Seanad debates
Monday, 24 November 2003
Personal Injuries Assessment Board Bill 2003: Committee Stage.
We are all assuming that this will be a paper-based system but the Bill does not seem to state this. The Bill sets out procedures which must be followed but it does not specifically prohibit the board, its representatives or an assessor from dealing with an individual claimant. The Bill does not prohibit an assessor from arbitrating in some way. If, for example, a claimant suggests to the board that his injury is worth €15,000, is it prohibited for the assessor to suggest, in turn, that it might be worth €10,000 and for them to negotiate €12,500? That sort of arbitration or negotiating process does not seem to be specifically prohibited in the Bill, and why should it be? It might be possible for the board to do its business more quickly if there were some sort of informal negotiating process.
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