Personal Injuries Guidelines Ireland: award brackets table
Last updated · By Mustafa Bilgic · Figures from the Personal Injuries Guidelines adopted by the Judicial Council on 6 March 2021
The Guidelines group injuries by part of the body and by severity, and give a euro bracket for each. At the end of a case the judge should ask each party which bracket best matches the dominant injury, and where the claim sits within it: top, middle or bottom. Lesser injuries are then reflected by an uplift, not added in full. This page puts every bracket into a searchable finder, shows the most used brackets in tables, and explains the rules that decide where in a bracket a claim falls.
Injury bracket finder
All 260 brackets in the 2021 Guidelines
| Injury | Bracket |
|---|
Under the Guidelines, lesser injuries increase the award by an uplift that the court judges to be fair and proportionate. There is no fixed percentage.
Neck injury brackets, including whiplash
The Guidelines say the assessment of damages for whiplash injuries requires particular care, and that the court should make findings on whether a whiplash injury was sustained and, if so, its nature and extent. The minor brackets depend mainly on how long it took to make a substantial recovery.
| Injury | Bracket |
|---|---|
| Most severe neck injury (incomplete paraplegia or similar) | €150,000 to €300,000 |
| Most severe neck injury: serious fractures or disc damage, considerable disability | €100,000 to €150,000 |
| Severe neck injury: fractures or dislocations, possible spinal fusion | €70,000 to €100,000 |
| Serious neck injury: less serious fractures, permanent or recurring symptoms | €50,000 to €70,000 |
| Serious neck injury: severe soft tissue or disc lesion, cervical spondylosis | €35,000 to €50,000 |
| Moderate neck injury (acceleration of a condition, or protracted soft tissue injury) | €12,000 to €23,000 |
| Minor neck injury: substantial recovery in 1 to 2 years | €6,000 to €12,000 |
| Minor neck injury: substantial recovery in 6 months to 1 year | €3,000 to €6,000 |
| Minor neck injury: substantial recovery within 6 months | €500 to €3,000 |
Back injury brackets
Back injuries have four minor brackets set by recovery time, from within six months to two to five years, then moderate, serious and most severe brackets for lasting disability. The minor brackets include sprains, strains and soft tissue injuries.
| Injury | Bracket |
|---|---|
| Most severe back injury (spinal cord and nerve root damage, short of paralysis) | €150,000 to €300,000 |
| Severe back injury with special features | €90,000 to €140,000 |
| Serious back injury: disc lesions or fractures leading to chronic conditions | €50,000 to €90,000 |
| Moderate back injury: residual disability (e.g. crush fracture, disc surgery) | €35,000 to €55,000 |
| Moderate back injury: less severe, prolonged soft tissue effects | €20,000 to €35,000 |
| Minor back injury: substantial recovery without surgery in 2 to 5 years | €12,000 to €20,000 |
| Minor back injury: substantial recovery without surgery in 1 to 2 years | €6,000 to €12,000 |
| Minor back injury: substantial recovery in 6 months to 1 year | €3,000 to €6,000 |
| Minor back injury: substantial recovery within 6 months | €500 to €3,000 |
Head and brain injury brackets
Head injury brackets run from €500 to €3,000 for a minor head injury with a substantial recovery within six months, up to €550,000 for the most severe brain damage.
| Injury | Bracket |
|---|---|
| Most severe brain damage (vegetative state, 24-hour nursing care) | Up to €550,000 |
| Severe brain damage (conscious but totally dependent, constant care) | €300,000 to €400,000 |
| Serious brain damage: moderate to severe intellectual deficit, constant care needed | €200,000 to €350,000 |
| Serious brain damage: modest to moderate intellectual deficit, work greatly reduced | €120,000 to €220,000 |
| Moderate brain damage: good recovery, some return to work, persisting defects | €60,000 to €140,000 |
| Moderate brain damage: as above but able to return to similar work | €25,000 to €60,000 |
| Minor brain damage or head injury: substantial recovery in 2 to 5 years | €12,000 to €25,000 |
| Minor brain damage or head injury: substantial recovery in 1 to 2 years | €6,000 to €12,000 |
| Minor brain damage or head injury: substantial recovery in 6 months to 1 year | €3,000 to €6,000 |
| Minor brain damage or head injury: substantial recovery within 6 months | €500 to €3,000 |
Psychiatric damage and PTSD brackets
Psychiatric damage and post-traumatic stress disorder have separate brackets. For minor PTSD, the symptoms will have resolved within two years.
| Injury | Bracket |
|---|---|
| Severe psychiatric damage (very poor prognosis) | €80,000 to €170,000 |
| Serious psychiatric damage (more optimistic prognosis) | €40,000 to €80,000 |
| Moderate psychiatric damage (marked improvement) | €15,000 to €40,000 |
| Minor psychiatric damage (full recovery) | €500 to €15,000 |
| Severe PTSD (permanent effects, unable to work or near it) | €60,000 to €120,000 |
| Serious PTSD (some recovery expected with professional help) | €35,000 to €80,000 |
| Moderate PTSD (largely recovered) | €10,000 to €35,000 |
| Minor PTSD (symptoms resolved within 2 years) | €500 to €10,000 |
Shoulder, arm, wrist and hand brackets
| Injury | Bracket |
|---|---|
| Severe shoulder injury (e.g. brachial plexus damage) | €100,000 to €150,000 |
| Serious shoulder injury | €40,000 to €75,000 |
| Moderate shoulder injury (e.g. frozen shoulder for some years) | €18,000 to €35,000 |
| Minor shoulder injury: substantial recovery within 2 years | €6,000 to €12,000 |
| Minor shoulder injury: substantial recovery within 6 months | €500 to €3,000 |
| Minor arm injury (e.g. straightforward fractures) | €5,000 to €20,000 |
| Minor elbow injury | €1,000 to €15,000 |
| Moderate wrist injury (some permanent disability) | €20,000 to €40,000 |
| Minor wrist injury: recovery within 6 months | €500 to €3,000 |
| Total or effective loss of one hand | €100,000 to €150,000 |
| Moderate hand injury (crush, penetrating wounds) | €10,000 to €25,000 |
| Minor hand, finger and thumb injuries | €1,000 to €12,000 |
Leg, knee, ankle and foot brackets
| Injury | Bracket |
|---|---|
| Severe leg injuries (permanent mobility problems) | €90,000 to €130,000 |
| Moderate leg injuries (complicated or multiple fractures) | €50,000 to €75,000 |
| Minor leg injury: simple fracture of femur | €12,000 to €20,000 |
| Minor leg injury: simple fracture of tibia or fibula, or soft tissue | €7,500 to €15,000 |
| Moderate knee injury (dislocation, torn cartilage or meniscus) | €15,000 to €35,000 |
| Minor knee injury: recovery in 1 to 2 years | €6,000 to €12,000 |
| Minor knee injury: recovery within 6 months | €500 to €3,000 |
| Moderate ankle injuries (fractures, ligament tears) | €20,000 to €45,000 |
| Minor ankle injury: recovery in 6 months to 2 years | €6,000 to €12,000 |
| Minor ankle injury: recovery within 6 months | €500 to €3,000 |
| Achilles tendon: moderate (partial rupture) | €18,000 to €25,000 |
| Moderate foot injuries (displaced metatarsal fractures) | €20,000 to €45,000 |
| Minor foot injury: recovery within 6 months | €500 to €3,000 |
The minor ankle brackets in the Guidelines jump from €500 to €3,000 (recovery within six months) to €6,000 to €12,000 (six months to two years); there is no separate €3,000 to €6,000 ankle bracket.
Facial injuries, teeth and scarring
| Injury | Bracket |
|---|---|
| Facial disfigurement: serious scarring | €30,000 to €60,000 |
| Facial disfigurement: moderate scarring | €7,000 to €30,000 |
| Facial disfigurement: minor scarring | €500 to €7,000 |
| Nose fracture: displaced, surgery required | €10,000 to €25,000 |
| Nose fracture: simple undisplaced, full recovery | €500 to €3,000 |
| Jaw fracture: simple, complete recovery | €3,000 to €12,000 |
| Teeth: loss of or serious damage to one front tooth | €3,500 to €8,500 |
| Teeth: loss of or damage to back teeth (per tooth) | €1,500 to €3,000 |
| Non-facial scarring: single noticeable scar or several superficial scars | €1,000 to €40,000 |
There are no separate burns brackets. The Guidelines say a burn scar is expected to attract a higher award than a scar of equal significance otherwise caused, and that where significant burns cover 40% or more of the body, awards are likely to exceed €200,000.
The most serious injuries
| Injury | Bracket |
|---|---|
| Injuries resulting in foreshortened life expectancy | Up to €550,000 |
| Quadriplegia | €400,000 to €550,000 |
| Paraplegia | €320,000 to €450,000 |
| Total blindness | €270,000 to €400,000 |
| Total deafness | €150,000 to €220,000 |
| Loss of both arms | €300,000 to €475,000 |
| Loss of both legs | €280,000 to €400,000 |
| Total or effective loss of both hands | €200,000 to €350,000 |
How the Guidelines are used to value a claim
- The court must have regard to them. In actions started on or after 24 April 2021, the court has to have regard to the Guidelines and, if it departs from them, state its reasons.
- One bracket, then a position within it. Each party identifies the bracket that most closely matches the dominant injury, and makes submissions on whether the claim sits at the top, middle or bottom of it.
- Multiple injuries. The judge values the most significant injury, then uplifts that value to compensate fairly for the lesser injuries. The overall award has to stay proportionate to awards for other injuries.
- A worse existing condition. Where an injury aggravates a pre-existing condition, only the extent to which it was made worse, and for how long, is compensated.
- Injuries not listed. A rare injury is valued by reference to equally significant injuries that the Guidelines do list.
The Guidelines cover general damages. Their note on "impact on work" says it does not include damages for loss of job opportunity or earning capacity, which may be recoverable under established legal principles; see special damages explained for how financial losses are usually claimed.
Book of Quantum and the Injuries Resolution Board
Section 99 of the Judicial Council Act 2019 came into operation on 24 April 2021. From that date, courts have regard to the Personal Injuries Guidelines in new actions, and assessors at the Injuries Resolution Board (formerly the Personal Injuries Assessment Board, PIAB) must have regard to them in assessments they make. The Book of Quantum still applies to actions started before that date, and to some later actions where the Board made its assessment before that date and the assessment was not accepted.
The 2025 draft amendments
The Personal Injuries Guidelines Committee must review the Guidelines at least every three years. After the first review, the Board of the Judicial Council modified the proposed changes to an overall increase of 16.7%, reflecting inflation, and on 4 February 2025 the draft amendments were submitted to the Minister for Justice. The Judicial Council explains that the proposals then need to be laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas for approval and passed by each House. Its Personal Injuries Guidelines page still links to the Guidelines adopted on 6 March 2021, and every figure on this page comes from that version.
Sources and methodology
Every bracket was read from the official PDF and checked against its text; the labels are shortened summaries of the official descriptions.
- Personal Injuries Guidelines, adopted by the Judicial Council on 6 March 2021, published on judicialcouncil.ie (PDF).
- Publication of draft amendments to the Personal Injuries Guidelines, Judicial Council news, judicialcouncil.ie.
- S.I. No. 182/2021, Judicial Council Act 2019 (Commencement) Order 2021, and section 30 of the Family Leave and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2021, on the Irish Statute Book.
- Personal Injuries Assessment Board Act 2003, section 20 as revised, Law Reform Commission revised acts.
- Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment press release on the Personal Injuries Resolution Board Act 2022, gov.ie.
Frequently asked questions
What are the Personal Injuries Guidelines?
They are the Judicial Council's guidelines on general damages for personal injuries in Ireland, adopted on 6 March 2021. They give a euro bracket for each type and severity of injury, and courts and Injuries Resolution Board assessors must have regard to them.
How much is a minor neck or whiplash injury worth in Ireland?
Under the Guidelines, a minor neck injury with a substantial recovery within six months is in the €500 to €3,000 bracket. Recovery between six months and one year is €3,000 to €6,000, and recovery within one to two years is €6,000 to €12,000.
Did the Guidelines replace the Book of Quantum?
Yes, for court actions started and Board assessments made on or after 24 April 2021. Courts still have regard to the Book of Quantum for actions started before that date, and for some later actions where the Board assessed the claim before that date and the assessment was not accepted.
Have the Personal Injuries Guidelines been increased?
The Judicial Council sent draft amendments with an overall increase of 16.7% to the Minister for Justice on 4 February 2025. They need to be approved and passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas. The Judicial Council's page still links to the 2021 Guidelines, which this page uses.
How are several injuries valued under the Guidelines?
The judge identifies the bracket for the most significant injury, values that injury, and then uplifts the figure to reflect the lesser injuries. Each injury is not valued and added in full, because that could over-compensate the claimant.