The Personal Injuries Assessment Board PIAB was established in 2003. They’re a government body which provides independent assessment of personal injury settlements for victims of workplace, motor and public liability accidents. At Synnott Lawline Solicitors, we have many years of experience in dealing with injury claims and will work with you in what can often be a difficult time as you gather information and weigh up your options.
You’ll need to know a bit about PIAB and what they do. Once you make contact with us, we’ll go through their role in more detail but for now, read about five things you need to know about PIAB.
Personal Injury Claims, with some exceptions, must be assessed by PIAB, before any court proceedings can be issued. Once we have obtained the necessary medical reports, we will present your case to The Injuries Board on your behalf.
PIAB will then notify the other side, or more usually their Insurers, of the application. The other side has the option of consenting to the Injuries Board Assessment Procedure, or of declining.
If they decline, then PIAB take no further part, and we will then issue court proceedings for your injuries, loss, damage and expense. If the other side consent to the Injuries Board Assessment, then they will consider the medical reports furnished by both sides, and will produce a valuation of the claim, usually within 9 – 15 months. There is no oral hearing.
If you are willing to accept The PIAB Assessment and provided the other side are willing to pay it, then this is the end of the matter. However if either you or the other side does not accept the assessment, then the claim will proceed under the former system of court litigation.
It should be noted that as a general rule (but with some exceptions) The Injuries Board does not award any costs, so your legal fees must come out of the figure assessed by The Injuries Board.