This report was published on 16 October 2025. It was prepared at the request of Minister Peter Burke TD, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment and undertaken by the Injuries Resolution Board in collaboration with Deloitte. It analysed 12000 awards and settlements made under the Personal Injuries Guidelines between 2022 and 2024 and found that average claims costs are running at 3.9 times – 4.9 times higher in Ireland than in England and Wales for minor neck and back injuries.
The report relates to minor soft-tissue injuries sustained in road traffic accidents. While the 2018 report of the Personal Injuries Commission led to reforms such as the Personal Injuries Guidelines in Ireland, so too did the Whiplash Injury Regulations 2021 bring about several key changes in England and Wales, including
- a statutory definition for whiplash injury
- a fixed tariff for whiplash injuries lasting up to 2 years, ranging from GB£240 to GB£4345
- prohibition of whiplash settlements without medical evidence
It is worth recalling that the Personal Injuries Commission found in 2018 that the level of general damages for soft tissue injuries was 4.4 times higher than in England and Wales and comparing this with the current differential between Ireland and England/Wales which is of the same order.
So what is happening? Are we going back to a vicious circle of more soft tissue claims, increasing legal bills and higher claims costs? Hopefully not. It is only a few months since an increase of 16.7% in Personal Injuries Guidelines awards was being mooted. Such an increase is not supported by the findings of this report. And, quite apart from award levels, it is important that any reduction in award levels in Ireland is not offset by a corresponding increase in legal costs. The government’s Action Plan for Insurance Reform has delivered benefits in the area of personal injury claims. However this report is a timely reminder of the need for vigilance in the area of personal injury claims generally.
Read the full report here: review-of-compensation-for-minor-soft-tissue-injuries-in-ireland-and-uk