Insurance cost hikes loom after ruling on injuries

Insurance companies could be forced to hike premiums following an historic Appeals Court ruling which opens the way for higher compensation awards for people who suffer catastrophic injuries.

The court upheld a €15.9m award made to nine-year-old Gill Russell from Aghada, Co Cork, who suffered brain damage at birth and has dyskinetic cerebral palsy.

The unanimous decision will have major implications for the HSE, the State, and the insurance industry. The HSE had urged the Court of Appeal to reject the approach taken by the High Court when assessing the massive damages for the boy, who needs life-long care.