Appeal court ruling on woman's damages claim to affect future personal injury assessments

Mr Justice Donald Binchy said: 'Claimants are entitled to be given information sufficient to understand the basis of its calculation of general damages without having to resort to guesswork'

The appeal court agreed with hospital catering assistant Tara Wolfe that the Personal Injuries Assessment Board failed to give sufficient reasons for valuing her shoulder, back and leg injuries at €11,000. File picture

The Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) must re-assess damages to be awarded to a woman for soft tissue injuries allegedly sustained when an oven fell on her at work, the Court of Appeal has ordered.

The ruling, delivered on Monday, will have implications for how Piab explains its assessment of claims under personal injuries guidelines that have slashed minor injury awards by 50% since they were introduced in April 2021.