McGrath McGrane LLP (McGrath Mullan) recently settled a case for in excess of €68,000.00 having been instructed by a client who suffered an accident at work. The client suffered significant personal injuries when they slipped in a stairwell at their workplace and fell down several stairs. As a result of the fall, our client suffered personal injuries to the back and neck.
We advised the client that the employer has a responsibility to provide a safe place of work for employees. In these circumstances, we believed that the employer had failed to do so and therefore would be found responsible for the injuries suffered by our client. The employer has a statutory duty under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 (as amended) to provide and maintain a safe workplace for employees.
McGrath McGrane LLP (McGrath Mullan) initiated a claim on behalf of our client against the employer. We made an application to the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) on behalf of our client and the employer consented to the case being assessed by PIAB. PIAB assessed the client’s claim at a figure in excess of €54,000.00. Although it was a substantial award, McGrath McGrane LLP (McGrath Mullan) advised the client to reject the award, as we felt it was not sufficient compensation for our client’s injuries.
If the client did reject the assessment, they would have to issue Court proceedings in order to further their claim.
The assessment was accepted by the client’s employers. This meant that if our client rejected the assessment and failed to recover a figure greater than the €54,000 in the subsequent Court proceedings, the client could not receive an order for the costs of those proceedings.
Our client decided he would take McGrath McGrane (McGrath Mullan) LLP’s advice and reject the PIAB assessment. We notified PIAB that our client was rejecting the PIAB assessment and PIAB issued an authorisation to proceed to Court. We then issued proceedings in the High Court on behalf of our client.
McGrath McGrane (McGrath Mullan) LLP subsequently settled the client’s case for a sum in excess of €68,000.00*.
If you have suffered a personal injury and wish to take a case to pursue damages to compensate you for that injury, contact McGrath Mullan here – info@mcgrathmullan.ie
*Note – In contentious business a solicitor may not calculate their professional fees or other charges as a percentage or proportion of any award or settlement.