A new edition of the Book of Quantum was published earlier this month by the Injuries Board.
Its purpose is to provide general guidelines as to the amounts which may be awarded or assessed in Personal Injury (PI) Claims.
The Book of Quantum 2016 is more detailed than its predecessor and includes a broader range of injuries including:
- concussion,
- partial finger amputations,
- loss of an eye,
- clavicle injuries,
- upper limb disorders,
- Achilles tendon injuries and
- food poisoning.
The Injuries Board is required to prepare and publish the Book of Quantum under s54 (1)(b) Personal Injuries Assessment Board Act 2003. To this end, the Board engaged consultants who based the Book on representative samples of closed personal injuries claims from 2013 and 2014, Court awards, insurance company settlements, State Claims Agency cases and Injuries Board data.
The Injuries Board has regard to the Book of Quantum when assessing claims. Under section 22 of the Civil Liability and Courts Act 2004, the Court must also have regard to the Book of Quantum when assessing damages in a Personal Injuries action, but the Court can also consider other factors when making this assessment (Section 22(2), 2004 Act).