A serious injury can change how you work, move, care for yourself and support your family. Alongside treatment and recovery, you may be facing difficult questions about income, housing and the help you will need.

At Hogan Dowling McNamara Solicitors LLP, Thomas Dowling leads our personal injury practice, with over 25 years’ experience in injury claims. We advise injured people and their families in Limerick and throughout Ireland.

Our role is to investigate what happened and build a detailed understanding of how the injury affects your life— now and in the years ahead.

Call 061 501100 or request a confidential callback.

You can contact us yourself or make an initial enquiry about an injured family member. You do not need to have every document or know whether you have a claim before getting in touch.

Advice when an injury changes your life

For someone living with a serious injury, the questions are often practical:

• Will I be able to return to my job?
• How will we manage if my income stops or falls?
• Will I need help at home?
• Is my home suitable for my needs?
• What treatment, rehabilitation or equipment might I need?
• What happens if a family member has to reduce their working hours to care for me?

These concerns deserve careful investigation. We take time to understand your circumstances and identify the medical, financial and other evidence needed to assess your claim.

Serious and catastrophic injury claims

We advise on claims involving injuries with significant or lasting consequences, including:

• Brain and head injuries, affecting memory, concentration, behaviour, communication or independence.
• Spinal injuries, affecting movement, sensation and everyday functioning.
• Amputation and limb injuries, involving prosthetics, rehabilitation and changes to work or home life.
• Complex fractures and orthopaedic injuries, requiring surgery or resulting in lasting restrictions.
• Burns and significant scarring, with physical and psychological consequences.
• Multiple injuries, where the combined effects require coordinated investigation.
• Other injuries causing long-term disability or an inability to return to work.

The medical diagnosis is only part of the picture. We also consider what the injury means for your particular occupation, responsibilities and daily life.

We advise on serious injuries arising from road traffic accidents, workplace accidents, accidents in public places and alleged medical negligence. The appropriate legal process depends on the circumstances.

Understanding the full extent of your losses

A serious injury claim requires a careful assessment of both existing losses and future needs.

Depending on the circumstances, our investigation may address:

Earnings, career and pension

An injury may prevent you from returning to your previous role, limit your hours or affect your prospects of promotion. We examine the evidence needed to assess lost earnings, future earning capacity and pension losses.

Treatment and rehabilitation

We consider the medical evidence about ongoing treatment, therapy and rehabilitation, including the likely duration and cost of support.

Care and assistance

You may need help with personal care, household tasks or activities you previously managed independently. We investigate the nature of that assistance, including support currently provided by family members and any anticipated future care needs.

Accommodation and equipment

An injury may create a need for accessible accommodation, home adaptations, mobility aids, prosthetics or vehicle adaptations. These needs should be investigated with appropriate expert input.

The effect on everyday life

Pain, fatigue, reduced mobility and psychological symptoms can affect relationships, parenting, leisure and independence. Understanding those effects forms part of the assessment of your injuries.

Building the evidence your case needs

The evidence required will depend on the injury and your circumstances. It may include reports from medical consultants and input from rehabilitation, occupational therapy, care, vocational, financial or accommodation experts.

We use that evidence to investigate:

• Who may be legally responsible.
• The nature of your injuries and the likely outlook.
• Your ability to work and live independently.
• The support you need now.
• The needs and losses that may arise in the future.

We explain why particular evidence is needed and discuss the associated costs with you.

A settlement decision should be informed by a proper understanding of the injury’s consequences. Where the medical outlook remains uncertain, we will explain what that means for the decisions ahead.

Working with you and your family

Serious injuries can make dealing with correspondence, appointments and legal questions difficult. Family members often play an important supporting role.

Tell us if you need a relative or another trusted person involved in discussions, or if you have communication or accessibility needs. We can discuss suitable arrangements and any authority required.

If the injured person cannot provide instructions themselves, we can explain what needs to be considered before anyone acts on their behalf.

Thomas Dowling leads our personal injury practice. Our approach is to explain the work clearly, keep you informed and give you practical advice at each stage.

What happens when you contact HDM?

We listen to what happened

We ask about the injury, treatment and its current effect on your life. We also identify any urgent concerns about time limits or preserving evidence.

We explain the possible next steps

We discuss the information needed to assess the matter, the applicable process and how legal costs would be handled before you decide whether to instruct us.

We investigate the claim

If instructed, we gather relevant records, investigate responsibility and obtain appropriate evidence about your injuries and losses.

We advise you as the case develops

We explain developments, uncertainties and any proposals for resolving the claim so that you can make informed decisions.

To discuss your circumstances, call 061 501100 or request a confidential callback.

Questions about serious injury claims

Do I need to wait until treatment is finished?

You can seek advice while treatment is ongoing. Early advice can help identify relevant deadlines and preserve evidence. The medical outlook may take time to become clear, and we can explain how that affects the progress of a claim.

Can I contact you about an injured family member?

Yes. You can make an initial enquiry and explain the situation. Before discussing confidential details or accepting instructions on the person’s behalf, we will clarify consent and any authority required.

What if I cannot return to my previous job?

Tell us about your occupation, duties and the difficulties you face. We can investigate the effect on your earnings, future employment options and pension, obtaining appropriate expert evidence where needed.

What if my family is providing care?

Tell us what assistance is being provided, by whom and how often. Keep a practical record of that support where possible. We can advise on its relevance to the claim and what evidence may be needed and where appropriate obtain a report from a nursing consultant about the cost of past as well as future care.

How much might my claim be worth?

A reliable assessment requires evidence about responsibility, the injury, the medical outlook and your individual losses. A diagnosis alone does not provide enough information.

We will explain the factors relevant to your case and advise as the evidence develops.

Will I have to go to court?

That depends on whether the issues can be resolved through the available processes or negotiations. We prepare the evidence carefully and explain if court proceedings become necessary. We cannot guarantee at the outset that a hearing will be avoided but will bear your wishes in mind in any future discussions.

How will legal costs and expert reports be handled?

Before you instruct us, we will explain our proposed fees, potential outlays and the possible costs consequences of bringing a claim.

We will consider whether we will fund the costs of your medical reports and whether we will defer our professional fee. We will explain the scope of any arrangement, including what payments may be required and when.

How long do I have to take action?

Legal time limits apply. The relevant deadline depends on the circumstances, so seek advice promptly. Do not assume that ongoing treatment means you can safely delay obtaining legal advice.

Speak with Thomas Dowling

Hogan Dowling McNamara Solicitors are conveniently located at Castletroy House, Dublin Road, Limerick V94 W6DC with plenty of off street parking.  Please contact us by phone at 061 501100, email Thomas Dowling, Partner at [email protected] or get a call back by completing our contact form so we can provide you with further information or advice.

Let us know about any accessibility requirements when arranging an appointment.

Request a confidential callback

In contentious business, a solicitor may not calculate fees or other charges as a percentage or proportion of any award or settlement.