Healy O'Connor Solicitors

High Court refuses to allow children move to Spain-By Healy O’Connor Family Law Solicitors

admin — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 11:47:00 +0000

In a very interesting High Court decision Justice John MacMenamin refused the relocation application of a mother, who was seperated from the father of her childen to return to Spain. The application was refused as it was not in the best interests of the children. The decision is an interesting one for any family law solicitors involved in relocation applications. With international emigration and migration on the increase these types of family law cases are becoming more and more common. The family law department at Healy O’Connor Solicitors have advised numerous clients on issues pertaining to relocation and have represented those clients in the High Court. The law relating to relocation cases is quiet complex and goes beyond advising on issues such as access, maintenance and guardainship. For parents who leave a jurisdiction without the permission of the other parent the consequences can be serious and far reaching. In many instances when an application is brought under the Hague Convention children are regularly returned to the Country of origin for the Courts of that country to deal with the issues at hand.

It is extremely important that any parent considering relocation seeks the advice of a family law solicitor with specialist expericene of dealing with relocation cases. The family law department at Healy O’Connor Solicitors has this experience and can advise any parent considering any relocation outside of Ireland. We can be contacted at our Cork or Dublin office.

Signed: Family Law Department Healy O’Connor Solicitors.

Substantial Settlements reached for mother and three children- Personal Injuries Litigation Department

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 18:19:12 +0000

Cork Personal Injuries Lawyer Maurice O’Connor of the Litigation Department at Healy O’Connor Solicitors recently represented a mother and her three childen who suffered personal injuries after their car was rear-ended by another vehicle. Luckily the children were all strapped in however they suffered soft tissue injuries. The impact was severe and as a result injuries were sufferd to both back and neck. The driver of the vehicle, the mother of the children suffered moderate whiplash injuries along with some post traumatic stress as a result of the car crash.

The children all remained symtomatic for over six months and and expereinced some night terrors and change in mood. Fortuantely all the children made a full recovery.

After much negotiating with the relevant insurance company all cases were settled for signifiant amounts of compensation.

By: Personal Injuries Department of Healy O’Connor Solicitors

Judge cuts Personal Injury Award in High Court- Litigation Department

admin — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 18:26:52 +0000

The personal injuries litigation department at HOC Solicitors noted with interest a recent decision of the High Court to reduce an award for personal injuries compensation from €80,000 to €27,000. In a slightly unusual set of circumstances the High Court reduced the award on the basis the Plaintiff was two-thirds responsible for the incident and the injuries suffered. The President of the High Court said that Ms O’ Malley had suffered a nasty injury but blame must be attached to her because she had negotiated the stairs on which she fell at least once before the incident.

The plaintiff suffered a nasty injury to her ankle when she fell on a floating restaurant in Dublin’s Grand Canal. After the fall the plaintiff was taken to hospital where a plate and steel screws were inserted into her leg. As a result of the incident evidence was given that she could no longer participate in impact sports and was restricted from diving and skiing.

As with any Personal Injuries action the issue of liability is the central issue. Where liability is in issue there is no guarantee for a Plaintiff that they will be successful in being awarded compensation for injuries. It is important therefore for any potential claimant to seek advice from a personal injury law firm who have experience dealing with accidents and injuries cases.

By Maurice O’Connor Personal Injuries Solicitor

Personal Injuries Actions for Bullying and Harrassment

admin — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:51:11 +0000

I am currently involved in several ongoing cases where my clients are suing in the High Court for Bullying and Harrassment. It is very important that an employee, if he feels he or she is being bullied, raises the grievance with their Employer. The grievance procedure will be laid out in the Company Handbook or contract of employment. However, often times this may not be practical where the person you are complaining about is your boss. An Employee will feel very isolated where this is the case. A good start if you are suffering from Stress arising from Bullying and Harrassment is to attend with your Doctor. For any claim to begin your Employment Solicitor will have to take up a medical report from your GP. Secondly, it is critical that you maintain a diary of the events that have lead to taking this course of action. The more specific you can be the better for the claim to succeed. The devil is in the detail! Shane Healy, Head of Employment, Commercial and Insolvency, Healy O’Connor Solicitors, Cork and Dublin.

Cork Personal Injuries Solicitors Healy O Connor in agreement with Law Society Director General

admin — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:41:31 +0000

The Central Bank has now sought to compel insurance companies to provide information about the Personal Injuries Assessment Board to claimants. Under the new code personal injury claimants will have to be informed they are entitled to deal with the Board directly themselves. The Board feel considerable savings will be made for claimants by not using a Solicitor to assist with the application or to advise on any award made. While it may be the case that potential claimants could process the PIAB application form themselves there are many issues to be considered when taking a personal injuries claim. In our experience claimants who have suffered personal injuries in a car accident or in work accident benefit greatly from the advice and support of their Solicitor. Unlike the Personal Injuries Assessment Board we are in a position to answer all our clients queries and explain the process from start to finish on a one to one basis. Time and time again our clients are very happy to be advised and supported through what sometimes can be a very difficult process. In fact in a number of instances we have dealt with personal injuries claimants who considered applying through the Board themselves but invariably turned to us for expert advice on their personal injuries claim. We find that clients who have suffered injury want to be able to call in person to see their Solicitor to discuss sensitive matters. This facility is not available to a claimant who processes their claim on their own.

In a recent article in the Irish Times Ken Murphy, Director General of the Law Society commented on how 95% of claimants use Solicitors for their claims. He also said that people would be “well advised” to use a Solicitor to process their claim. We have to agree with these comments as a specialised personal injuries Solicitor will have a world of experience dealing with these types of claims and claimants can rest assured they will secure their rightful entitlement. Apart from the actual damages for personal injuries a Solicitor will provide careful advice on submitting a claim for loss of earnings and for special damages, for example medical appointment bills and pharmacy bills. Our worry as experienced personal injury litigation Solicitors would be that claimants would miss some important detail in the completion of their claim.

For matters such as this the advice then is to consult your Solicitor in order that you put the best foot forward and secure the compensation your are entitled to.

By: The Litigation Department at Healy O Connor Solicitors.

The Litigation Department at Healy O Connor deal with all types of Personal Injury Litigation including the following matters:

1. Road Traffic Accident Claims, whiplash injuries, soft tissue injuries.

2. Garda Siochana Injury Claims

3. Medical Misdiagnosis Claims

4. Post Traumatic Stress Claims

5. Prison Officer Claims

6. Work Accident Claims

7. Fatal Injuries Claims

8. DePuy Hip Product Recall Claims

9. PIAB (Personal Injury Claims)

10. Stress and Bullying in the Workplace Claims

11. Medical Negligence Claims

12. Criminal Injuries Claims

Unfair Dismissal and Insolvent Companies

admin — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:10:39 +0000

I was involved in a case against an insolvent company. The liquidators arrived at the Employment Appeals Hearing without a company representative. In those circumstances they sought an adjournment which we successfully fought. We have now just found out we were successful and our client has been awarded redundancy against the insolvent company. We will now pursue the Liquidator for the claim. Shane Healy, Head of Employment, Healy O’Connor Solicitors.

Unfair Dismissal and Fair Procedures

admin — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:22:07 +0000

Just got back another favourable determination from the Employment Appeals Tribunal. We acted for the claimant in a case where he was summarily dismissed from his job as a Barman. The company did not adopt fair procedures in firing him. Any company that does not adopt fair procedures or have suitable employment policies in place is leaving itself wide open for a claim. Shane Healy, Head of Employment, Healy O’Connor Solicitors

Irish Times Feature for Healy O’Connor Solicitors

admin — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:34:40 +0000

Thanks for everyone coming back to us regarding our feature in the Irish Times on the 14th of January last. It is always nice to get recognition from such a venerable Institution!

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/magazine/2012/0114/1224310171916.ht

Starting a new Business in Ireland in a Recession

admin — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:23:51 +0000

The Australians refer to it as the GFC or Global Financial Crisis. Of course, they are currently immune from the ravages of the aforementioned. But that’s the thing. It’s a global problem with local effects for us here in Ireland. If you have lost your job or think this is the time to start a new business then I can honestly say the best money you will spend is one hour talking to a legal professional who has been around the block. I am passionate about entrepreneurs starting their new venture but it can never be at the expense of being fully informed. Too often the excitement of breathing life into your new baby clouds your judgment. It seems boring to talk about lease terms, employment rights and pitfalls when all you want to do is get back to the graphic designer to check out the world’s newest global brand. It’s not about raining on your parade. It’s about stacking the cards in your favour. I have been involved from inception to winding down. I have been appointed liquidator to many firms and it’s always sad to see someone’s endeavours come to nothing. In my experience you dont often get a second chance in business. Get advice, take your time and research, take a breath, research some more, and if you are still up for it, give me a call! Shane Healy, Head of Commercial, Employment and Insolvency.

Mergers and Acquisitions Expanding Law Firm

admin — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 23:32:59 +0000

We are delighted to announce the merger of our practice with Keane and Co Solicitors. Carmel Keane bolsters our Litigation department where she advises primarily in Defence Litigation and Personal Injuries Actions. Carmel also has a wealth of experience in Probate, Wills and Estate/Wealth Management. The expanded practice will continue to deliver in its core competencies of Litigation, Debt Recovery, Insolvency, Employment and Commercial Law. Advising businesses on mergers and acquisitions is part of what we do, so it was fun and an eye-opener to be involved in the practicalities of the process. The merger was completed in a matter of months and we would like to thank all our wonderful staff, both new and old, for their hard work and dedication. Shane Healy, Managing Partner.