I have read your web site and think I know what special damages are, but when I come to claim special damages on the Injuries Board application form there scarcely seems to be any space for all the details. What should I do?
Should your application to the Injuries Board for an assessment include a large amount of special damages – such as a loss of earnings or costs you have experienced which arose due to the injury that you are claiming for – it would be wise to proceed with an online application.
On the online application form to the Injuries Board, Part 8 (“Special Damages”) allows you the chance to state the amount you are claiming for loss of earnings and Part 9 (“Medical and Other Expenses”) includes text boxes you can use to describe all your expenses at length, compared to the smaller section on the paper copy of Application Form A.
If you complete your form online you will experience no shortage of space when providing the details of the special damages that you are claiming for. In tandem with this there is also the option for uploading supporting documents like receipts and invoices. This will also allow you to keep the original copies of these documents.
Provided that you are using a private computer, as opposed to a public computer or a shared network, your online special damages claim is processed on the Injuries Board secure server. You will be given a unique user numbers and password. With these you will be able to revisit your online application form to either make changes or keep a track of your claim’s progress.
Given that special damages can form a large part of your claim it is important for you to have this part of the application reviewed by an experienced solicitor. This is to ensure that you have accounted for every possible qualifying item in your claim.
At the very least you should speak with a solicitor over the telephone to discuss the details of your personal injury. By doing this you will ensure that nothing is left out of your application form and that you receive your full entitlement to special damages.