Personal Injury Solicitor Fees in Ireland 2026: What You Actually Pay (and Keep)

Summary: Personal injury solicitor fees in Ireland are not a percentage of your compensation. Section 149 of the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015 prohibits it for contentious business. Your solicitor must give you a written Section 150 notice before any billable work, setting out the fees, the basis of calculation, and VAT at 23%. On a successful court case your solicitor recovers party-and-party costs from the losing side, but a shortfall of roughly 30 to 40% typically comes out of your award. On an accepted IRB award, the Injuries Resolution Board doesn't award costs, so your fee is paid from the compensation instead.

In brief

• Percentage fees are banned. Section 149 LSRA 2015 prohibits charging a % of your damages for contentious work.
• You get a Section 150 notice first. In writing, before any billable work, with a cooling-off period up to 10 working days.
• VAT is 23% on solicitor fees. Always itemised. €2,500 base = €3,075 with VAT.
• IRB route costs less. Typical IRB legal fees are about €2,000; litigated motor claims under €100k averaged €7,128 in H1 2024 (Central Bank NCID).
• Your time limit is 2 years. From the accident or date of knowledge (Statute of Limitations 1957 as amended).
• If you lose in court, you can owe the defendant's costs. Your no-win-no-fee covers your own fees, not adverse costs.
• The 16.7% uplift has not passed. 2021 Guidelines remain in force as of April 2026.
• You can dispute the bill. The Office of the Legal Costs Adjudicators independently assesses it under Section 152.

Quick answers

Can my solicitor take a % of my award? No. Section 149 LSRA 2015 prohibits it for contentious business.

Will I pay anything if I lose? Usually no professional fees, but disbursements and adverse costs may apply.

Is there VAT on top? Yes, 23% on professional fees. Your Section 150 notice must itemise it.

What's the time limit? Two years from the date of the accident or date of knowledge (Statute of Limitations 1957, as amended).

What's new in 2026: The 16.7% Personal Injuries Guidelines uplift has not passed. Judicial Council (Amendment) Bill 2026 is under Oireachtas scrutiny.

Eligibility: Any contentious PI matter, including motor, workplace, public liability, and medical negligence.

Self-audit before you sign: Use our 12-row Section 150 Red-Flag Checklist.

Before you start: Get the Section 150 notice in writing. Sleep on it. Ask about VAT and disbursements.

Contents

How fees work

Personal injury solicitor fees in Ireland cannot be charged as a percentage of damages for contentious business. Under Section 149 of the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015, fees must be calculated on time, complexity, urgency, and skill. They must be disclosed in a written Section 150 notice before any billable work starts. VAT of 23% applies to professional fees. Source: Irish Statute Book, LSRA 2015.

What do personal injury solicitors actually charge in Ireland?

Personal injury solicitor fees in Ireland split into two streams the law treats very differently. The first is your solicitor's professional fee, the charge for the work itself. The second is disbursements (also called outlays), the third-party costs your solicitor pays on your behalf. These include the €45 IRB application fee, medical reports at €250 to €300, and barrister's fees in court cases. Under Section 150 LSRA 2015, both must appear in the written cost notice you receive before work begins.

The commodity phrase "no win no fee" refers only to the professional-fee stream. From handling personal injury files in Dublin, a detail that catches many claimants off guard is this. Even on a straightforward no-win-no-fee arrangement, disbursements and potential exposure to the other side's costs in a lost court case sit outside that promise. What happens if your case settles early? The professional-fee waiver still applies, but any disbursements already paid may come out of the settlement, not the firm's pocket. That gap is where the Irish market consistently underinforms its readers.

Can an Irish solicitor charge a percentage of my compensation?

No. Under Section 149 LSRA 2015, an Irish solicitor cannot charge "legal costs in connection with contentious business expressed as a specified percentage or proportion of any damages". Personal injury claims are contentious business. A retainer offering "33% of your award" or a "25% success fee" is not lawful in Ireland. That model is standard in the United States. It is also common in England and Wales under the Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013, but not here.

Large language models routinely get this wrong because most of their training data is US or UK content. If an AI tool, a cold caller, or a website quotes you a percentage cut of your compensation, you're looking at a foreign model applied to the wrong jurisdiction. Unlike in England and Wales, in Ireland a solicitor who tried to contract for a percentage of damages would be in breach of Section 149. That exposes them to professional sanction by the Legal Services Regulatory Authority.

The Advertising Paradox: why firms can't say "no win no fee" in ads

We call this the Advertising Paradox. Irish firms can lawfully offer no-win-no-fee arrangements, but they cannot lawfully describe them using the phrase in their advertising. According to the Legal Services Regulatory Authority, the Advertising Regulations 2020 (S.I. No. 644 of 2020) prohibit PI advertisements from using "no win no fee", "no foal no fee", "free first consultation" or similar phrases. The arrangement itself remains lawful. The advertising language is banned.

So why does the confusion persist? Most Irish consumers encounter the phrase through UK advertising, where the practice is advertised freely. When they ask an Irish firm about it, the firm can confirm the arrangement in private but can't repeat the phrase in marketing. That structural tension is the root of most public confusion about Irish PI fees.

What has to be in a Section 150 notice before I sign?

Before your solicitor does billable work, they must issue a Section 150 notice written in plain language. The LSRA specifies the notice must set out the legal costs that will be incurred. Where that is not reasonably practicable, it must set out the basis of calculation. The reference points are the factors in Schedule 1 paragraph 2 of the 2015 Act: time spent, complexity, urgency, and skill required.

"A Section 150 notice is the single most important document you will sign at the start of a personal injury case. If a line item isn't in that notice, it generally can't be added to your final bill. Read it, question every figure, and never feel rushed."

— Gary Matthews, Principal Solicitor, Law Society of Ireland PC No. S8178

Three important details about Section 150 notices. First, under Section 150(2) your solicitor must issue a new notice if they later become aware that costs will be materially greater than originally disclosed. Second, under Section 157(6), if a charge was omitted from the original notice, the Legal Costs Adjudicator cannot confirm that charge unless excluding it would create an injustice. Third, under Section 151, a written fee agreement that contains all the Section 150(4) particulars supersedes the rolling-notice obligation, providing the client with binding cost certainty throughout the case.

What Section 150 requires

A Section 150 notice must state the fees to be incurred, or the basis of calculation against time, complexity, urgency, and skill. It must itemise 23 percent VAT and anticipated disbursements. A new notice is required if costs rise materially (Section 150(2)). Omitted charges cannot be confirmed at Adjudication (Section 157(6)). Source: LSRA Your Legal Costs Duties.

The Costs Exposure Gap framework

Think of your financial picture in four columns, not one. The first column is your solicitor's professional fee, deferred under no-win-no-fee. The second is disbursements, which your retainer may or may not cover if the case fails. The third is adverse costs, the other side's legal bill if you proceed to court and lose. The fourth is your net retained compensation, what actually lands in your bank account.

In our experience, the most common reason a client feels blindsided is that they were told "no fee" and assumed all four columns were zero. They aren't. We call this the Costs Exposure Gap, the difference between what claimants expect to pay (nothing) and what they may actually owe (disbursements plus potential adverse costs). Closing that gap before you sign is the single most valuable thing a reader can do on this page.

"Clients who understand the Costs Exposure Gap before they sign rarely feel surprised at settlement. Clients who don't, sometimes do. That difference is what this page is really about."

— Gary Matthews, Principal Solicitor, Gary Matthews Solicitors, Dublin

How do legal costs differ between direct, IRB, and court claims?

Where your claim settles drives the legal-cost arithmetic more than anything else. The Central Bank's National Claims Information Database (NCID) publishes channel-specific averages. The Injuries Resolution Board's 2019-2024 analysis with EY adds time-to-resolution data. Combined, they give a realistic picture no single competitor page surfaces.

Representative Irish personal injury channel costs. Numbers are averages. Your case may differ.

Channel	Typical time	Typical legal cost	Who pays
Direct settlement with insurer	~1.5 years	€1,400 to €4,900 (NCID motor bands)	Solicitor fee deducted from award
IRB (Injuries Resolution Board)	11.2 months assessment time in 2024. ~2.7 years overall motor timeline (IRB/EY)	~€694 to €2,000 avg legal cost (NCID/IRB)	IRB doesn't award costs, so it's paid from award
Court (litigation)	~5.1 years motor (IRB/EY)	€7,128 avg motor <€100k H1 2024; €25,055 EL/PL litigated 2024	Successful side usually recovers party-and-party costs from losing side

Sources: Central Bank NCID H1 2024 motor report via RTÉ; NCID EL/PL 2024 via Irish Times; IRB Annual Report 2024 via RTÉ.

The sharpest insight from the IRB's 2024 data: €76 million in avoided legal costs was attributed to claims resolving through the Board rather than court, according to the IRB Annual Report 2024. For a claimant, the reverse is true too. Rejecting an IRB assessment and losing (or failing to beat it) in court means you bear costs that would otherwise have been avoided entirely.

Which costs does "no win no fee" not cover?

Disbursements are the third-party costs your solicitor pays on your behalf. On a successful litigated case they usually come out of party-and-party costs recovered from the defendant. On an accepted IRB award, they come out of your compensation. On a lost case, your retainer dictates whether you repay them.

Typical personal injury disbursements in Ireland (2026)

Disbursement	Typical range	Notes
IRB application fee	€45 online / €90 by post or email	Non-refundable once submitted
GP / baseline medical report	€250 to €300	Required for every IRB application
Consultant / specialist report	€300 to €1,000+	Orthopaedic, neurological, psychiatric
Clinical-negligence expert report	€2,000 to €4,000	Required before medical negligence proceedings
Engineer's report	€500 to €1,500	Slip-and-trip, road geometry, scene reconstruction
Court stamp duty	Jurisdiction-dependent	District / Circuit / High Court
Barrister's brief fee	Case-specific	Payable even if case settles at the door of the court
Barrister's refresher fee	Case-specific	Daily rate for second and subsequent trial days

Sources: IRB fee schedule; Irish personal injury practice survey data.

Is VAT charged on top of my solicitor's fee?

Yes. According to Irish Revenue, legal services are subject to VAT at the standard rate of 23%. So a Section 150 notice quoting a €2,500 base fee becomes €3,075 once VAT is added. A €3,500 fee becomes €4,305. VAT must be itemised in the notice under the LSRA rules.

If a quoted fee does not mention VAT, ask explicitly whether the figure is inclusive or exclusive, because it makes a material difference to your net compensation. Disbursements paid by your solicitor on your behalf generally come through as the invoiced amount plus any VAT the supplier charged, not with VAT added on top again. Your Section 150 notice should spell this out.

What's the difference between party-and-party and solicitor-and-client costs?

When you win a litigated case, the court usually orders the losing defendant to pay your "party-and-party" costs, meaning the fees strictly necessary to bring the case to court. Your solicitor's actual bill, based on your Section 150 or 151 agreement, is almost always higher than that party-and-party figure. The difference is called the shortfall, and it typically sits in the 30 to 40% range of the total fee. You pay the shortfall out of your compensation.

At IRB stage this structure does not apply. The Injuries Resolution Board does not award legal costs, so each side bears its own. Your solicitor's fee is paid from the award you accept, not by the respondent.

What happens if I lose my case in court?

If your case goes to court and you lose, the general rule is costs follow the event: the losing side pays the winner's legal costs. Your no-win-no-fee agreement covers your own solicitor's professional fees, not the defendant's. According to Central Bank National Claims Information Database (NCID) data for H1 2024, the average litigated motor legal bill under €100,000 is €7,128. For Employer and Public Liability claims litigated in 2024, average legal fees were €25,055. Those are the ballpark numbers an adverse costs order could produce.

Some retainers include an indemnity against adverse costs. Many do not. Ask directly. After-the-Event (ATE) insurance is available in Ireland, typically for indemnity levels from €100,000 upward, and can shield against adverse costs and unrecovered disbursements. Unlike in the UK, the ATE premium is not recoverable from the losing party in Ireland. It comes out of your award.

Is "success fee" an Irish concept, or a UK import?

No. A "success fee" in the UK sense is an uplift of up to 100% on base costs under a Conditional Fee Agreement. It is capped at 25% of damages for injury and past losses by the Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013 (SI 2013/689). That structure does not apply in Ireland. Section 149 LSRA 2015 prohibits percentage-of-damages calculations for contentious business.

If an Irish solicitor's retainer references a "success fee as a percentage of your compensation", it is either UK template drift or a non-compliant clause. The correct Irish alternative is a deferred instruction fee calibrated to the Schedule 1 paragraph 2 factors and issued under a Section 150 notice. Read our full explainer on success fees and why the term doesn't apply in Ireland.

Recent case law shaping Irish PI fees (2025)

Somers v Commissioner of An Garda Síochána & Ors, High Court, 14 May 2025

Citation: [2025] IEHC 388, delivered by O'Higgins J.

Holding: The 16.7% uplift proposed by the Judicial Council does not apply retrospectively or prospectively without enacting legislation. Awards continue to be calculated under the Personal Injuries Guidelines 2021.

Why it matters for fees: A lower award base means lower recoverable costs in litigated claims. The case effectively froze the compensation ceiling at 2021 levels. According to the Courts Service of Ireland judgment record, the judgment was delivered on 14 May 2025. Practitioner commentary: RDJ LLP case note.

Minister for Justice announcement, 9 July 2025

Context: The Board of the Judicial Council approved draft amendments in December 2024. The Council formally adopted them at the end of January 2025, then submitted them to the Minister for Justice on 4 February 2025.

Holding: Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan confirmed he would not bring a resolution to the Oireachtas to approve the draft amended guidelines. The 2021 Guidelines remain in force. The Minister subsequently laid the draft guidelines before the Oireachtas in September 2025 but did not seek approval at that time.

Why it matters for fees: Any online guide quoting uplifted figures as current is inaccurate. Quantum claims should still be assessed against 2021 bands. Watch this space: The Judicial Council (Amendment) Bill 2026 is under pre-legislative scrutiny by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice (meeting 10 February 2026), which could change the adoption procedure. RTÉ coverage of July 2025 announcement.

Our anonymised Section 150 notice data (2024-2025)

The table below presents a snapshot of Section 150 notices issued to personal injury clients at this firm over the past 24 months. The data has been anonymised. It is primary research based on the firm's own file data, provided to give readers a realistic anchor point for what fees typically look like on an Irish PI file.

"I wanted to publish numbers a real reader could actually anchor against, rather than the vague '€2,000 to €5,000' ranges that so often appear. These figures come from our own closed files, anonymised. They're not a quote, but they're a reliable starting point for negotiation."

— Gary Matthews, Principal Solicitor, Gary Matthews Solicitors

Section 150 notice data, Gary Matthews Solicitors, IRB-stage motor and public liability files, 2024-2025 (anonymised)

Metric	Observation
Median base professional fee quoted	€2,400 + 23% VAT = €2,952 total
Typical range	€1,800 to €3,200 base + VAT
Complex multi-injury file median	€3,000 to €3,800 base + VAT
Most common disbursement	GP medical report (€250 to €300)
Most frequent Section 150(2) update trigger	Case escalation from IRB to litigation
Typical time to issue notice	Within 7 days of initial consultation

Figures are indicative of the firm's practice in the stated period. Your case may attract a different fee depending on complexity, urgency, and skill required. This data is not a fee quotation.

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What respondents and insurers argue about your costs

The defendant's side of the costs picture is rarely explained. Defendant insurers typically argue the following points at Legal Costs Adjudication hearings.

1. The instruction fee is disproportionate to the claim value. Insurers argue for a composite instruction fee calibrated to the recovery band, not the solicitor's time record.
2. Counsel's brief fee reflects trial preparation that never happened because the case settled at the door of the court. Adjudicators generally allow full brief fees where preparatory work was demonstrably completed.
3. Expert reports were obtained prematurely and are not recoverable as necessary outlay. This argument often fails where the expert report was needed to value the claim.
4. Refresher fees should be daily pro-rata, not full day rates where court sittings were shorter than expected.
5. VAT on recovered costs is not payable where the claimant is a registered VAT-able entity. Rarely applies to individual claimants.

The practical takeaway for a claimant: a Section 150 notice calibrated to the Schedule 1 paragraph 2 factors gives your solicitor the strongest hand at Adjudication. Clear time, skill, and complexity records matter. Vague or flat-fee notices are the ones that get reduced. That is one reason the checklist below matters.

The Section 150 Red-Flag Checklist

Does my Section 150 notice pass the check?

Tick each item your Section 150 notice contains. Your verdict updates live. Nothing is stored or sent anywhere.

Can I dispute my solicitor's final bill?

Yes. If you and your solicitor cannot agree on the final bill, Section 152 LSRA 2015 entitles you to a fully itemised Bill of Costs. The procedure then runs in three stages. Stage one: under Section 153, within 21 days of receiving the bill, send your solicitor a written statement of dispute setting out the nature of the disagreement. Stage two: both sides must attempt to resolve it informally. Stage three: if informal resolution fails, you can refer the bill to the Office of the Legal Costs Adjudicators (OLCA). OLCA replaced the Taxing Master in 2019. Its address is 1st Floor, Merchants House, 27-30 Merchants Quay, Dublin 8, D08 K3KD. The Adjudicator independently assesses the bill against the Schedule 1 paragraph 2 factors. Under Section 157(6), the Adjudicator has the power to disallow any charge that was not disclosed in your original Section 150 notice.

An important practical point on the OLCA referral: strict deadlines apply. You must refer within six months of receiving the bill. You have only three months if you have already paid it. Whichever deadline is earlier applies. Don't sleep on the clock. What protects you most at Adjudication? A complete original Section 150 notice that matches the final bill. A further consumer-protection rule: if the Adjudicator reduces the bill by 15% or more, the solicitor bears the cost of the Adjudication itself.

Disputing a solicitor's bill in Ireland

To dispute a solicitor's bill in Ireland, request a Section 152 itemised Bill of Costs. If unresolved, refer the bill to the Office of the Legal Costs Adjudicators within six months of receiving it, or three months of paying it, whichever is first. The Adjudicator can disallow any charge not disclosed in the original Section 150 notice (Section 157(6)). Source: Courts Service of Ireland, Legal Costs Adjudication.

How much will I actually take home after fees?

Your net take-home

On a €30,000 personal injury award in Ireland, an IRB-accepted outcome typically yields around €26,580 net after a €2,500 solicitor fee, 23 percent VAT, and disbursements. A court-successful outcome yields around €26,930 net after higher recovered costs and a party-and-party shortfall. Timelines differ materially: according to the IRB Annual Report 2024, average assessment time is 11.2 months at IRB versus roughly 5.1 years at court (IRB/EY 2019-2024 data).

Illustration only. Numbers are not a guarantee or prediction. Every case depends on its own facts and the Section 150 notice you agree.

Two claimants, same €30,000 compensation, different channels

Component	Claimant A (IRB accepted)	Claimant B (court, successful)
Gross compensation	€30,000	€30,000
Solicitor professional fee (illustrative)	€2,500 base	€9,000 base (~€6,000 recovered party-and-party)
VAT at 23%	€575	€2,070
Disbursements paid (IRB €45 + medical €300)	€345	€345 typically recovered from defendant
Shortfall from party-and-party recovery	n/a (IRB doesn't award costs)	~€3,000 (difference of billed vs recovered)
Approximate net to claimant	~€26,580	~€26,930

The headline number looks similar. What is materially different is the time to get there: roughly 11.2 months through the IRB versus about 5.1 years through litigation for the average motor claim. The second unseen factor is risk. Claimant B's figures assume success. A loss at trial could flip the whole table.

How to check a Section 150 notice (HowTo)

Estimated effort: 20 minutes with a highlighter or digital annotation tool. What you need: the draft notice and our 12-row checklist.

1. Verify the regulator signals: Law Society PC number, regulated status, firm address.
2. Check for Section 149 compliance: any "% of damages" language is a fail.
3. Confirm plain language: if you cannot read a clause aloud and explain it in your own words, Section 150(1) may not be satisfied.
4. Look for VAT treatment: quoted fees should be clearly inclusive or exclusive of 23% VAT.
5. Check disbursement handling: who pays medical reports and barrister's fees if the case fails?
6. Find the channel split: the notice should address IRB-accepted outcome separately from litigation outcome.
7. Confirm the Section 150(2) update commitment: the firm commits to a new notice if costs rise materially.
8. Confirm OLCA rights: your right to refer the final bill should be stated.
9. Use the review window: do not sign in the first meeting. Sleep on it.
10. Ask the firm to walk you through every euro figure, verbally. Document their answers.

What if my case isn't a straightforward motor claim?

The sections above cover the standard PI fee landscape: motor, public liability, and workplace claims routed through the IRB or court. Below we cover the edge cases, the things that shift the cost picture, and the jurisdictional wrinkles. This is where most commodity guides stop. Read on if your case involves medical negligence, multiple defendants, catastrophic injury, or cross-border elements.

Ireland vs UK vs US fee structures

Because Irish PI queries surface UK and US results, many claimants arrive with wrong assumptions. This comparison isolates the jurisdictional differences that matter for fees.

Fee-structure comparison across three common-law jurisdictions (Ireland, England & Wales, USA)

Feature	Ireland	England & Wales	USA (typical)
% of damages allowed?	No (Section 149 LSRA 2015)	Yes, CFA success fee capped at 25%	Yes, typically 33 to 40% contingency
Pre-work fee notice	Section 150 LSRA 2015 mandatory	Client care letter standard	Written retainer varies by state
Loser-pays rule	Costs follow event with shortfall	Costs follow event with QOCS for PI	American rule, each side generally pays own
VAT on fees	23% standard	20% standard	No VAT, state sales tax varies
Assessment body	IRB (formerly PIAB)	None equivalent	None equivalent
Time limit	2 years from date of knowledge	3 years from date of knowledge	Varies, typically 2 to 3 years by state
Dispute body for fees	OLCA (Section 152 LSRA)	Senior Courts Costs Office	Fee arbitration, bar associations

A note on the 2021 Personal Injuries Guidelines and the 16.7% uplift

Your compensation framework still sits under the Judicial Council Personal Injuries Guidelines 2021, which replaced the Book of Quantum on 24 April 2021. The Board of the Judicial Council approved draft amendments proposing a 16.7% uplift in December 2024. The Council formally adopted them in January 2025 and submitted them to the Minister for Justice on 4 February 2025. The Supreme Court ruling in Delaney v Personal Injuries Board [2024] IESC 10 changed the procedure. It found part of the Judicial Council Act 2019 unconstitutional. As a result, any revised Guidelines now require Oireachtas approval. Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan confirmed on 9 July 2025 that no Oireachtas resolution would be brought. The High Court in Somers v Commissioner of An Garda Síochána [2025] IEHC 388 (14 May 2025) held that the uplift does not apply absent enacting legislation. The Minister subsequently laid the draft before the Oireachtas in September 2025 without bringing a resolution for approval. In January 2026 the General Scheme of the Judicial Council (Amendment) Bill 2026 was published, proposing a five-year review cycle and a reconsideration mechanism for future guidelines. As of April 2026, the original 2021 brackets remain in force. If a guide quotes 16.7% higher figures as current, it's out of date. Read our 2026 update for the full explainer.

What to consider next

Can I negotiate my Section 150 notice? Yes, particularly the base fee and disbursement treatment. The notice is a pre-signature document, not a take-it-or-leave-it. Most firms will discuss.

Should I get a second Section 150 notice from another firm for comparison? It's unusual but legally fine. Fee transparency is a consumer right. Ask the second firm to quote against the same scope.

What if my fee notice needs updating mid-case? Section 150(2) requires your solicitor to issue a new notice when costs will be materially greater. The new notice supersedes the old one for any new work.

How much will I pay in fees across different award sizes?

The indicative figures below show how solicitor fees, VAT, and disbursements typically affect net take-home across five compensation bands in Ireland. These are not quotations. Actual fees are set in your Section 150 notice and depend on complexity, urgency, and skill.

Indicative PI fee outcomes by award band, IRB-accepted route. Illustration only.

Gross award	Typical base fee	VAT (23%)	Typical disbursements	Approx. net to claimant
€5,000	€1,500	€345	€345 (IRB + GP)	~€2,810
€15,000	€1,800	€414	€345	~€12,441
€30,000	€2,500	€575	€345	~€26,580
€60,000	€3,200	€736	€600 (IRB + 2 reports)	~€55,464
€100,000+	€3,800 to €4,500+	€874 to €1,035+	€800 to €1,500+	~€92,500 to €94,500

Assumes an IRB-accepted outcome with no adverse-costs exposure. Court-litigated cases involve larger fees offset by party-and-party recovery from the defendant. Medical negligence claims attract higher expert-report disbursements (€2,000 to €4,000). Your Section 150 notice determines the actual figures.

Try the fee estimator: what will I take home?

Move the slider or type an award amount. Your breakdown updates live. Nothing is stored or sent anywhere. Illustration only, not a quotation.

Award (€):

Range: €500 to €500,000. Assumes IRB-accepted outcome.

Typical net take-home by award band

On an IRB-accepted Irish personal injury claim, typical net take-home after solicitor fees, 23 percent VAT, and disbursements falls within predictable bands. A €5,000 award typically yields about €2,810 net. A €15,000 award yields about €12,441. A €30,000 award yields about €26,580. A €60,000 award yields about €55,464. A €100,000-plus award yields about €92,500 to €94,500. Court-litigated cases differ because party-and-party costs are recoverable from the defendant. Source: practitioner Section 150 notice patterns, 2024-2025.

What questions should I ask my solicitor at the first meeting?

Before you sign a Section 150 notice, ask these ten questions. Good answers demonstrate a firm that understands Section 149 and treats fee transparency as a consumer right, not a compliance afterthought.

1. What will the total fee be if my case settles at IRB stage? You want a specific euro figure, inclusive of VAT, not a range without scope.
2. What happens to my disbursements if the case fails? Confirm in writing whether medical reports and IRB fees are waived, refunded, or charged.
3. How is your fee calibrated against the Schedule 1 paragraph 2 factors? A solicitor who cannot answer this isn't following LSRA 2015.
4. What is your typical shortfall on a litigated party-and-party recovery? Industry range is 30 to 40%. Any higher needs justification.
5. Do you carry an ATE insurance panel I can access? Relevant if the case has adverse-costs exposure.
6. If costs increase materially, how soon will I receive an updated Section 150 notice? Section 150(2) triggers the duty; you want a concrete process.
7. Will I receive an itemised Bill of Costs at settlement or only a summary? Section 152 entitles you to itemised.
8. What percentage of your PI files settle at IRB versus go to court? Gives you a realistic timeline.
9. Who in the firm will handle my case day to day? A partner quoting the fee and a trainee running the file is a different cost picture.
10. Can you walk me through your most recent Section 150 notice as a sample? A firm comfortable showing redacted samples is a firm comfortable with fee transparency.

What red flags should I watch for in a Section 150 notice?

The Section 150 Red-Flag Checklist above tells you what a compliant notice should contain. This section tells you the warning signs that a notice is trying to hide something. If you see any of these, walk away or ask for the notice to be rewritten.

Glossary of Irish personal injury fee terms

Plain-English definitions of the key terms that appear in Section 150 notices, Bills of Costs, and Irish PI retainers.

Adverse costs

The legal costs of the winning side in a court case that the losing side is ordered to pay. In Ireland, the general rule is costs follow the event.

After-the-Event (ATE) insurance

An insurance policy purchased after an accident that covers the claimant's exposure to adverse costs and unrecovered disbursements if the case fails. In Ireland, unlike the UK, the premium is not recoverable from the losing party.

Brief fee

The barrister's fee for trial preparation and the first day of hearing. Payable even if the case settles at the door of the court.

Contentious business

Legal work involving actual or contemplated litigation, arbitration, or tribunal proceedings. Personal injury claims are contentious business. Section 149 LSRA 2015 prohibits percentage-of-damages fees for this category.

Disbursement (or outlay)

A third-party cost your solicitor pays on your behalf, such as the IRB application fee, medical report fees, court stamp duty, or barrister's fees. Separate from the solicitor's professional fee.

Instruction fee

The composite fee covering the solicitor's overall management of the case: factual inquiries, correspondence, drafting, and carriage of the litigation.

Legal Costs Adjudicator (OLCA)

The Office of the Legal Costs Adjudicators, based at Merchants House, Dublin 8. Replaced the Taxing Master. Under Section 152 LSRA 2015, clients can refer disputed bills here for independent assessment.

Party-and-party costs

The portion of the winning side's legal costs that the losing side is ordered to pay in a court case. Typically 60 to 70% of the full solicitor-and-client bill.

Personal Injuries Guidelines 2021

The framework adopted by the Judicial Council in March 2021 that sets out compensation ranges for personal injury categories. Replaced the Book of Quantum.

Refresher fee

The barrister's daily rate for the second and subsequent days of a trial.

Schedule 1 paragraph 2 factors

The factors set out in Schedule 1 of the LSRA 2015 against which legal fees must be calibrated: time spent, complexity, urgency, and skill required.

Section 51A (PIAB Act 2003)

The provision that exposes a claimant who rejects an IRB assessment to severe cost penalties if the subsequent court award does not beat the IRB figure.

Section 149 LSRA 2015

Prohibits Irish solicitors from charging fees as a percentage of damages in contentious business.

Section 150 LSRA 2015

Requires a written legal costs notice to the client before billable work begins, setting out fees, basis of calculation, VAT, and disbursements.

Section 151 LSRA 2015

Permits a written fee agreement that, if containing all Section 150(4) particulars, supersedes the rolling-notice obligation.

Section 152 LSRA 2015

Entitles clients to a fully itemised Bill of Costs and the right to refer disputes to the Office of the Legal Costs Adjudicators within six months.

Section 157(6) LSRA 2015

Allows the Legal Costs Adjudicator to disallow any charge that was not properly disclosed in the original Section 150 notice, unless excluding it would create an injustice.

Shortfall

The difference between the solicitor-and-client bill agreed in your Section 150 notice and the party-and-party costs recovered from the losing side in a litigated case. Typically 30 to 40%. Paid from your award.

Solicitor-and-client costs

The full bill you agreed to pay your own solicitor under your Section 150 notice or Section 151 agreement.

Related guides

Explore the connected topics in our fees and no-win-no-fee cluster:

• No Win No Fee in Ireland. Covers how the arrangement works, who qualifies, and what to expect.
• What is a success fee in Ireland? Why the UK concept does not apply here and what Irish solicitors actually charge.
• Can you lose money on a no-win-no-fee case? The disbursement and adverse costs exposure explained.
• The 7 pitfalls of no-win-no-fee arrangements. What to watch for before you sign the Section 150 notice.
• How to change solicitor during your claim. The 5-stage transfer workflow without upfront payment.
• The 2026 update to the Personal Injuries Guidelines. Why the 16.7% uplift did not pass and what it means for your award.
• How to apply to the IRB (Injuries Resolution Board). Form A walkthrough and common rejection reasons.
• How damages are calculated in Irish personal injury claims. The mechanics of general and special damages.

References

1. Legal Services Regulation Act 2015, Section 149. Irish Statute Book.
2. Legal Services Regulation Act 2015, Section 150. Irish Statute Book.
3. LSRA 2015 revised consolidated text. Law Reform Commission.
4. Your Legal Costs Duties. Legal Services Regulatory Authority.
5. Advertising by Lawyers. LSRA consumer guidance.
6. Legal Costs Adjudication. Courts Service of Ireland.
7. Legal fees and costs for civil cases. Citizens Information.
8. Personal Injuries Guidelines 2021. Judicial Council of Ireland (PDF).
9. Central Bank NCID H1 2024 motor report. RTÉ News, 3 July 2025.
10. NCID EL/PL 2024 litigated average €25,055. Irish Times, 16 Dec 2025.
11. IRB/EY Motor Liability Report 2019-2024. Irish Examiner.
12. IRB Annual Report 2024 coverage. RTÉ News, 9 July 2025.
13. Minister for Justice confirms no 16.7% uplift. RTÉ News, 9 July 2025.
14. Somers v Commissioner of An Garda Síochána [2025] IEHC 388. Courts Service of Ireland, delivered 14 May 2025 by O'Higgins J.
15. Somers judgment commentary. RDJ LLP, May 2025.
16. Legal Services Regulation Act 2015 (Advertising) Regulations 2020. S.I. No. 644 of 2020, Irish Statute Book.
17. Statute of Limitations 1957 (as amended). Law Reform Commission. 2-year limitation period for personal injury claims under s.3 of the 1991 Amendment Act.
18. Personal Injuries Resolution Board Act 2022 commencement phases. gov.ie, Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment. PIAB renamed to IRB on 14 December 2023.
19. General Scheme of the Judicial Council (Amendment) Bill 2026. Irish Legal News, January 2026.
20. Injuries Resolution Board Annual Report 2024 (PDF). Published July 2025.
21. Changes to the Legal Costs Regime. Law Society Gazette.
22. Injuries Resolution Board. Formerly the Personal Injuries Assessment Board.

What other resources should I read?

No Win No Fee

Can you lose money in a no win no fee case? The four-stage cost ladder

What are the pitfalls of no win no fee? Red flags to check before signing

How do personal injury fee arrangements work? The three lawful Irish structures

Why do solicitors offer no win no fee?

Are no win no fee solicitors any good? The 6-step verification workflow

What is a success fee? Why the term doesn't apply in Ireland

Can I change solicitor in a no win no fee claim? The 5-stage transfer workflow

Next in this series

How damages are calculated in Irish personal injury claims

Solicitor fees and legal costs for car accident claims

The Personal Injuries Guidelines 2021 explained

IRB awards and how compensation is assessed

About Gary Matthews, Principal Solicitor

Common questions

What percentage do personal injury solicitors take in Ireland?

None as a percentage. Section 149 of the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015 prohibits Irish solicitors from calculating fees as a percentage of damages for contentious business.

• No % of award allowed.
• Section 150 notice required in writing.
• 23% VAT applies on professional fees.

Practitioner insight: A firm quoting a percentage cut is not operating under Irish rules. Walk away.

Next step: Success fee explained • Section 149 statute

Do I have to pay my solicitor if I lose my personal injury claim?

No. Under a standard no-win-no-fee arrangement you do not pay your solicitor's professional fees if the claim is unsuccessful. Disbursements and adverse costs exposure may still apply.

• Professional fees waived on a lose.
• Disbursements may still apply.
• Adverse costs exposure in court.

Practitioner insight: "No fee" does not mean "no cost". Read your Section 150 notice carefully.

Next step: Can you lose money? Full breakdown • Pitfalls to check

What is the difference between Section 68 and Section 150?

Section 68 of the Solicitors (Amendment) Act 1994 was replaced by Section 150 of the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015 on 7 October 2019. Any guide citing Section 68 as current is outdated.

• Section 68 superseded in 2019.
• Section 150 adds update obligations.
• Section 157(6) adds omission protection.

Practitioner insight: Citing repealed law on a competitor's page is a strong stale-content signal.

Next step: Law Society Gazette on the new costs regime • How fee arrangements work

Do I pay solicitor fees if I accept an IRB award?

Yes. The Injuries Resolution Board doesn't award legal costs, so each side bears its own. Your solicitor's fee is paid from the compensation you receive.

• IRB doesn't award costs.
• Fee deducted from award.
• Paper-light process versus court.

Practitioner insight: Clients routinely misunderstand this and feel blindsided at settlement. The Section 150 notice should spell out the IRB-stage fee treatment explicitly.

Next step: IRB awards explained • Citizens Information on legal costs

Why do Irish solicitors say they can't advertise "no win no fee"?

The LSRA (Advertising) Regulations 2020 prohibit phrases like "no win no fee", "no foal no fee", and "free first consultation" in advertisements referring to personal injury services. The arrangement itself is lawful.

• Phrase banned in PI advertising.
• Practice remains lawful.
• Firms may confirm it in private consultation.

Practitioner insight: We call this the Advertising Paradox. The phrase is banned in ads, but the arrangement is fine.

Next step: Why firms offer NWNF • LSRA consumer guidance

Is VAT added to personal injury solicitor fees?

Yes. Professional legal fees carry VAT at the standard Irish rate of 23%. A €2,500 base fee becomes €3,075 once VAT is added.

• 23% VAT on professional fees.
• Disbursements handled separately.
• Ask inclusive or exclusive if unclear.

Practitioner insight: VAT is a meaningful slice of your net take-home. Always get it itemised.

Next step: Fee arrangements explained • Revenue, Irish VAT rates

Did the 16.7% uplift to the Personal Injuries Guidelines pass?

No. The Board of the Judicial Council approved draft amendments in December 2024 and the Council adopted them in January 2025. Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan confirmed on 9 July 2025 that he would not bring a resolution to the Oireachtas seeking approval. The 2021 Guidelines remain in force.

• Uplift has not become law.
• 2021 Guidelines still apply as at April 2026.
• Judicial Council (Amendment) Bill 2026 under pre-legislative scrutiny.

Practitioner insight: Articles quoting uplifted figures are currently inaccurate, though the adoption procedure could change under the 2026 Bill.

Next step: The 2026 update explained • RTÉ coverage

How do I dispute a solicitor's bill in Ireland?

Ask for an itemised Bill of Costs under Section 152 LSRA 2015. If still unresolved, refer the bill to the Office of the Legal Costs Adjudicators within six months of receipt or three months of payment, whichever is first.

• Section 152 itemised bill first.
• Six-month OLCA clock.
• Section 157(6) omission rule.

Practitioner insight: Most consumers don't know this right exists. It is a powerful consumer protection.

Next step: OLCA process • Pitfalls to avoid

Can I get insurance against losing a personal injury case in Ireland?

Yes. After-the-Event (ATE) insurance is available in Ireland, typically for cases with indemnity levels above €100,000. Unlike the UK, the ATE premium is not recoverable from the losing party in Ireland.

• Covers opponent's costs on a loss.
• Premium deducted from a win.
• Merit assessment required.

Practitioner insight: Most useful in clinical negligence and high-value litigation.

Next step: Can you lose money explainer • ATE in Ireland overview

Can I change solicitor during my claim without paying up front?

Yes. The new firm typically provides a professional undertaking to cover the outgoing firm's outstanding costs from the eventual settlement. You sign a Form of Authority and the file transfers.

• Form of Authority signed.
• Professional undertaking secures costs.
• No upfront payment typically.

Practitioner insight: Fear of immediate payment stops many valid transfers. The undertaking mechanism exists precisely to make this accessible.

Next step: Change solicitor workflow • General transfer process

Related guides: No Win No Fee • Personal Injury Claims • What is the IRB • Guidelines explained • About Gary Matthews