Dear Claudine,

My daughter was recently knocked down by an unknown driver who left the scene of the accident. Fortunately, she is now recovering well after having suffered a broken leg. It is terrible to think that an individual would drive away from the scene of an accident knowing that they have caused an injury to another person. Thankfully, a neighbour came to her aid. My daughter has not been able to attend work for the last six weeks and her employers have paid her in full. She would now like to take a claim for the injuries she suffered but she does not know the identity of the driver.

Thank you.

Colette

Dear Colette,

Thank you very much for your letter. I sincerely hope that your daughter is making a good recovery after her terrible ordeal. The Motor Insurers’ Bureau of Ireland (MIBI) was set up in 1955 for the purposes of compensating victims of road traffic accidents caused by uninsured and unidentified drivers. If your daughter wishes to make a claim then she really should consult a solicitor with the relevant expertise in personal injuries actions. Alternatively, it is open to your daughter to make a claim on her own behalf. She will have to complete the Claim Notification Form which she can download from the MIBI Website. She will be required to furnish as much accurate information as possible and submit the completed claim form to the MIBI by either e-mail or registered post. The time limit in this instance is two years from the date of the accident. The MIBI will write to your daughter confirming that they have received her completed claim form. They will then commence their investigations into the circumstances surrounding this accident. As your daughter will be claiming for personal injuries, the MIBI will require her medical notes and records from the Hospital which she attended immediately following the accident. When the MIBI have obtained all of the relevant information they will pass the claim to be handled by one of their Claims Management Services Providers. Your daughter will also have to make an Application to the Injuries Board. The relevant form can be downloaded from their website at www.injuriesboard.ie and the MIBI will be the Respondent noted in the Application Form. Once the investigation has been completed by both the Injuries Board and the MIBI and liability for the accident agreed, the claim will be settled by the Claims Management Services Provider and compensation will be paid according to the injuries sustained by your daughter.

With every good wish to you both.

Claudine