How Much Is a Hip or Pelvis Injury Worth in Ireland?
Quick answer: A hip or pelvis injury in Ireland is worth roughly €500 to €165,000 in general damages, set by the Personal Injuries Guidelines (Chapter 7C), the 2021 figures still in force in 2026. Minor injuries that settle within six months sit at the bottom. Severe pelvic fractures or hip injuries needing spinal fusion sit at the top. Special damages, such as lost earnings and future surgery, are paid on top and are not capped.
Most websites simply reprint the Judicial Council table and leave you guessing. This guide shows how Irish judges and the Injuries Resolution Board actually value hip and pelvis injuries in 2026. It sets out the real factors that move an award up or down. It covers accident claims and medical negligence, the difference between general and special damages, and whether the proposed 2024 to 2025 increases apply yet. It does not cover defective implant claims, which follow a separate route.
What's new
The proposed 16.7% increase is not in force. The 2021 figures still apply.
Eligibility
You may have a claim if another party's negligence caused the injury, within the time limit.
Before you start
Get an independent medical report. It sets the severity bracket and the value.
Two parts
General damages are capped by the Guidelines. Special damages are not.
Contents
Quick answers
What is it worth?
Around €500 to €165,000 in general damages, set by the Personal Injuries Guidelines.
Are the 2025 increases live?
No. The proposed 16.7% rise is not in force. The 2021 figures still apply.
General vs special damages?
General damages are capped. Special damages for financial loss are not, and are added on top.
Medical negligence route?
Medical negligence claims skip the Injuries Resolution Board and go to court.
Hip and pelvis injury compensation brackets at a glance
Hip and pelvis general damages in Ireland fall into four severity bands under Chapter 7C of the Personal Injuries Guidelines (Judicial Council, 2021) [1]. The table below sets out each band with a clinical example drawn directly from the Guidelines. These figures are general damages only, and every case turns on its own medical evidence.
| Severity | General damages | What it typically covers (per the Guidelines) |
|---|---|---|
| Severe | €100,000–€165,000 | Extensive pelvic fractures involving, for example, a dislocated low back joint and a ruptured bladder, or a hip injury causing spondylolisthesis that needs spinal fusion, with substantial lasting disability. |
| Serious (upper) | €75,000–€100,000 | Injuries less severe than the top band but with distinguishing features that lift them above any lower bracket. |
| Serious (lower) | €50,000–€75,000 | An acetabular fracture causing degeneration and leg instability needing an osteotomy and a likely future hip replacement, a fracture of an arthritic hip needing replacement, or a hip replacement only partly successful with a clear risk of revision surgery. |
| Moderate | €30,000–€65,000 | A significant hip or pelvis injury where permanent disability is not major. May involve a hip replacement or surgery, more than minimal ongoing symptoms, or a replacement likely in the foreseeable future. |
| Moderate (childbirth) | €30,000–€45,000 | A pelvis injury interfering with natural childbirth and requiring a Caesarean section. The award sits towards the top where the claimant had no children at the time of injury. |
| Minor | €500–€20,000 | Recovery within six months sits at the bottom (€500–€3,000). Recovery taking two to five years sits at the top (€12,000–€20,000). |
Source: Judicial Council, Personal Injuries Guidelines (2021), Chapter 7C [1]. The overall ceiling for the most catastrophic injuries of any kind is around €550,000. Awards vary case by case.
What are specific hip and pelvis injuries worth?
Specific diagnoses map onto the same four bands, with the figure driven by surgery, permanence, and recovery time. The table below translates the common hip and pelvis diagnoses into their likely general damages band under Chapter 7C. The band still depends on your own medical evidence, and a single diagnosis can sit in more than one band depending on outcome.
| Diagnosis | Likely band | What pushes it up |
|---|---|---|
| Soft tissue hip or pelvis injury | Minor (€500 to €20,000) | Longer recovery time moves it up within the minor band. |
| Pelvic ring or pubic rami fracture, good recovery | Moderate (€30,000 to €65,000) | Ongoing symptoms or surgery push it toward the top. |
| Neck of femur (hip) fracture needing fixation | Moderate to serious (€30,000 to €100,000) | A resulting hip replacement or poor union lifts the band. |
| Acetabular (hip socket) fracture | Serious (€50,000 to €100,000) | Osteotomy, leg instability, or a likely future replacement. |
| Hip dislocation with complications | Moderate to serious | Avascular necrosis or nerve damage moves it to serious or severe. |
| Pelvic fracture with ruptured bladder | Severe (€100,000 to €165,000) | Substantial permanent disability sits at the top. |
| Pelvis injury forcing a Caesarean section | Moderate (€30,000 to €45,000) | Top of band where the claimant had no prior children. |
Bands derived from Personal Injuries Guidelines, Chapter 7C [1]. A diagnosis alone does not fix the figure. The medical report and recovery decide where within a band a case falls.
Guidelines bracket finder
Select an injury and recovery picture to see the published Guidelines band that usually applies. This is an educational guide to the official brackets, not a valuation of your claim.
These are general damages ranges from the Personal Injuries Guidelines (2021), Chapter 7C. They are not a prediction of your award. Every case is assessed individually on its medical evidence, and special damages are added separately. Source: Personal Injuries Guidelines, Chapter 7C [1].
How much is a hip or pelvis injury worth?
A hip or pelvis injury is worth between €500 and €165,000 in general damages, with the exact figure set by severity, recovery time, and lasting effects. Irish courts and the Injuries Resolution Board do not apply the Guidelines table mechanically. They must weigh the factors the Guidelines list [1]. These include the claimant's age, the presence or risk of degenerative changes, the impact on working capacity, and the effect on enjoyment of life and relationships. In hip and pelvis cases, particular weight often goes on the risk of a future hip replacement, chronic pain, psychological effects, and, for women of childbearing age, the impact on future pregnancies. Strong expert orthopaedic evidence on these points can move a case from the lower to the upper end of a bracket. In our experience acting for clients with acetabular fractures, clear evidence of future replacement risk has supported awards in the upper serious range.
What decides which bracket your injury falls into
The bracket is decided by the medical evidence measured against nine factors the Guidelines set out for every hip and pelvis injury [1]. Those factors are age, the nature and duration of symptoms, and the treatment needed. They also cover the presence or risk of degenerative change, the impact on working capacity, the effect on daily life and relationships, any pre-existing degeneration, psychological effects, and the long-term prognosis.
Recovery time is the clearest driver in the minor band. A pelvis or hip injury that settles within six months is valued at €500 to €3,000. One that takes one to two years rises to €6,000 to €12,000, and one that takes two to five years reaches €12,000 to €20,000 [1]. The single most important document is the independent orthopaedic report, not your own estimate of how you are healing.
Pre-existing wear matters too. If you already had an arthritic hip, the court looks only at how much the accident made the condition worse and for how long [1]. That does not bar a claim. It means the value reflects the added injury rather than the underlying arthritis, which is why detailed evidence on your baseline health is worth gathering early.
Pelvis injuries: the brackets people miss
Pelvis injuries carry their own valuation rules that most guides skip over entirely. At the top, the Guidelines value an extensive pelvic fracture involving a dislocated low back joint and a ruptured bladder in the severe band of €100,000 to €165,000 [1]. These are catastrophic injuries with substantial permanent disability and major effects on independent living.
One pelvis bracket is specific to women. A pelvis injury that interferes with natural childbirth and requires a Caesarean section is valued at €30,000 to €45,000 [1]. The Guidelines direct that where the claimant had not had any children at the time of the injury, the award should sit towards the top of that bracket. This is a recognised category, yet it is almost entirely absent from competing valuation pages. For female clients of childbearing age, the impact on future pregnancies and on sexual function is a factor judges take seriously when assessing pelvis injuries.
General damages vs special damages: why the total can be far higher
General damages compensate pain and suffering and are capped by the Guidelines, while special damages compensate financial loss and are not. This distinction is the single biggest source of confusion on competitor sites, which often quote a bracket as if it were the whole claim. The €165,000 ceiling for a severe hip or pelvis injury applies only to general damages. Everything you lose in money terms is claimed separately and proven with documents.
Special damages in a serious hip case can dwarf the general damages award. They include past and future loss of earnings, the cost of care and rehabilitation, home and vehicle adaptations, and the cost of future surgery. This last point matters in hip cases. Many hip prostheses last around 15 to 20 years, and newer implants can last longer, but a younger person who needs a replacement after an accident may still face one or more revision surgeries over a lifetime. Each one is more complex and more expensive than the last. Those future costs belong in the special damages claim, supported by expert evidence, not treated as an afterthought.
The official figures show how variable special damages are. In the first half of 2025, the average special damages award across all Injuries Resolution Board cases was €2,690, but for employer liability claims the average reached €5,261, up sharply on 2020 [2]. Serious pelvic injuries, which often arise from falls from height or crush injuries at work, sit at the higher end of that scale.
A worked example: how the total is built up
A worked example shows how general and special damages combine into one figure. The figures below are illustrative, not a prediction, and every claim is assessed on its own evidence.
Take a 45-year-old who fractures the acetabulum (hip socket) in a fall caused by an unsafe floor. Surgery restores function, but the orthopaedic report finds a clear risk of a hip replacement within 15 years. That places the general damages in the serious band, around €70,000 [1].
On top of that, special damages are proven separately: roughly €18,000 in lost earnings during recovery, about €6,000 in treatment and physiotherapy, and an expert-estimated future replacement cost. The general and special damages are then added to reach the total. The general damages band is fixed by the Guidelines, but the special damages are limited only by what the evidence proves.
If the injured person was partly to blame, the total is then reduced. Under section 34 of the Civil Liability Act 1961 [6], an award is cut in proportion to the claimant's share of fault. A 20% contributory finding on a €94,000 total — here the €70,000 general damages plus the €24,000 of proven past losses, before any future replacement cost is added — would reduce it to about €75,200.
What current Injuries Resolution Board figures show
Current Injuries Resolution Board figures show that most awards are modest, but serious orthopaedic trauma continues to attract six-figure sums. In the first half of 2025, the average general damages award across all claims was €16,642 and the median was €12,000 [2]. Both were down sharply on 2020, as the Guidelines reduced awards for minor injuries. The overall median award, combining general and special damages, was €13,300 [2].
Hip and pelvis injuries do not appear among the most common assessed injury types, which are dominated by neck, back, and other soft-tissue claims [2]. That is exactly why they tend to be worth more than the headline median. Hip and pelvis claims are usually fractures, dislocations, or surgical cases, so they fall into the moderate and serious severity bands rather than the minor one. Across all claims in the first half of 2025, 76% were classed as minor, 20% moderate, and 4% severe or serious [2].
The process figures are reassuring for claimants. In the first half of 2025, respondents consented to Injuries Resolution Board assessment in 68% of cases, and 49% of assessments were accepted by both sides [2]. In practice, roughly half of claims can be resolved through the Board without ever reaching a courtroom.
Are the 2024 to 2025 increases to the Guidelines in force?
No. The proposed 16.7% increase to personal injury awards is not in force, and the 2021 figures throughout this page still apply. The Judicial Council published draft amendments in December 2024 proposing the rise to reflect inflation, and the judges endorsed them in January 2025 [3]. The draft went to the Minister for Justice, who laid it before the Oireachtas in September 2025 without seeking a resolution to approve it [4]. As of early 2026, a Judicial Council (Amendment) Bill is at pre-legislative scrutiny to reform how the Guidelines are adopted [4]. Until an amended set is approved, the 2021 figures stand.
The reason any change now needs the Oireachtas is the Supreme Court decision in Delaney v The Personal Injuries Assessment Board [2024] IESC 10. The Court upheld the Guidelines as valid and legally binding, but found that section 7(2)(g) of the Judicial Council Act 2019 — the provision under which the Judicial Council adopts and amends the Guidelines — is unconstitutional in its present form. As a result, any future change to the Guidelines must now be approved by resolution of both Houses of the Oireachtas before it can take effect [3]. The adoption framework is set out in the Judicial Council Act 2019 [5]. Until the Oireachtas approves an amended set of Guidelines, the original 2021 brackets remain the law. Any figure quoted from the proposed second edition is not yet a valid basis for valuing a claim.
Hip and pelvis injuries caused by medical negligence
Hip and pelvis injuries caused by medical negligence are valued using the same Guidelines brackets, but the claim follows a different legal route. The usual situations are a missed hip or pelvic fracture in an emergency department, avascular necrosis following a delayed reduction of a dislocated hip, or a hip replacement carried out negligently. To succeed, you must show the care fell below the standard set in Dunne v National Maternity Hospital [1989] IR 91. That test asks whether no reasonable practitioner of equal standing would have acted as the treating clinician did.
The key procedural difference is that medical negligence claims are exempt from the Injuries Resolution Board and proceed directly through the courts, supported by an independent consultant's report. Where a fracture is missed and the delay causes avoidable harm, the added injury can push the claim into the serious or severe band. Examples include malunion or secondary arthritis. Where there was pre-existing degeneration, the value reflects the extra harm the negligence caused rather than the underlying condition.
This page covers how these claims are valued. For the clinical standards and how liability is proven, see our guide to orthopaedic medical negligence claims and our guide to missed fracture negligence claims. A separate set of clinical audit issues affecting children's hip surgery in Irish hospitals is dealt with in our medical negligence section rather than here. If your concern is a faulty prosthesis rather than the surgery itself, that follows the product route covered in our guide to defective hip or knee implant claims.
How a hip or pelvis claim actually works
A hip or pelvis accident claim starts with an application to the Injuries Resolution Board, supported by a medical report. The Board notifies the respondent, who has 90 days to consent to an assessment [2]. If both sides accept the Board's assessment, an order to pay issues and the claim is resolved. If either side rejects it, the Board issues an authorisation that allows the claim to proceed to court.
Where you have more than one injury, the Board and the courts value the dominant injury first. They then uplift the figure to reflect the additional pain from the lesser injuries, rather than adding each bracket together [1]. That approach matters in hip and pelvis cases, which rarely happen in isolation.
What if the hip injury is one of several?
When a hip injury is one of several, the value is built around the most significant injury, not by stacking the brackets. A serious pelvic fracture often comes with leg and lower back injuries from the same impact. The court identifies the dominant injury, values it within its bracket, then adds a proportionate uplift so the total fairly reflects the combined effect without overcompensating [1]. In practice, a €60,000 dominant hip injury with a lesser lumbar injury might be uplifted to around €70,000 to €75,000, rather than the two brackets simply added. If a back or leg injury is the more serious of the two, our pages on back injury compensation and the lower limb injury compensation brackets explain how those are valued.
Lump sum or periodic payments for catastrophic injuries?
For catastrophic hip and pelvis injuries needing lifelong care, a court can order periodic payments instead of a single lump sum. The Civil Liability (Amendment) Act 2017 inserted a new Part IVB into the Civil Liability Act 1961 [7]. This lets the courts make a periodic payments order for future care and treatment in catastrophic injury cases. The provisions commenced on 1 October 2018. A "catastrophic injury" is defined as one so severe that it requires lifelong care and assistance with daily living [7].
This route is relevant only at the most serious end, such as a pelvic injury with permanent disability and major care needs. In long-running cases, the courts have also approved interim payments while the final position becomes clear. Payments under a periodic payments order are exempt from income tax [7].
Time limits: how long you have to claim
You generally have two years less one day to start a hip or pelvis claim in Ireland. For accident claims the clock usually runs from the date of the accident. For medical negligence and delayed diagnosis, it runs from your date of knowledge [1]. That is the date you knew, or should reasonably have known, that you were harmed and that negligence may be involved. The rules differ for children. A parent or guardian can bring a claim as a next friend at any time before the child turns 18, and the two-year period only starts to run from the child's 18th birthday. Even where time remains, acting early preserves medical evidence and helps secure rehabilitation.
Is hip or pelvis injury compensation taxed in Ireland?
No. Compensation for a personal injury is not subject to capital gains tax in Ireland. The reason is that a sum received for a personal injury is not a chargeable gain under section 613 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 [8]. The lump sum itself is not taxed as income either.
There is a further relief for the most serious cases. Under section 189 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 [9], the investment income and gains from a compensation payment can also be exempt. This applies where the injured person is permanently and totally incapacitated from maintaining themselves, and that income is their main income. Even where income is exempt, it must still be included in a tax return. Tax treatment can be complex, so anyone investing a large award should take specific tax advice.
Where your injury happened: car, work, public place, or clinical care
How your hip or pelvis injury happened decides which evidence matters and which route your claim takes. Road traffic collisions are a leading cause of hip dislocations and fractures in working-age adults, and those are covered in our guide to a hip injury from a car accident. Falls from height and crush injuries at work, slips and trips in public places, and clinical negligence each have their own rules on liability and evidence. The valuation brackets on this page stay the same. For the full picture of how figures compare across the body, see our overview of personal injury compensation amounts in Ireland.
Next step. Valuing a hip or pelvis injury depends on the medical evidence and the long-term prognosis, which only become clear over time. For advice specific to your situation, you can arrange a consultation with a solicitor experienced in hip and pelvis injury claims.
Call 01 903 6408 or email info@personalinjurysolicitorsdublin.info.
Fast facts about Ireland (hip and pelvis claims)
How to claim for a hip or pelvis injury in Ireland
To claim for a hip or pelvis injury in Ireland, follow these steps.
- Get medical treatment and make sure your injury is properly recorded and imaged.
- Obtain an independent medical report setting out the injury, treatment, and prognosis.
- For an accident claim, apply to the Injuries Resolution Board within the time limit.
- For medical negligence, instruct a solicitor to obtain an independent consultant's report and proceed through the courts.
- Gather evidence of financial loss, including earnings, care costs, and likely future surgery, for the special damages claim.
Key terms explained
These are the medical and legal terms that decide which band a hip or pelvis injury falls into.
- Acetabulum
- The hip socket. A fracture here often needs surgery and can lead to arthritis and a future hip replacement, which lifts the valuation band.
- Neck of femur (NOF) fracture
- A break in the upper thigh bone near the hip joint, common after falls. A missed NOF fracture is a frequent medical negligence claim.
- Avascular necrosis (AVN)
- Death of bone tissue from a lost blood supply, a known complication of a delayed hip reduction. It moves a claim toward the serious or severe band.
- Osteotomy
- Surgery that cuts and reshapes bone to correct alignment. The Guidelines link an osteotomy after an acetabular fracture to the serious band.
- Spondylolisthesis
- Forward slip of one vertebra over another. Where a hip injury causes it and spinal fusion is needed, the Guidelines place the case in the severe band.
- General damages
- Compensation for pain, suffering, and loss of amenity. Capped by the Personal Injuries Guidelines.
- Special damages
- Compensation for financial loss, such as lost earnings, care, and future surgery. Not capped, and proven with evidence.
References
- Judicial Council. Personal Injuries Guidelines, Chapter 7C Pelvis and hips (Updated March 2021) [1].
- Injuries Resolution Board. Personal Injuries Award Values Report, January to June 2025 (Updated 2025) [2].
- Judicial Council. Draft Amendments to the Personal Injuries Guidelines (Updated December 2024) [3].
- Irish Statute Book. Judicial Council Act 2019 (Updated 2019) [5].
- Citizens Information. Personal injury claims and the Injuries Resolution Board (Updated 2025) [4].
- Irish Statute Book. Civil Liability Act 1961, section 34 (contributory negligence) (Updated 1961) [6].
- Civil Liability (Amendment) Act 2017 (No. 30 of 2017), Part IVB. Irish Statute Book (Updated 2017). Commencement and policy: Department of Justice (Updated 2018) [7].
- Irish Statute Book. Taxes Consolidation Act 1997, section 613 (Updated 1997) [8].
- Revenue Commissioners. Personal injury compensation payments, section 189 TCA 1997 (Updated 2025) [9].
Additional resources
Injuries Resolution Board: how to make a claim • Citizens Information: personal injuries claims • Courts Service of Ireland
Common questions
How much compensation is a broken hip worth in Ireland?
A broken hip is worth between about €3,000 and €165,000 in general damages, depending on severity and recovery.
A simple fracture with a good recovery sits in the moderate band of €30,000 to €65,000. A fracture needing a hip replacement that is only partly successful, with a risk of revision surgery, falls in the serious band of €50,000 to €75,000 [1]. The most severe cases, with substantial permanent disability, reach the severe band.
From experience: the figure often turns on the orthopaedic prognosis for a future replacement, and on special damages for lost earnings, which are added on top of the bracket.
Next step: get an independent orthopaedic report before anyone puts a value on the claim.
Is a pelvis injury worth more than a hip injury?
Not necessarily, because both share the same brackets, but the most severe pelvis injuries reach the top of the range.
An extensive pelvic fracture with a ruptured bladder is valued at €100,000 to €165,000 [1]. A pelvis injury that interferes with childbirth and requires a Caesarean section has its own bracket of €30,000 to €45,000, weighted to the top where the claimant had no children at the time [1].
From experience: the childbirth bracket is widely overlooked, so a pelvis injury affecting future pregnancies is sometimes undervalued unless the medical evidence spells it out.
Next step: make sure the medical report addresses any effect on childbirth and future pregnancies.
Is the Book of Quantum still used in Ireland?
No. The Book of Quantum was withdrawn in April 2021 and replaced by the Personal Injuries Guidelines, which the Injuries Resolution Board and the courts must now follow [1].
Any valuation page still quoting Book of Quantum figures is out of date, and the two systems produce different numbers, especially for soft-tissue and minor injuries. The figures on this page come from the current Guidelines.
From experience: several online calculators still show legacy Book of Quantum figures, which is a common reason people arrive with the wrong expectation of value.
Next step: check that any figure you rely on cites the Personal Injuries Guidelines, not the Book of Quantum.
Does a medical negligence hip claim go to the Injuries Resolution Board?
No. Medical negligence claims are exempt from the Injuries Resolution Board and proceed directly through the courts [4].
You need an independent consultant's report to establish that the care fell below the standard set in the Dunne test before proceedings are issued. Accident claims, such as a fall or a car crash, must start at the Board instead.
From experience: the independent expert report is the foundation of the claim, and obtaining it early protects the medical evidence while memories and records are fresh.
Next step: see our guide to orthopaedic medical negligence claims for how liability is proven.
What is the difference between general and special damages?
General damages compensate pain and suffering and are capped by the Guidelines. Special damages compensate financial loss and are not capped.
For a hip or pelvis injury, general damages run up to around €165,000 [1]. Special damages cover loss of earnings, care costs, and future surgery, and are proven separately with documents [2]. In serious cases they are often the larger part of the claim.
From experience: future hip revision surgery is the special-damages item most often missed, even though prostheses typically last only 15 to 20 years.
Next step: keep records of every expense and ask your solicitor about future-cost evidence.
How much compensation for a hip fracture after a fall?
A hip fracture after a fall is valued by severity and outcome, not by how the fall happened.
A fracture with a good recovery sits in the moderate band of €30,000 to €65,000, while one leading to a hip replacement with ongoing problems can reach the serious band [1]. If the fall was caused by another party's negligence, such as an unsafe floor, you may have a claim.
From experience: a pre-existing arthritic hip does not defeat a claim. The award reflects how much the fall worsened the condition, through apportionment.
Next step: gather evidence of the hazard and of your baseline health before the fall.
How long does a hip or pelvis claim take?
The timeline depends on recovery and the route, and settling too early risks undervaluing the claim.
Many accident claims resolve through the Injuries Resolution Board, where roughly half of assessments are accepted by both sides [2]. Medical negligence claims take longer because they go through the courts and need expert evidence on liability.
From experience: a claim should not usually be valued until the prognosis is clear, because the bracket depends on how well you recover.
Next step: wait for medical stability before considering any settlement offer.
Have hip and pelvis compensation amounts gone up in 2025?
No. A 16.7% increase was proposed but is not in force, so the 2021 figures still apply [3].
The Minister laid the draft before the Oireachtas in September 2025 without seeking approval, and a reform Bill is under scrutiny in early 2026 [4]. Until the Oireachtas approves an amended set of Guidelines, the brackets on this page remain current.
From experience: be cautious of any source quoting higher 2024 or 2025 figures as if they were live. Those are draft numbers that have not taken effect.
Next step: value any claim against the 2021 brackets unless and until the law changes.
Can you claim for a hip replacement that went wrong?
Yes, where the surgery fell below the expected standard or a fracture was managed negligently.
A hip replacement that is only partly successful, with a clear risk of revision surgery, is valued in the serious band of €50,000 to €75,000 [1]. You must show the care fell below the Dunne standard, supported by an independent consultant's report.
From experience: a faulty implant is a different claim from negligent surgery, and the two follow separate legal routes and time limits.
Next step: if the issue is the device itself, see our guide to defective hip or knee implant claims.
Do I need a solicitor for a hip or pelvis claim?
You are not legally required to use a solicitor, but hip and pelvis claims involve detailed medical evidence and significant future costs.
The value depends on the prognosis and on properly evidenced special damages, including future surgery and lost earnings. Most people instruct a solicitor to make sure the claim is not settled below its true worth.
From experience: the gap between a quick early offer and a properly evidenced claim is often largest in serious hip cases with future revision surgery.
Next step: a consultation can set out your options and the likely evidence you will need.
Is hip or pelvis injury compensation taxed in Ireland?
No. Compensation for a personal injury is not subject to capital gains tax, and the lump sum is not taxed as income [8].
For people who are permanently and totally incapacitated, the investment income and gains from the award can also be exempt under section 189 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997, where that is their main income [9]. Exempt income must still be declared in a tax return.
From experience: the lump sum is straightforward, but how you invest a large award has tax consequences that are worth specific advice.
Next step: take tax advice before investing a significant settlement.
Can a catastrophic hip injury be paid in instalments?
Yes. For catastrophic injuries needing lifelong care, a court can order periodic payments instead of a single lump sum [7].
The Civil Liability (Amendment) Act 2017 lets the courts make a periodic payments order for future care and treatment, in force since 1 October 2018 [7]. It applies only at the most severe end, where the injury requires lifelong assistance with daily living.
From experience: periodic payments suit cases with long-term care needs, because the money is tied to the actual cost of care rather than an upfront estimate.
Next step: ask whether a lump sum or periodic payments better fits long-term care needs.
Talk it through. If you have suffered a hip or pelvis injury and want to understand how it would be valued, a consultation can set out your options clearly and without obligation.
Call 01 903 6408 or email info@personalinjurysolicitorsdublin.info.
Next in this series
Hip Injury After a Car Accident in Ireland: Dislocations, Fractures and Foot Drop
Missed Hip and Pelvic Fractures: When a Delayed Diagnosis Becomes a Claim
Special Damages Explained: Future Surgery, Care and Loss of Earnings in Serious Injury Claims
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.
Related internal guides: Compensation amounts in Ireland • Hip injury from a car accident • Orthopaedic medical negligence • Lower limb guidelines
Gary Matthews Solicitors
Medical negligence solicitors, Dublin
We help people every day of the week (weekends and bank holidays included) that have either been injured or harmed as a result of an accident or have suffered from negligence or malpractice.
Contact us at our Dublin office to get started with your claim today
