the claim in as efficient a way as possible.
Can I settle my claim without a solicitor?
It is also possible to settle your accident claim by yourself with either the defendant or their insurance company.
However, if you attempt to settle your claim directly with the defendant or their insurer, it can prove very difficult to know if the amount you are being offered is fair. The amount being offered may not be reflective of the severity of your injury and accompanying damages.
The defendant or their insurance company are not necessarily acting in your best interest, but instead are seeking to make the lowest possible settlement that will resolve the accident claim for them. However, your personal injury solicitor will take the full effect of your injury into consideration.
For example, when calculating what compensation you should receive, your personal injury solicitor will take into consideration:
- The severity of your injuries
- The short, medium and long term suffering you may endure
- Any potential loss of earnings or other financial costs of your injury
- Compensation which has been received in similar cases in the past
- Other factors which may influence your claim
Your solicitor will also be able to handle all negotiations for you and advise you on all the information you need to gather, such as medical records, witness statements or other useful evidence, such as CCTV footage, etc.
To speak to one of our personal injury solicitors today, please call our main office in Ormond Quay, Dublin, and they will direct you to one of our personal injury solicitors. Any solicitors you deal with at Ferrys Solicitors LLP in relation to your personal injury claim are solicitors specialising in personal injury claims and all our solicitors are registered members of the Law Society of Ireland.
Useful Personal Injury Links
- For more information on settling your personal injury claim out of court, please see our dedicated article here.
- For more information on how the personal injury claims process works, please see our dedicated article here
- How the Irish Courts work
