7 Steps – What to do if involved in an accident
1.    Look – what caused your accident?
2.    Act – make sure to immediately report your accident to a person in authority
3.    Witnesses – make sure to take the names and addresses of anybody at the scene
4.    Lawyers – contact Lawline for advise without delay
5.    Injured – make sure to attend your doctor or local hospital as soon as possible
6.    Never – never admit liability
7.    Enquire – now for a copy of our brochure or email us for an instant call back

In Circuit Court cases, your case will be presented in Court by your Barrister. In High Court cases, you will be represented by a Senior Counsel as well as a Barrister (Junior Counsel). A pre-Trial Consultation takes place with your Counsel either on the day of the Trial or within a day or two previously. When arriving for your case, it is important that you dress in a manner which shows proper respect for the Court.

Your Barrister will lead you through your evidence, and you should ensure that you answer all questions to the best of your ability. Try to avoid giving hasty or confused replies. If you are not sure of the answer to any question, you should say so. After the examination by your own Barrister, the Defendant’s Barrister will cross-examine, in an attempt to illicit details from you which may be favorable to the Defendant’s case. The Judge may also have some questions. Giving evidence in court After completion of your evidence, the evidence of any other witnesses is taken in the same way. In regard to medical evidence, medical practitioners may be in attendance in Court but more usually, their evidence is admitted in the form of medical reports handed into the Judge.

When all the witnesses have been heard, and Counsel has made any relevant points to the Court, the Judge usually makes his/her decision there and then, or s/he may adjourn for a short time for consideration or, on occasions, postpone his/her judgement to another day. The judge delivers a decision on liability, and if deciding in favour of the Plaintiff, will make an award of damages as compensation. If you have any questions on going to court, contact our legal team today on Locall 1850 20 40 60 or email us with your query.

The law requires a solicitor to provide clients with information (particulars) in writing, when the solicitor is instructed, or as soon as is practicable after that, of:

• The solicitor’s actual charges, or, where this is not possible or practicable,
• An estimate of the solicitor’s charges, or, where this is not possible or practicable,
• The basis on which the solicitor’s charges are to be made.

Solicitors’ charges are calculated by reference to a number of factors including the following;

• The complexity of the matter,
• The urgency of the matter,
• The difficulty or the novelty of the questions raised,
• The skill, labour, specialised knowledge and responsibility involved,
• The number and importance of the documents prepared or examined,
• The amount of value or any transaction involved,
• The importance of the matter to you,
• The time reasonably spent by personnel in the solicitor’s firm on the matter,
• The place, or places, and the circumstances in which the matter is pursued.

These are also the factors which are taken into account in the assessment of a solicitor’s bill. In addition to the professional fee and miscellaneous charges payable to the solicitor, there will be items of outlay payable to third parties, including government agencies, which must be discharged by you. By law, we (the solicitor) must provide you (our client) with information about case procedures (particulars) in writing.