Solicitor Fees for Car Accident Claims in Ireland: What You Actually Pay

Important: This information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Every case is different and outcomes vary. Consult a qualified solicitor for advice specific to your situation.

Summary: Solicitor fees for car accident claims in Ireland depend on which resolution channel your claim follows. At the Injuries Resolution Board (IRB) stage, the IRB does not award legal costs to the claimant, so your solicitor's fee comes directly from your compensation. Citizens Information (Updated January 2025) confirms this. If your claim reaches court and succeeds, the defendant typically pays most legal costs, but a shortfall of 30–40% between what the court allows and what your solicitor actually charged is normal. Under Section 150 of the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015, your solicitor must give you a written costs notice before starting work.

Contents

IRB fee: €45 online / €90 by post. Medical report: €150–€300. IRB fee structure

IRB legal costs: NOT recovered from the defendant. Your solicitor's fee comes from your award. ¹

Court costs rule: Loser usually pays winner's costs, but only 60–70% of actual costs are recoverable. ¹

Section 150 notice: Your solicitor must give you a written costs breakdown before starting work. ²

Solicitor fees for a car accident claim in Ireland are the legal costs a claimant pays for professional representation, from the IRB application stage through to court litigation. These fees are not fixed by law; they must be disclosed in a written Section 150 notice and cannot be calculated as a percentage of your award.

How much do solicitor fees cost at each stage of a car accident claim?

Every car accident claim in Ireland follows one of three paths: direct settlement, IRB assessment, or court litigation. The legal costs you face differ sharply at each stage. The Central Bank's National Claims Information Database (NCID) tracks these costs across all motor claims settled in Ireland. For motor injury claims under €100,000 settled in the first half of 2024, average legal costs reached €7,128, according to the NCID mid-year 2024 report (Central Bank of Ireland).

That average hides enormous variation. Claims settling directly with an insurer incur far lower legal costs than those entering the court system. The Central Bank's NCID data shows litigated motor claims now see legal costs accounting for over 40% of the total claim cost. ³ This table breaks down the numbers:

Average costs by resolution channel (Personal injury claims, NCID H1 2024)

Channel	Avg. total cost	Legal costs share	Avg. time to settle
Direct settlement	€23,739	21%	~1.5 years
IRB settlement	€27,912	2%	~2.7 years
Litigation	€76,715	43%	~5.1 years

Source: Central Bank NCID reports (H1 2024). Channel-specific figures are from the employer/public liability report (claims under €150,000). Motor-specific data follows a similar pattern: for motor injury claims under €100,000, the average total cost was €22,651, of which €7,128 was legal costs. ³ Individual cases vary significantly.

When does money actually leave your pocket?

The table above shows total costs, but not when you pay. This timeline maps the chronological flow of costs across a typical car accident claim that starts at the IRB and proceeds to litigation:

What do you pay at the IRB stage (and what can't you recover)?

The Injuries Resolution Board (IRB), formerly the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) until 2023, does not award legal costs to the claimant. Citizens Information (Updated November 2025) states this clearly: if you accept the assessment, each party is responsible for their own legal costs.

This catches many people off guard. You apply to the IRB (€45 online), pay for a medical report (€150–€300 for a GP report; €400–€1,000+ for a specialist), and may instruct a solicitor to handle the application. If the IRB assesses your claim at €18,000 and you accept, your solicitor's fee comes directly from that €18,000. The at-fault driver's insurer pays nothing toward your legal representation at this stage. ⁴

One detail that surprises clients: for straightforward soft-tissue car accident claims valued under €15,000, the solicitor's IRB-stage fee can consume a noticeable share of the award. Most firms agree a fixed fee for IRB work rather than billing hourly, because the scope of work is predictable. Ask for that figure in writing before you commit.

Unlike in England and Wales, where claimants go straight to court or negotiate directly with insurers, Irish law requires most car accident injury claims to pass through the IRB before proceedings can issue. Citizens Information confirms that this mandatory step creates a cost structure that has no UK equivalent: your solicitor's fee at the IRB stage is never recoverable from the other side. ⁴

IRB mediation: a new (and cheaper) option for car accident claims

Motor mediation through the IRB only became available on 12 December 2024. It creates a fourth resolution path with different cost implications. Mediation is free to the claimant. Both parties must consent, and the IRB targets a 3-month resolution window. The IRB's 2024 Annual Report puts the standard assessment process at an average of 11.2 months for motor claims. ¹¹ The cost advantage is significant: a mediated settlement can include a contribution toward your legal costs as part of the agreement, unlike a standard IRB assessment where the claimant absorbs all legal fees. If your car accident claim involves clear liability and the main dispute is over the value of your injuries, mediation may avoid both the IRB cost-recovery gap and the expense of litigation.

What a Section 150 notice must tell you about fees

Under Section 150 of the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015, your solicitor must provide a written costs notice in clear language before starting work on your car accident claim. The LSRA's published guidance on costs duties ⁷ and the Irish Statute Book ² confirm that this replaced the older "Section 68 letter" from the Solicitors (Amendment) Act 1994. Most solicitor websites in Ireland still reference the old regime.

The Section 150 notice must set out:

Section 150 notice: what it must contain

Requirement	Detail
Costs already incurred	Any charges from the date of instruction
Fixed or certain costs	Court filing fees, IRB application fee, known medical report costs
Likely future costs	Estimated solicitor fees, barrister fees (if proceedings), expert reports
Basis of calculation	If exact figures aren't possible: the method used (time, complexity, etc.)
Litigation cost consequences	For court cases: stage-by-stage breakdown of likely costs and circumstances where you might pay the other side's costs
Cooling-off period	Up to 10 working days before legal services begin, unless you confirm sooner

If costs increase significantly during the claim, your solicitor must issue an updated Section 150 notice. The Legal Services Regulatory Authority (LSRA) (Updated October 2022) enforces these obligations. A charge not included in a valid Section 150 notice can be disallowed by a Legal Costs Adjudicator. ⁷

The timing matters most people realise: request your Section 150 notice before signing anything, and compare it against at least one other firm's estimate. You're entitled to this under Irish law. At this point, you'll need to decide whether the quoted fees justify engaging a solicitor or handling the IRB application yourself.

Section 151 agreement: an alternative to rolling notices

Instead of receiving ongoing Section 150 updates as your claim progresses, you and your solicitor can enter into a single written agreement under Section 151 of the LSRA 2015 that covers the entire engagement. If this agreement includes all the details required by Section 150 (basis of calculation, likely costs, VAT treatment, and the cooling-off period), it replaces the need for separate notices. No additional charges beyond what's in the agreement can be made unless the scope of the case changes. For car accident claims where the scope is relatively predictable at the outset, a Section 151 agreement can give you greater certainty than rolling Section 150 updates.

Section 150 notice checker: does your notice pass?

Check each item your solicitor's written notice includes. A valid Section 150 notice under the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015 should contain all required items. This is general guidance, not legal advice.

Source: LSRA 2015 s.150. If your notice is missing required elements, raise this with your solicitor before proceeding.

What does no win no fee actually cover in Ireland (and what doesn't it)?

Under a "no win, no fee" arrangement, your solicitor waives their professional fee if your car accident claim fails. What the phrase does not cover is the rest of your financial exposure. A conditional fee agreement is NOT the same as "no cost if you lose." You can still face disbursement bills and adverse costs even when your solicitor's own fee is waived. S.I. No. 644/2020 prohibits solicitors from advertising "no win no fee" services, which is why you'll rarely see the phrase on legitimate Irish solicitor websites.

Here is what you may still owe, even under a conditional fee arrangement:

Costs you may face under "no win no fee"

Cost type	Who pays if you lose?	Typical range
Solicitor's professional fee	Waived (under the agreement)	€0
Medical reports (GP, specialist)	You	€150–€1,000+
Engineer/accident reconstruction	You	€800–€1,500
Garda report fee	You	€6
Court stamp duties/filing fees	You	€130 (Circuit Court)
Defendant's legal costs (if you lose at trial)	You	Potentially €10,000+

A conditional fee agreement waives the solicitor's labour cost, not the hard costs of building the case. The LSRA's guidance on costs duties confirms that outlays are separate from professional fees. ⁷ Discuss outlays explicitly with your solicitor before proceedings issue. ²

A further prohibition under Section 149 of the LSRA 2015: your solicitor cannot charge fees calculated as a percentage of your damages or settlement. Fees must reflect the actual work done, assessed against statutory criteria (complexity, time, skill required, and urgency). Despite this, forum posts consistently report claimants being charged amounts that appear to mirror a percentage of the award. If that happens to you, you have the right to challenge the bill.

Is legal aid available for car accident claims in Ireland?

The Legal Aid Board (Updated 2025) does provide legal advice and representation for personal injury claims through its specialised Law Centre in Smithfield, Dublin. Personal injury is NOT categorically excluded from civil legal aid in Ireland. To qualify, you must pass a means test (disposable income below €18,000) and a merits test. In practice, personal injury legal aid is rarely granted because the merits test asks whether a "reasonably prudent person" would pursue the case at their own expense and whether other methods of resolution are available. Because no-win-no-fee arrangements are widely offered by private solicitors, the Board typically concludes that alternative funding exists. For most car accident claimants, the conditional fee arrangement described above is the primary way to access legal representation without upfront payment.

Court costs: party-and-party vs solicitor-client

If your car accident claim proceeds to court and you win, the judge will typically order the defendant to pay your "party-and-party" costs. Citizens Information explains that these cover the legal work the court considers necessary and appropriate for prosecuting the case, assessed on a standardised scale. ¹ The LSRA's guidance confirms that these costs are separate from what your solicitor charges under the solicitor-client agreement. ⁷

Party-and-party costs are not the same as your full legal bill. Your solicitor charges under a separate "solicitor-and-client" agreement (the Section 150/151 arrangement), which covers all the actual work done on your file: multiple consultations, exploratory investigations, premium expert witnesses, and barrister fees at market rates. Citizens Information describes the difference between what the court allows and what your solicitor actually charged as the "cost shortfall," which typically falls between 30% and 40% of the total bill and is deducted from your compensation. ¹

Between assessment and settlement, the sticking point is usually the gap between what the insurer considers "necessary" legal costs and what the solicitor considers "reasonable" legal costs. This gap narrows when cases settle before trial, because both sides avoid witness fees, expert attendance costs, and barrister brief fees for a full hearing.

What the "instruction fee" and "brief fee" actually cover

When reviewing a Bill of Costs, you'll encounter two composite charges that work differently from hourly billing. The solicitor's instruction fee is a rolled-up charge covering the overall management of the litigation from start to finish: taking your instructions, gathering evidence, organising experts, managing timelines, and strategic oversight. The Office of the Legal Costs Adjudicators (Courts Service, Updated 2025) accepts composite instruction fees rather than requiring them to be split across every letter and phone call.

The barrister's brief fee covers preparation, legal research, drafting pleadings, and the first day of trial. If the case settles on the courthouse steps (which happens often), the brief fee is still payable because the preparatory work was already done. Second and subsequent days of trial are charged separately as "refresher" fees. Citizens Information's guide to legal costs confirms this structure. ¹

"All-in" vs "plus costs": how settlement structure affects your take-home

When a car accident claim settles before trial, the agreement can be structured in two ways. In an "all-in" settlement, the defendant pays a single figure that covers both your compensation and a contribution toward your legal costs. Your solicitor then deducts their fees and outlays from this total. In a "plus costs" settlement, the defendant pays your compensation separately and agrees to pay your legal costs on top, typically to be adjudicated or agreed later.

The difference is significant. An "all-in" settlement of €30,000 might leave you with €22,000 after fees. A "plus costs" settlement of €25,000 could leave you with the full €25,000 (or close to it) because costs are paid separately by the insurer. Ask your solicitor which structure is being proposed before you agree to anything.

Contributory negligence: why the cost hit is disproportionate

If a judge finds you partly at fault for your car accident, your damages are reduced proportionally under the Civil Liability Act 1961, Section 34 (Irish Statute Book). A 25% finding of contributory negligence on a €20,000 award reduces your compensation to €15,000. Your solicitor's instruction fee, barrister's brief fee, expert reports, and VAT do not reduce by 25%. They stay the same. The cost shortfall that was manageable at €20,000 can consume most of the €15,000. This is the scenario where legal costs most often exceed the net award entirely. If your solicitor advises that contributory negligence is a risk in your case, the Three-Channel Cost Test becomes even more important: run the numbers at the reduced award, not the headline figure.

After The Event (ATE) insurance: protecting against adverse costs

If your car accident claim goes to court and fails, you face the defendant's legal costs. After The Event (ATE) insurance covers this risk. The policy is taken out after the accident has happened and after a legal dispute has materialised. It typically covers the defendant's party-and-party costs if you lose, your own outlays (medical and engineering reports), and potentially your barrister's fees.

The premium works on a deferred, contingent basis. You pay nothing upfront. If you lose, the insurer pays the adverse costs and the premium is waived. If you win, the premium becomes payable, but it is not recoverable from the defendant in Ireland. Unlike in England and Wales, where ATE premiums were historically recoverable under the Access to Justice Act 1999, Irish law has never provided for recovery of insurance premiums from the losing party. The cost of the ATE premium comes directly from your compensation. Premiums vary depending on the injury type, the stage at which you take out the policy, and the assessed risk of losing. Waiting until the eve of trial to buy ATE cover will cost substantially more than securing it when proceedings issue. Citizens Information's guide to legal fees confirms that insurance costs are a claimant's own responsibility. ¹

What your solicitor's final bill actually looks like

When your car accident case concludes, you'll receive a Bill of Costs under Section 152 of the LSRA 2015. ¹⁴ Here is an annotated example showing the typical line items for a Circuit Court car accident claim that settled for €35,000 (illustrative, not a guarantee):

Annotated Bill of Costs: illustrative Circuit Court car accident claim (€35,000 settlement)

Line item	Amount (incl. VAT where applicable)
Solicitor instruction fee	€5,500
Junior counsel brief fee	€3,200
Consultations (3 attendances)	€900
GP medical report	€280
Orthopaedic consultant report	€550
Consulting engineer report	€1,100
Court filing / stamp duty	€130
ATE insurance premium	€1,200
Miscellaneous (postage, copying, Garda report)	€180
VAT (23% on professional fees)	€2,208
Total solicitor-client bill	€15,248
Less: party-party costs recovered from defendant	–€9,500
Net payable by you (from your €35,000)	€5,748
Your net in hand	€29,252

These figures are illustrative and will differ from case to case. The key point: your total bill was €15,248, the defendant paid €9,500 of it, and the €5,748 shortfall came out of your €35,000. The LSRA's guidance is clear: your Section 150 notice should have forecast this gap before proceedings issued. ⁷ If it didn't, you have grounds to dispute the charges through the OLCA. ¹⁵

What happens to costs if you reject an IRB assessment?

Section 51A of the Personal Injuries Assessment Board Act 2003 creates a financial penalty for claimants who reject an IRB assessment and then fail to beat it in court. This is not the same as the normal "costs follow the event" rule. Section 51A applies a stricter standard specifically to claimants who reject assessments. The provision (as amended in 2007) works like this:

If the respondent (insurer) accepted the IRB assessment and you rejected it, then later the court awards you the same amount or less, two consequences follow. First, you cannot recover your legal costs from the defendant. Second, the court may order you to pay the defendant's legal costs from the date you rejected the assessment. ¹⁰

The IRB's 2024 Annual Report records that roughly 50% of claimants accepted IRB assessments in 2024, and motor claim acceptance stood at 47%. ¹¹ The other half took the risk of litigation. Before rejecting an assessment, ask your solicitor to quantify the Section 51A exposure in writing, as required by the LSRA's costs disclosure rules. ⁷

The second costs trap: lodgement and Calderbank offers

Section 51A is not the only way to lose on costs in a car accident claim. During court proceedings, the defendant's insurer can lodge money in court under Order 22 of the Rules of the Superior Courts. If the judge awards you less than the lodged amount, you pay the defendant's costs from the date of the lodgement, even though you "won" the case. A Calderbank offer (a "without prejudice save as to costs" offer made outside court) works on the same principle. These mechanisms apply even where there was no IRB assessment, for example when the respondent refused consent and the IRB issued an authorisation directly. Three distinct costs traps exist in Irish car accident litigation: Section 51A (reject IRB assessment), Order 22 lodgement (court proceedings), and Calderbank offers (settlement negotiation). Your solicitor should flag each one as it arises during your case.

How does court jurisdiction affect your legal costs?

Which court hears your case affects your cost exposure under Irish law. According to the Courts Service, the District Court handles claims up to €15,000, the Circuit Court covers €15,001 to €60,000, and the High Court takes claims above €60,000. ¹² Filing in the wrong court can be financially devastating.

The Court of Appeal confirmed this in Nolan v County Registrar [2025] IECA 110. The claimant won €8,000 in the Circuit Court for a trip-and-fall injury. Because the award fell within District Court limits, only District Court scale costs were recoverable. The solicitor's actual bill was €32,987. The County Registrar allowed €8,756. The claimant bore a shortfall exceeding €24,000, three times the damages awarded. ¹²

The Court held that proportional scale costs are lawful and necessary to stop disproportionate legal bills in lower-value claims. For claimants with minor soft-tissue injuries likely to fall under €15,000, starting in the District Court avoids this trap. Accurate valuation using the Personal Injuries Guidelines (2021) before issuing proceedings is critical to protecting your net outcome.

Unlike in England and Wales, where the Civil Procedure Rules use a single County Court for most claims under £100,000, Ireland splits jurisdiction across three courts with distinct cost scales. The Court of Appeal confirmed in Nolan v County Registrar [2025] IECA 110 that a miscalculation that would cost a UK claimant modest inconvenience can cost an Irish claimant their entire award. ¹²

The Three-Channel Cost Test

Before instructing a solicitor or deciding whether to accept an IRB assessment, we recommend applying what we call the Three-Channel Cost Test. For each potential resolution path, calculate your likely net outcome after all deductions:

The Three-Channel Cost Test forces a realistic comparison. In many cases, accepting a reasonable IRB assessment produces a better net outcome than the headline figure from a court award, once legal costs and time are factored in. Your solicitor should run this calculation for you in writing as part of the Three-Channel Cost Test before you make any decision to reject an assessment or issue proceedings.

Three-Channel Cost Test: estimate your net-in-hand

This is a general illustration based on typical cost patterns. It is not legal advice and should not be treated as such. Figures are approximate and exclude VAT on professional fees for simplicity. Use this to inform your conversation with your solicitor, not to replace it.

Expected award/assessment (€) Enter the IRB assessment or expected court award

Resolution channel Accept IRB assessment Settlement after proceedings issue Full court hearing

Source data: Central Bank NCID H1 2024; IRB 2024 Annual Report. Solicitor fees, barrister fees, and shortfall percentages are based on typical ranges and vary by case. Ask your solicitor to run the Three-Channel Cost Test with your actual figures.

What are average legal costs for car accident claims in Ireland?

The Central Bank's NCID reports provide the most reliable picture of legal costs in Irish motor claims. The NCID's mid-year 2024 data puts average legal costs at €7,128 for motor injury claims under €100,000. The IRB's 2024 Annual Report supplements this with process-level data: the median motor award was €12,541. ^{3 11}

NCID snapshot: motor injury claims, H1 2024 (Data current as of Central Bank NCID mid-year 2024 report. Next update expected H2 2025.)

Metric	Figure
Average total cost (all injury claims)	€38,553
Average legal costs (claims under €100k)	€7,128
Legal costs as % of total (litigated, under €100k)	Over 40%
Claims settled through litigation	72% of all injury costs
Average time to settle (litigation)	~5 years

The Central Bank's NCID data shows legal costs for litigated claims were 27% higher in 2024 than the 2015–2019 average. ³

The IRB's 2024 Annual Report puts the average motor assessment at 11.2 months from application to outcome. ¹¹ For claims resolving at this stage, legal costs are comparatively low, but the solicitor's fee still comes from the claimant's award.

Net-in-hand: what you actually take home

The headline settlement figure is never what lands in your account. Here's how two paths compare for a typical €22,000 car accident claim with soft-tissue injuries and clear liability:

Net-in-hand comparison: IRB acceptance vs litigation (illustrative, €22,000 claim)

Item	Accept IRB (€22,000)	Reject, litigate, court awards €26,000
Gross award	€22,000	€26,000
Solicitor fee (IRB fixed fee / court instruction fee)	–€2,200	–€6,500 (solicitor-client agreement)
Party-and-party costs recovered from defendant	€0 (IRB does not award costs)	+€4,000 (partial recovery)
Barrister brief fee	€0	–€3,500
Additional medical/expert reports	–€250 (GP report shortfall)	–€1,200 (specialist + engineer)
ATE insurance premium (if taken)	€0	–€1,500
VAT on professional fees (23%)	–€506	–€2,300
Net in hand	€19,044	€15,000
Time to resolution	~11 months	~3–5 years

These figures are illustrative and your own numbers will differ. The point is that a €4,000 uplift in gross award can produce a €4,000 reduction in net take-home once litigation costs, VAT, and time are factored in. Ask your solicitor to run this calculation for your specific case before rejecting an IRB assessment.

How long does it take to actually receive your costs after winning?

You may have heard that "the other side pays your costs." What often goes unsaid is how long that takes. After your case concludes, the defendant's insurer must agree the party-and-party costs with your solicitor. If they can't agree (which is common), the bill goes to the OLCA for adjudication. According to the OLCA's 2024 Annual Report (Courts Service), the average time from application to first hearing was seven weeks. ¹⁷ That sounds fast, but complex cases take longer, and the full process from hearing to certified determination to stamp duty to payment can add 6 to 18 months after your case is already "won." During this period, your solicitor may hold your compensation (or a portion of it) as security against the outstanding costs bill. Winning does not mean immediate full payment. Budget for a delay.

How to challenge your solicitor's bill

If you believe your solicitor's fees are excessive, Irish law provides a clear dispute process. Citizens Information outlines the steps: requesting an itemised bill, attempting informal resolution, and applying to the OLCA if needed. ¹

Step 1: Ask for an itemised bill. Under Section 152 of the LSRA 2015, your solicitor must provide a detailed Bill of Costs showing professional fees, outlays, the amount recovered from the other side, and the shortfall you owe.

Step 2: Attempt to resolve informally. Write to your solicitor setting out which items you dispute and why. Both sides must attempt to agree before escalating. ¹

Step 3: Apply to the Legal Costs Adjudicator. If you can't agree, you may apply to the Office of the Legal Costs Adjudicators (OLCA) (Citizens Information, Updated 2025) for an independent assessment. You have six months from the date the bill was provided, or three months from payment, whichever is first. The OLCA routinely reduces bills: in 2024, it allowed just 58% of the €35.3 million claimed by solicitors in party-and-party determinations. For road traffic cases specifically, the OLCA cut €518,000 from €1.82 million claimed across 27 cases in 2024. OLCA Annual Report 2024 (Courts Service) ¹⁵

Step 4: Complain to the LSRA. If the charges are grossly excessive, you can file a formal complaint with the LSRA. ⁷ Grossly excessive charges may be treated as professional misconduct.

Civil Reform Bill 2025: how jurisdiction changes affect costs

Legislative status: General Scheme published 6 January 2026. Not yet enacted. Subject to Oireachtas passage. This section will be updated when the Bill progresses.

The General Scheme of the Civil Reform Bill 2025, published on 6 January 2026, proposes increasing the Circuit Court's personal injury jurisdiction from €60,000 to €100,000 and the District Court limit from €15,000 to €20,000. Gov.ie (January 2026)

If enacted, most car accident claims will resolve in lower courts with lower cost scales. The Circuit Court's procedures are more streamlined, hearings are shorter, and fee scales are lower than the High Court. For claimants, this reduces both the total legal costs and the risk of a disproportionate shortfall. The Bill also proposes tighter timelines for costs adjudication and early document production requirements that would reduce the duration of litigation. ¹⁶

The Government's Action Plan for Insurance Reform 2025–2029 includes a separate action point to develop clear scale-of-fees guidelines for personal injury litigation, with a target date of Q4 2027. ¹⁶

Children's car accident claims: an additional cost layer

When a child is injured as a passenger in a car accident in Ireland, costs work differently. Any settlement or assessment, whether at the IRB or in court, must be approved by a judge under the Rules of the Superior Courts (for High Court) or the equivalent Circuit/District Court rules. This adds a separate court hearing that doesn't arise in adult claims. The judge reviews whether the amount is fair and directs how the funds are managed until the child turns 18 (typically by lodging the sum in court). Even if both parties accept an IRB assessment, a judge must still approve it. The approval hearing requires its own legal representation, adds to the solicitor's instruction fee, and may involve counsel. These additional costs come out of the child's award. If your child was injured in a car accident, ask your solicitor to estimate the approval-hearing costs separately in the Section 150 notice. ^{2 4}

Questions to ask before you instruct a solicitor

These questions are based on the disclosure requirements under Section 150 of the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015 ² and the IRB's published guidance on costs. ⁴

Free fee checklist

Questions to ask your solicitor about fees (PDF checklist)

Common questions about solicitor fees for car accident claims

Can a solicitor charge a percentage of my car accident settlement?

No. Under Section 149 of the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015, solicitors in Ireland are prohibited from calculating fees as a percentage of any damages or settlement in personal injury cases. ⁹ The LSRA's guidance confirms that fees must reflect the actual work done. ⁷

Why it matters: If your bill appears to mirror a percentage of the award, you can challenge it.

Source: LSRA 2015 s.149 • LSRA costs duties

Do I pay my solicitor if I lose a car accident claim?

Under a conditional fee arrangement, you don't pay the solicitor's professional fee if the claim fails. Citizens Information notes that you may still owe outlays (medical reports, engineer fees) and, if the case went to trial and lost, the defendant's legal costs. ¹

The key point: "No win no fee" covers the solicitor's labour, not disbursements or adverse costs.

Read more: Citizens Information • ²

Does the IRB cover my solicitor's fees?

No. The IRB does not award legal costs. ⁴ If your claim settles at the IRB stage, your solicitor's fee is deducted from your compensation.

More detail: IRB on Citizens Information

What is a Section 150 notice?

A written costs disclosure your solicitor must provide before starting work, as required under the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015. It replaced the old "Section 68 letter" in October 2019. The LSRA requires it to set out known costs, likely future costs, and the basis of calculation. ^{2 7}

Bear in mind: Charges not disclosed in a Section 150 notice can be struck down by a Legal Costs Adjudicator.

Official text: LSRA 2015 s.150 • LSRA duties

What are average legal costs for a car accident claim in Ireland?

The Central Bank's NCID mid-year 2024 data puts the average legal cost at €7,128 for motor injury claims under €100,000. ³ For litigated claims, legal costs reached over 40% of the total claim cost. These are averages; individual cases vary.

In practice: Knowing the typical range helps you assess whether a quoted fee is reasonable.

Source data: Central Bank NCID

How can I challenge my solicitor's bill?

Ask for an itemised Bill of Costs under Section 152 of the LSRA 2015, try to resolve the dispute informally, and if that fails, apply to the Office of the Legal Costs Adjudicators (OLCA) within six months. The OLCA's 2024 Annual Report (Courts Service) shows the office reduced claimed bills by over 40% that year. ^{15 17} For grossly excessive charges, complain to the LSRA.

Worth knowing: The OLCA reduced claimed bills by over 40% in 2024.

Where to apply: OLCA on Citizens Information • LSRA

What happens to costs if I reject an IRB assessment and go to court?

If the respondent accepted the assessment and you rejected it, Section 51A of the PIAB Act 2003 applies. If the court awards less than the IRB figure, you may lose your legal costs and pay the defendant's costs from the rejection date. ¹⁰

The risk: A small potential uplift can be wiped out by costs exposure.

Further reading: PIAB Act s.51A • After IRB authorisation guide

Are barrister fees separate from solicitor fees?

Yes. If your car accident case goes to court, a barrister (counsel) will be instructed separately. Their "brief fee" covers preparation, research, and the first day of trial. Citizens Information confirms this is a distinct charge on top of your solicitor's fees. ¹ Under the LSRA 2015, your solicitor must estimate barrister costs in the Section 150 notice and get your approval before instructing counsel. ²

Read more: Citizens Information • ²

Is VAT charged on solicitor fees?

Yes. VAT at 23% applies to solicitor fees and barrister fees in Ireland. Outlays such as court filing fees and medical report costs may or may not include VAT depending on the provider. Under the LSRA 2015, your Section 150 notice should specify whether quoted figures are inclusive or exclusive of VAT. ²

Next step: ²

Is hiring a solicitor worth it for a minor car accident claim?

For straightforward soft-tissue claims with clear liability and an injury value under €15,000, the IRB process is designed to be accessible without legal representation, as Citizens Information notes. ⁴ The IRB fee is €45; a solicitor's IRB-stage fee will reduce your net award. Where liability is disputed, injuries are complex, or the claim may exceed €15,000, professional representation typically adds more value than it costs.

Bottom line: The cost-benefit calculation depends on your specific case. Get a written fee estimate before deciding.

See also: IRB claimant guide • IRB application guide

What to consider next

Should I accept the IRB assessment or go to court? The answer depends on the gap between the IRB figure and your solicitor's valuation, weighed against the Section 51A costs risk and the time litigation adds. Run the Three-Channel Cost Test before deciding. The IRB 2024 Annual Report records that 50% of claimants accepted assessments in 2024. ¹¹ See our settle or go to court guide.

What if I've already received a bill I think is too high? Request an itemised Bill of Costs under Section 152 of the LSRA 2015. ¹⁴ If informal resolution fails, the Office of the Legal Costs Adjudicators can independently assess the charges. You have six months from the date the bill was provided.

How do I know what my claim is actually worth? The Personal Injuries Guidelines (Judicial Council, 2021) set the compensation bands for Irish courts and the IRB. ¹³ Your solicitor should map your injuries to the relevant bands as part of any fee discussion. See our settlement offers guide.

References

1. Citizens Information: "Legal fees and costs for civil cases." Updated January 2025. Accessed March 2026.
2. Irish Statute Book: Legal Services Regulation Act 2015, Section 150. Commenced 7 October 2019. Accessed March 2026.
3. Central Bank of Ireland: National Claims Information Database (NCID), Mid-Year Report H1 2024. Published 2024. Accessed March 2026.
4. Citizens Information: "Injuries Resolution Board." Updated November 2025. Accessed March 2026.
5. Injuries Resolution Board: "Guidance on medical reports" (Section 44, PIAB Act 2003). Accessed March 2026.
6. Law Society Gazette: "Insult to Injury." Published November 2025. Accessed March 2026.
7. Legal Services Regulatory Authority (LSRA): "Your Legal Costs Duties." Updated October 2022. Accessed March 2026.
8. Irish Statute Book: S.I. No. 644/2020, LSRA 2015 (Advertising) Regulations 2020. Commenced 2020. Accessed March 2026.
9. Irish Statute Book: Legal Services Regulation Act 2015, Section 149. Commenced 7 October 2019. Accessed March 2026.
10. Law Reform Commission (Revised Acts): Personal Injuries Assessment Board Act 2003, Section 51A. As amended 2007. Accessed March 2026.
11. Injuries Resolution Board: 2024 Annual Report. Published 2025. Accessed March 2026.
12. Courts Service: Nolan v County Registrar [2025] IECA 110. Decided 2025. Accessed March 2026.
13. Judicial Council: Personal Injuries Guidelines. Adopted 24 April 2021. Accessed March 2026.
14. Irish Statute Book: Legal Services Regulation Act 2015, Section 152. Commenced 7 October 2019. Accessed March 2026.
15. Citizens Information: "Office of the Legal Costs Adjudicators." Updated 2025. Accessed March 2026.
16. Gov.ie (Department of Justice): "Civil Reform Bill 2025." Published 6 January 2026. Accessed March 2026.
17. Courts Service: OLCA Annual Report 2024. Published 2025. Accessed March 2026.
18. Irish Statute Book: Legal Services Regulation Act 2015, Section 151. Commenced 7 October 2019. Accessed March 2026.
19. Legal Aid Board: "Personal Injuries." Updated 2025. Accessed March 2026.
20. Irish Statute Book: Civil Liability Act 1961, Section 34. Enacted 1961. Accessed March 2026.

Related guides: Settlement offers explained • Settle or go to court? • IRB application guide • After IRB authorisation • Medical examination for your claim

*In contentious business, a solicitor may not calculate fees or other charges as a percentage or proportion of any award or settlement. This statement is made in compliance with Reg.8 of S.I. 518 of 2002.

Important: This information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Every case is different and outcomes vary. Consult a qualified solicitor for advice specific to your situation. Gary Matthews Solicitors is regulated by the Law Society of Ireland.