A road traffic accident claim* seeks compensation when you are injured in an RTA that was not your fault or only partially your fault. You could suffer injury as a passenger, driver, cyclist, or pedestrian, but if you are injured when using the road, you may have a compensation claim*. 

Serious road traffic accident injuries range from broken legs to spinal damage and amputation. You can also receive soft tissue injuries, lacerations, and muscle damage in an RTA. 

A road traffic accident compensation claim* will be for the effects of the injury on your life today and in the future. When making any personal injury claim*, you will need someone to guide you through the process, with the experience to advise you along every step of what can be a complex legal exercise. 

PBN Litigation  Solicitors in Dublin have the expertise and that vital experience in road traffic accident injury claims* to be with you throughout the process and to get you the compensation you deserve.

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What is a road traffic accident claim*?

A road traffic accident claim* is when you bring a compensation case for damages against the person responsible for your injury in an RTA. The road traffic accident claim* can be against the car owner, their insurance company or even the cyclist who knocked you over when crossing the road. 

Every road user has a duty of care to other road users. If they breach that duty of care and cause you an injury, you may have a compensation claim*. 

Common causes of road traffic accidents:

  • Driver error causes an RTA
  • A defective car causes an RTA
  • A careless driver causes an RTA
  • A drunk motorbike driver causes an RTA
  • Pedestrian on the road

Common injuries in road traffic accidents:

  • Crush injuries
  • Soft tissue injuries
  • Spinal injury
  • Broken leg and arms
  • Lacerations from broken glass

Your solicitor can make the road traffic accident claim* for you. You are the one who suffered an injury in an accident that was not your fault, and you could have an RTA compensation claim*. 

PBN Litigation Solicitors in Dublin can handle your case and advise if you have a valid road traffic accident claim* for compensation.

PBN solicitors work with you to get the compensation you deserve.

We pride ourselves in taking the stress out of personal injury litigation by providing a service dedicated to the client.

Common claims for road traffic accident injury compensation

Common claims for road traffic accident injury range from injuries as a pedestrian to injuries as a driver and even when on an E-Scooter. Any road traffic injury could impact your life and leave you with difficulties in working, enjoying sports, driving, and living an independent life. 

An RTA can happen anywhere and at any time to any road user. If you are injured in a road traffic accident that was not your fault you may have a claim* for compensation. 

Common claims* for road traffic injury compensation are:

  • Injury in a car accident claim*
  • Injury in a public transport accident claim*
  • Injury in a pedestrian accident claim*
  • Injury in a motorbike accident claim*
  • Injury in a bike accident claim*
  • Injury in an e-scooter accident claim*

Injury in a car accident claim*

Injury in a car accident claim* can seek compensation for skin lacerations, broken bones, and serious back problems. The car accident injury can have you off work or needing full time care. 

Types of car accident claims*:

  • Driver of car injured in head-on collision
  • Passenger in a family car injured when hit from the side
  • Injuries to the driver when a car is shunted from behind
  • Injury when a car is hit by another road user not stopping at a junction
  • Injury to passengers when car stops suddenly to avoid another road user

Types of injury in a car accident claim*:

  • Skin lacerations and scarring
  • Broken limbs
  • Amputation of the hands or feet
  • Eye injuries
  • Spinal damage

Your PBN Litigation Solicitors team can help with your car accident claim* and help get you the compensation you deserve. 

Injury in a public transport accident claim*

Injury in a public transport accident claim* can be soft tissue injury in a fall or nerve damage when hit by a bus or Luas on the street in Dublin. 

Types of public transport accident claims*:

  • Passenger in a car was injured when hit by a bus pulling out of bus stop
  • Pedestrian knocked down by bus at busy road junction
  • Pedestrian hit by Luas when crossing the street
  • Car driver injured when car is clipped by a truck
  • Bus clips pedestrian when pulling in at bus stop

Types of injury in public transport accident claims*:

  • Bruising and soft tissue injury to the body
  • Broken legs, ankles, and knees
  • Neck injuries
  • Eye injuries
  • Nerve damage to the back

A public transport accident claim* may be able to get you compensation when injured in an RTA.

Injury in a pedestrian accident claim*

Injury in a pedestrian accident claim* can be severe cuts to the arms and legs or multiple leg breaks and facial injuries. 

Types of pedestrian accident claims*:

  • Walker was hit by a car when crossing the road
  • Jogger hit by bus when on the pavement
  • The child was hit by a car door opening on them
  • Elderly man hit by a bicycle when on the pedestrian crossing
  • Motorbike hits pedestrian when turning at a junction

Types of injury in pedestrian accident claims*:

  • Facial injuries when thrown to the ground
  • Broken fingers from tip by a bus
  • Neck injury when hit by motorbike
  • Broken ribs from car accident
  • Nerve damage

A pedestrian is a vulnerable road user, and you can claim compensation if injured when walking or exercising in public. 

Injury in a motorbike accident claim*

Injury in a motorbike accident claim* can be severe as the rider has little protection when hit by another vehicle or sliding on the road. 

Types of motorcycle accident claims*:

  • Knocked off motorbike when doored by car driver
  • Knocked off a motorbike when hit by a car turning right
  • Knocked off motorbike by car coming out of side road
  • Knocked off a motorbike by a car coming out of a private driveway
  • Knocked off a motorbike by bus pulling out into traffic

Injuries seen in a motorbike accident claim*:

  • Spinal injuries
  • Facial and body lacerations
  • Cracked skull
  • Broken teeth and cheekbones
  • Soft tissue and nerve damage

You are very open to injury when knocked off a motorbike, and you can claim for the injuries and their effects on your life.

Injury in a bike accident claim*

Injury in a bike accident claim*, like a motorcycle accident claim*, can be severe for these vulnerable road users. 

Types of bike accident claims*:

  • Knocked off the bike when hit by a driver in the cycle lane
  • Door opened on cyclist, knocking them onto the footpath
  • Knocked off bike when hit by the pedestrian crossing the road
  • Knocked off the bike by a truck coming too close on the open road
  • Knocked off the bike by a driver making an illegal turn

Injuries seen in a bike road traffic accident:

  • Cuts to the arms and legs
  • Broken ribs
  • Nerve damage
  • Neck and head injuries
  • Broken teeth and eye sockets

A personal injury solicitor can help when you are making a road traffic accident claim* when injured on your bike.

Injury in an E-scooter and E-Bike accident claim*

Injury in an E-Scooter and E-Bike accident claim* is much the same as bike and motorbike accidents, as users are very vulnerable to the actions of others on the road. 

Types of E-Scooter and E-Bike accident claims*:

  • Knocked to the ground by a pedestrian at a junction
  • Doored by driver getting out of a car
  • Hit by a bus when pulling in at a stop
  • Hit by road user when in the cycle lane
  • Knocked off E-Scooter by taxi when in traffic

Injuries in an E-Scooter and E-Bike accident claim*:

  • Broken cheekbones
  • Loss of teeth and broken jaw
  • Cuts to the hands and face
  • Shoulder injury
  • Nerve damage to the back and the neck

Any road traffic accident can have an impact on your life. You may be knocked off your bike, injured when travelling as a passenger in the family car or suffer when driving a car hit by another road user and suffer any one of many severe injuries. 

PBN Litigation Solicitors can help with your Road Traffic Accident claim* from day one and help you through what can be a difficult process and a trying time in your life.

Compensation for a road traffic accident

Compensation for a road traffic accident in Ireland can range from the low €1,000s for facial injuries or soft tissue injuries when knocked off your bike to awards of more than €1 million for a car crash resulting in paraplegia and the need for full-time personal care for life.  

There is not one fixed compensation award, and your solicitor can only give you an idea of what is possible in any RTA claim*. 

Every compensation claim* is different, and you claim for the effect of the road traffic accident injury on you and its effects on your life. 

PBN Litigation Solicitors can explain how the process works and how your compensation claim* will be a combination of two types of damages.

Damages in a road traffic accident injury compensation claim*

Damages in a road traffic accident injury compensation claim* are a combination of:

  • General Damages
  • Special Damages

In your road traffic accident injury claim*, the solicitor can advise you on how the two types of damages are relevant to your claim for compensation.  

General Damages in a road traffic accident claim*

General Damages in a workplace accident claim are for compensation for the pain and suffering you experience due to the workplace injury.  

For example, you could claim General Damages for the pain from the shattered ribs when you are hit by a van in the warehouse or the unnecessary suffering from nerve damage in an RSI at the office or doing factory work. 

General Damages may be claimed in any personal injury case where the injuries cause pain and inconvenience and affect your ability to exercise, drive, play sports and other activities. 

Special Damages in a road traffic accident claim*

Special Damages in a road traffic accident claim* are for the financial effects on your life due to the injury, such as when making adaptions to the home if severely injured in an RTA. 

With Special Damages you claim for:  

  • The loss of earnings
  • Care costs today and in the future
  • Out-of-pocket expenses such as travel, medical appointments, further treatment

Special Damages are for the financial effects of a loss of income when recovering from a road traffic accident injury or if you can only take lesser-paid employment in the future.  

You claim Special Damages to offset the financial costs of the personal injury, so you will not be out of pocket due to the actions of others.  

Each road traffic accident claim* is different from another one. The financial effects may be heavier on you than on someone in a similar situation. 

You may claim for what is needed to maintain a similar quality of life as before the personal injury.  

Your PBN Litigation Solicitor can guide you on what to expect in compensation and how to make your claim* for a road traffic accident.

Contact PBN solicitors today for all your personal injury compensation needs.

Injuries Resolution Board

The Injuries Resolution Board, was introduced by the government to simplify and standardise personal injury claims* in Ireland. The Injuries Resolution Board works with you, the injured party and with the negligent party to get you the compensation you may deserve.

A road traffic accident injury is also a personal injury. You can use the Injuries Resolution Board when making a claim, and your personal injury solicitor will advise you through the process.

A personal injury solicitor can be your representative with the PIAB. The personal injury solicitor will have the experience of working with the PIAB and can advise you on every aspect, from filling out forms to knowing whether to accept or reject an Injuries Resolution Board assessment.

All personal injury claims*, except medical negligence, must go through the Injuries Resolution Board. The IRB will then work with all sides to come to a resolution to your personal injury claim*.

If the negligent party refuses to accept your road traffic accident claim*, or you are unhappy with the compensation offered, the PIAB may recommend taking the action to the courts.

Your personal injury solicitor will be ready to take legal action and be your representative when in court.

PBN Litigation Solicitors can handle your IRB claim* and, if necessary, take further action by going to the courts for your road traffic injury compensation claim*.

Who is eligible for compensation in a road traffic accident injury claim* in Ireland?

You may be eligible for compensation when injured in a road traffic accident that was not your fault or only partially your fault. 

You are the injured party, and if another road user’s negligence may have caused the injury, you can claim for the effects of the road traffic accident on your life today and in the future. 

The financial dependents of a loved one injured in a road traffic accident can make a claim for compensation in the case of their death or mental or physical incapacity to make the claim*.  

If your spouse or adult dependent suffers a severe road traffic accident injury, such as when a car door hits their bike, and they are knocked into an oncoming car, you can claim on their behalf for the cost of personal care for life, adaptations to the home and for ongoing medical treatments and therapy.  

PBN Litigation Solicitors can help with your claim* from day one and advise you who is eligible for compensation and how to make the road traffic injury claim*.

How to make a Road Traffic Accident Claim*

There are a few steps to follow when you make a Road Traffic Accident claim* in Ireland.  

Making a road traffic accident claim* may seem daunting, especially if you are severely injured, but with the help of a personal injury solicitor, you can navigate your way through what could be a complex process.  

The steps to follow when making a road traffic accident claim* in Ireland are: 

You should engage a personal injury solicitor as soon as possible to further your road traffic accident claim*. The Team at PBN Litigation Solicitors can advise on your case and how it could proceed. 

With our no-obligation consultation, we can meet with you in confidence and advise you on the strengths of your case.  

To investigate your case, we will request an initial medical report from your doctor to outline the injuries you sustained in the road traffic accident.  

Updated reports with a final prognosis from your doctors will be taken up before your case is settled.  

We will help investigate your case by taking witness statements or by making Data Access requests for CCTV footage/personnel files.  

Submission of the road traffic accident injury claim* to the PIAB will follow. Upon receipt of your medical report from your doctor, we will submit the claim* to the PIAB.   

The PIAB will contact the negligent party and their insurers. The negligent party has 90 days to confirm to the PIAB as to whether they will consent to the PIAB assessing the case or decline to permit the PIAB to assess the case.   

If they agree to permit the board to assess the case, PIAB has nine months to do so. The PIAB can also extend this period if they wish to do so by a number of months. 

Within the nine-month period, you will be sent for an independent assessment by an independent injuries board doctor.   

The PIAB will issue a Letter of Assessment to you and to the negligent party. In the letter, they will outline what compensation is due to you for the personal injury.  

If you and the negligent party agree to the Letter of Assessment, the PIAB issues an Order to Pay, where the negligent party must pay the compensation payment to you by a specific date.  

Unfortunately, you may need to go to court if the negligent party denies responsibility for the Rod Traffic Accident injury or the two sides cannot agree on an acceptable level of compensation.  

Going to court may be the final step in resolving your road traffic accident injury case. Your solicitor will take over the running of your case from the PIAB when court becomes the only option.  

Your solicitor will issue the court proceedings and advise you along every step of what can be a difficult process for the family.  

Court proceedings can be protracted, and you will need experience and expertise on your side when in the courtroom.  

In some cases, a claim* is settled on the steps of the court when the negligent party meets the person who suffered the personal injury.  

Road Traffic Accidents in Dublin

Road traffic accidents in Dublin are on the rise with the increase in road users and population since the Pandemic years. 2023 saw an increase in road fatalities and serious injuries once again after years of progress in keeping the numbers on a downward trend. 

Dublin traffic is heavy throughout the day, both in the city centre and in the suburbs. You can as easily be injured in a road traffic accident when cycling to work in Ballsbridge as you are when driving to a meeting in Clondalkin. 

PBN Litigation Solicitors are based in Dublin and are at hand to listen to your accident details and to help form a possible compensation claim* for the road traffic accident. 

At PBN Litigation Solicitors  we have the team and experience to deal with your road traffic accident injury claim*

What to do following a road traffic accident

Not many people know what to do following a road traffic accident but it can be a vital time for gathering evidence and other details for when it comes to any future claim*. 

A road traffic accident can be a shocking experience, even when you do not suffer a major injury. You should take care of yourself and your family when involved in a road traffic accident and not put anyone in further danger. 

You should take the following safety steps if you are in a road traffic accident:

  • Turn off the engine and put on the brakes
  • Make sure other road users are safe
  • Mark off the area with a reflective triangle to warn other road users
  • Call the emergency services if someone is injured
  • Call the gardai if necessary
  • Stay on the scene of the accident

Evidence to gather after a road traffic accident

If you are injured in a road traffic accident you should gather evidence to help with any possible claim* and if there is the possibility of the accident being due to an offence being committed. 

Evidence to gather when injured in a road traffic accident:

  • Get the details of the other road users in the accident
  • Get the details of the driver who hit you on the road
  • Get the details of any witnesses
  • Take photographs of the scene
  • Take photographs of any injuries at the scene
  • Take photographs of all other vehicles and bikes at the scene
  • Get CCTV footage if available
  • Call an ambulance and get the medical report
  • If necessary, call the Gardai and get a copy of their accident report

Evidence will be crucial, so keep it safe and make copies if possible.

Insurance claim road traffic accident

Your insurance company and that of the negligent party will play a big part in any road traffic accident claim*. Knowing what to do for insurance purposes will help with a road traffic accident claim* and can make the negligent party see sense at a later stage. 

For insurance purposes after a road traffic accident, you should:

  • Never accept blame at the scene
  • Report the accident to your insurance company
  • Get the insurance details of the other road user if possible
  • Get the name and address of the other road user
  • Take the details of the car, bus or truck that hit you on the road

You can make a claim* after a road traffic accident, and PBN solicitors will help you when the time comes for doing so after the incident.

Minor impact road traffic accident

A minor impact road traffic accident is often referred to as a ‘tip’ or ‘a bit of a scrape’ on the road. The damage to your car or motorbike may be minor, but that does not mean you did not suffer an injury and could have a compensation claim*. 

A minor impact road traffic accident can cause a severe head injury, nerve damage in the neck and the back and PTSD. You could suffer the effects of the road traffic accident for many months and years, and you can claim for these effects on your life. 

The negligent party’s insurance company may claim that you could not suffer a serious injury in a minor impact road traffic accident. In reality, you can, and your medical reports and evidence will back up any claim* you make. 

PBN Litigation Solicitors can help assess your claim* after a minor impact traffic accident and advise if you have a valid claim* for compensation. 

Road Traffic Accident FAQ

While not every road traffic accident is the same, nor is any subsequent claim* there are a few FAQs that can have similar answers.

When hit by an uninsured driver, you do not have an insurance company to claim* against, but you still have a right to claim compensation. 

The Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland have a fund that finances claims* against uninsured drivers, and PBN solicitors will deal with your claim* against the MIBI fund.

If hit by a drunk driver or a driver you suspect to be drunk on Irish roads, you should immediately call the Gardai.

Take all the details possible and gather evidence of your road traffic accident for the future claim*.

If involved in a hit-and-run road traffic accident, you should call the gardai immediately. Take details of any possible witnesses to your road traffic accident and write down any details of the car or motorbike as soon as you can after the accident. 

The MIBI fund may also cover any claims* when injured by a hit-and-run driver in Ireland.

The MIBI uninsured drivers fund may pay out if an uninsured driver is involved in your road traffic accident claim*. 

In some cases, the uninsured driver will pay your compensation costs, but do not take their word at the scene of an accident.

Yes, you can make a claim* as a passenger. Many road traffic accident claims* are for passengers, both front and rear, and injuries are often as severe as the driver. 

PBN Litigation Solicitors will help with your road traffic accident claim* if you are travelling in a car, bus, or motorbike as a passenger.

You may have to go to court but it is unlikely in a road traffic accident in Ireland. Your solicitor will handle your claim* and aim to keep it out of court. 

Cases that do go to court are usually settled quickly and often before the case even begins. 

PBN Litigation Solicitors  has the experience to take your case to court and keep it out of court unless necessary.

Yes, you can claim on behalf of someone else in a road traffic accident. If your child is involved in a road traffic accident you can claim on their behalf until they turn 18. 

Often, the injured party is unable to make their claim* due to the extent of their injuries. You can make the road traffic accident claim* as a friend or dependent of the injured party. 

PBN Litigation solicitors will advise you when making a claim* on behalf of someone else and be with you along every step of the way.

Start your Road Traffic Injury Claim* Today

Start your Road Traffic Injury claim* today by contacting PBN Litigation Solicitors. 

If you have been knocked down while crossing the road, damaged your neck when doored on your motorbike or were injured in any car crash, then PBN Litigation Solicitors have the experience and expertise to manage your compensation claim*.  

You, the client, are the one injured and in recovery. The last thing you should have to worry about is dealing with the MIBI, the PIAB or the Courts when recovering from your road traffic injury. 

PBN Litigation Solicitors can take on your case and work with you to get the compensation you deserve.  

We pride ourselves in taking the stress out of personal injury litigation by providing a service dedicated to the client.  

Contact PBN  Litigation Solicitors today for all your road traffic accident compensation needs.