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Compensation claims against the HSE rocket to €85 million in one year

Claims for personal injury and third party property damage increased by 55 per cent.

PAYOUTS FOR PERSONAL injury and property damage claims against the HSE doubled last year, new figures reveal.

Damages paid out by the State Claims Agency (SCA) in 2013 increased by more 55 per cent compared to 2012

Responding to a parliamentary question, the Minister for Health outlined that more than €197 has been paid out in the past three years for claims against the HSE.

The Medical Independent details that this consists of:

  • €64 million in 2011.
  • €47 million in 2012.
  • €85 million in 2013.

As with previous parliamentary questions on the State Claims Agency, Minster James Reilly said the agency had a “strong record” of cost reduction.

“For example, the SCA achieved significant savings on claims and related legal costs associated with the management of clinical claims in 2013,” Minister Reilly said.

The Minister noted that “an independent actuarial assessment projected that” the Agency would need €154 million to meet claims and related costs last year.

Savings

“The net cost, taking account of successful recoveries from third parties, was €119.7 million, a saving of €34.3 million,” he said.

The agency handles compensation claims against state bodies.

It was revealed last month that it has over €1 billion in outstanding liabilities, consisting of 5,755 active claims.

Read: Claims agency has over €1 billion in outstanding liabilities >

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17 Comments
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    Mute Dermot O Dwyer
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    Mar 19th 2014, 8:51 PM

    You would be able to pay a lot of students nurses a decent wage with €85 million…

    138
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    Mute Michael Reilly
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    Mar 19th 2014, 9:03 PM

    Agree Dermot. Outside the claimants there are two industries feeding from this trough – the Legal eagles and the Doctors as expert witnesses. What polititician or consumer group will tackle those guy with their friends in high places. They even managed to beat the Troika

    75
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    Mute mart_n
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    Mar 19th 2014, 9:49 PM

    The way people go on about this stuff is mental. What do you want; a system where nobody is ever able to make a genuine claim for loss or damage, or one in which everyone is required to follow the same legal route in order to make claims?

    The problem isn’t solely with claimants, it’s with the legal environment they’re constrained (or enthused) by. The HSE spend absolute fortunes on payouts to people that genuinely do deserve it, to parents of kids left with preventable yet permanent brain injuries, for example. To people that have spent a large chunk of their lives fighting on behalf of loved ones. Many do it simply for an apology but the state has to fight tooth and nail against all cases, because people with ridiculous claims can so easily arrogate legal representation. How do you fix such a legal system without hurting those who have genuine yet complex complaints?

    31
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    Mute Sarah Nic Pháidín
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    Mar 19th 2014, 10:00 PM

    by preventing the HSE buying the most expensive legal services in the land, with public money whilst complainants have to fund their own defence, make it a fair system. The HSE will not use the injuries board, they should be made to do this

    24
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    Mute Philip King
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    Mar 20th 2014, 6:53 AM

    No win no fee! The thought of ending up with a legal bill would put most false claimants off.

    6
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    Mute c collins
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    Mar 19th 2014, 8:52 PM

    Says more about the compo culture endemic in this country than anything , a ” who can I blame ” culture encouraged by the likes of ” talk to joe ” on liveline . Meanwhile insurance premiums skyrocket and these same people are the ones who cant understand why everything is so expensive in ireland compared to other countries where personal responsibilty is not an alien concept

    100
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    Mute Glen
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    Mar 19th 2014, 9:00 PM

    Most claims take 6 to 10 years to process. The money is banked and it’s the interest that pays the bulk of the claim.

    10
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    Mute John Michael
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    Mar 19th 2014, 9:25 PM

    Not everyone who claims is on the make. What about Savita’s family? What about the parents of those children who died in Portlaoise? What about those children who have to go through life suffering from severe disabilities because some doctor didn’t take enough care at their births? Get your facts right before you make crazy assumptions. We’re not a nation of con artists.

    59
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    Mute rodrigo detriano
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    Mar 19th 2014, 8:38 PM

    A Tenth world health service gets sued on a regular basis! Wow!!

    34
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    Mute Andrea Meehan
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    Mar 19th 2014, 9:53 PM

    Unfortunately due to the recession ppl are goin to great lengths to get money. And from experience claiming left right and centre is one way of doing it.

    25
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    Mute Sarah Nic Pháidín
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    Mar 19th 2014, 9:57 PM

    IF the HSE spent that amount of money on improving management, safety and standards, instead of on solicitors defending legitimate claims, the health services in Ireland would be ‘fit for purpose’

    24
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    Mute richardmccarthy
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    Mar 19th 2014, 10:27 PM

    1 € billion euro is the estimated cost of 5755 outstanding claims on the state,if anyone wanted to know why private health insurance cover has been exploding here for years,here it is,if the public hospitals charge private health insurers €1200 euro for a one night stay,the extraordenary level and cost of claims against the state must be a major factor in the cost of private health cover in this country, years ago when the level of car insurance premiums and claims rocketed,they set up the independent claims assesment board and significantly reduced the level of claims and fraud, something similar is called for here.

    14
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    Mute Andrew Potts
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    Mar 19th 2014, 11:13 PM

    Maybe the awards are too large ?

    13
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    Mute Andrew Potts
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    Mar 19th 2014, 11:13 PM

    And the legal fees ?

    17
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    Mute Jim Brady
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    Mar 19th 2014, 9:36 PM

    €197 in the last 3 years??? Did I read that correctly?
    Tell me it’s not true!

    8
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    Mute Aoife NicAodha
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    Mar 19th 2014, 11:00 PM

    Is it really surprising with the state of the healthcare system. See portlaoise maternity, elderly people going to hospital with minor problems and fatally contracting MRSA etc. I’m surprised it’s not more.

    4
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    Mute Ryan Fly
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    Mar 19th 2014, 10:40 PM

    I honestly can c why this happens,if anything happens,the first.thing that the drs do is put up a barrier,they either refuse or twist and even lie to questions put to them,there arrogance is unbelievable,there gods,and they have the hse to back them to the last,if they came out and said what happened,we didnt c that on the scan at the.time,etc,then it wouldnt be as it is now,with the compo claim.they put there head into the sand,and let it drag on to the last ,with expenses acruing all the time

    5
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