A personal injury claim in Ireland has no single fixed completion time. For claims handled by the Injuries Resolution Board, the nine-month assessment period normally starts when the respondent consents to assessment, not on the accident date. Preparing the application, obtaining that response, deciding on the assessment and any court proceedings can add time. The useful estimate is therefore a timeline for your claim’s current stage.
This guide focuses on ordinary adult accident claims within the Board’s remit. Medical negligence and other claims outside that process need a different timetable.
Which clock is running?
| Stage | Starting point | What the timing means |
|---|---|---|
| Preparing the claim | Initial investigation and medical evidence | No fixed preparation period. Identify the parties, arrange the report and check the legal deadline promptly. |
| Respondent’s initial response | The Board’s Formal Notice issue date | The Board gives the respondent 90 days to respond. This is not an automatic 90-day wait if a response arrives sooner. |
| Board assessment | Normally receipt of consent to assessment | The statutory assessment period is nine months, subject to the rules and extensions explained below. |
| Decision on an assessment | Service of the Notice of Assessment | The claimant normally has 28 days; a respondent has 21 days. Check the notice’s dates. |
| Court proceedings, if needed | A separate litigation stage | There is no fixed whole-case completion date. The issues, evidence and court timetable matter. |
The initial response period is explained in the Board’s respondent guidance. The assessment-decision periods run from service under section 30 of the 2003 Act; the claimant’s period can be longer where applicable rules provide for that.
Why “nine months” is not an accident-to-payment promise
Section 49 generally starts the clock on receipt of consent. With several consenting respondents, the earliest consent matters. Where no respondent replies, the start can instead be the expiry of the notice period.
An application lodged in January and consent received in March therefore normally have different application and assessment start dates.
Under the section 49 route, if an assessment cannot appropriately be completed within nine months, the Board must give written reasons before expiry and specify an intended date no more than six months later. Continuing beyond that date requires the claimant’s written consent, which can subsequently be withdrawn. The section provides for an authorisation where the relevant consent is not given or is withdrawn. None of this guarantees a payment date.
Can mediation resolve a claim sooner?
The Board’s 2025 Annual Report, published in July 2026, reports an average of three months to resolve a claim through mediation. That is a reported service average, not an estimate from every claimant’s accident to payment.
Mediation requires participation by both sides and may not produce agreement. The Board’s process guidance explains that an agreement has a ten-day cooling-off period from completion of mediation. Where the parties sign on different dates, completion is the date of the last signature under section 18A(2). If it remains in place, an Order to Pay follows. If mediation does not resolve the claim, assessment or court proceedings may still be necessary, depending on consent and the circumstances.
Why medical evidence can affect the timetable
The Board’s 2025 Annual Report, published in July 2026, records an average of 11.2 months from respondent consent to completion of an assessment. This is an observed assessment-stage average, not an accident-to-payment estimate. The Board’s claimant guidance explains that an independent medical examination is commonly arranged to assess the injury, recovery and prognosis.
There is also a separate long-term-prognosis procedure under section 49A, involving further medical examination and notices. At specified stages, continued handling requires written consent from the claimant and each respondent. This can mean a longer process: nine months plus six is not a universal maximum.
A report recording an injury shortly after an accident may not answer later questions about continuing symptoms or future treatment. Ask what medical question remains unanswered, whether another appointment is needed and who is arranging it. Keep treatment dates, expenses and earnings records organised; our personal injury evidence guide explains the records that can help.
What happens after the Board’s decision?
An assessment still needs the parties’ decisions. Silence has different consequences: a claimant who does not respond in time is treated as not accepting, while a respondent who does not respond is treated as accepting. See section 31. Obtain advice before the response deadline.
For a child acting through a next friend, an accepted assessment also requires court approval before it becomes binding. That adds a separate step.
If the claim is unresolved and an authorisation issues, court proceedings are a separate stage. Disputes about responsibility, medical causation or future losses can require further evidence. An authorisation permits proceedings; it does not mean a hearing has been booked. Our assessment and mediation guide covers reviewing the available options.
Ask for the next milestone, not just a finish date
- Which stage has the claim reached, and what document confirms its start date?
- What information or decision is outstanding, and who must provide it?
- What is the next response deadline or expected update?
- Would unresolved medical issues make an early final settlement unsuitable?
The time needed to resolve a claim is separate from the deadline for starting it. Do not wait for recovery or negotiations to finish before checking the personal injury time limit. For advice on your documents and current stage, contact Lalloo Solicitors.
Sources checked on 6 November 2026. General information for the Republic of Ireland, not an individual completion-date estimate. No outcome is guaranteed.
