Seanad debates
Thursday, 20 November 2003
Personal Injuries Assessment Board Bill 2003: Second Stage.
Representatives of the insurance companies will have to ensure that the Personal Injuries Assessment Board will work. In fairness, the Law Society and solicitors put forward a case to the effect that all the power will lie with the insurance companies. They will have the backup to fight claims, but the person lodging the claim will not have the support that he or she would be entitled to through a solicitor or barrister. Most of the companies represented at our meetings indicated they would ensure a level playing pitch and would not stack the opposition to claims. It will be a fair assessment. The PIAB will ultimately bring about a climate of equity and fairness and this is what we want. If a person has a claim, let him or her get genuine compensation, no more, no less. It will, however, be speedier and more cost effective. This is the objective of the Bill and that is why we support it.
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