Dublin City Council has paid out nearly €2.5 million in compensation in the last three years to staff who were injured at work.
Figures released this month by the council, Ireland´s largest local authority, revealed that a total of €2,392,455 had been paid out in personal injury settlements to council employees.
In 2012, Dublin City Council received 65 personal injury claims from its employees. 49 of these claims were settled and €1,001,370 was paid out in compensation.
None of these claims against the council were processed through mediation or Alternative Dispute Resolution (ARD) which could have resulted in quicker and less costly resolution. Some local councillors believe mediation needs to be more actively promoted to avoid large pay outs from personal injury claims.
The council employees just over 5,500 staff which include those working in potentially dangerous jobs like fire-fighters.
In one personal injury case in 2012, €44,000 was recovered for a council worker who took a case against Dublin City Council after a 2009 fall at work. The woman was injured when stairs gave way in a newly refurbished building where she was working .
There are still 155 personal injury cases outstanding this year, including 37 claims waiting to go before the High Court due to their potentially high settlement value.
These figures do not include legal claims from the public who claim they are injured in the city. In 2012, over €6 million was paid out in compensation to members of the public.
If you are injured in a work accident because your employer did not respect their duty of care to you, then you can pursue a work claim. Speak to injury lawyers to find out more about making a claim.