An injury at a public event, when you are injured at an event open to the public, can lead to you making a personal injury claim* for the impact on your life.

The torn muscles in the shoulder, the broken wrist or the head injury can happen at the music festival, the local street market or at a football match. If you are injured at a public event, you could have a public event compensation claim.

O’Reilly Doherty & Co. Solicitors in Dublin can help you make a public event personal injury compensation claim*.

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If you have a query in relation to taking a personal injury* claim then we would be happy to discuss it with you.

What is a public event claim?

A public event claim is the legal process you take to get compensation for the effects of the personal injury in an accident that was not wholly your fault.

A good personal injury solicitor will help form your claim and process it with the Injuries Resolution Board. Every personal injury claim* in Ireland must first go through the Injuries Resolution Board, formerly known as the PIAB, and your solicitor can handle this for you.

The Injuries Board saw over 10,000 claim submissions during the first six months of 2025, according to a recent report. There was an increase of 2% in public liability claims over the same period of 2024, and the average compensation award for public liability was more than €19,000. During the same period, 2,400 of all claims were for public liability, and 44% of all awards were for back and neck injuries. 

O’Reilly Doherty & Co., personal injury solicitors in Dublin, have the experience of making public event injury claims and of dealing with the Injuries Resolution Board.

Injuries seen at public events in Ireland

Injuries seen at public events in Ireland can be a severe head injury at a comedy gig or the cuts and bruises following a slip, trip and fall accident at the local football match.

Types of injuries seen at some public events:

  • Shoulder injuries
  • Nerve damage in the lower back
  • Broken eye socket
  • Spinal injury
  • Facial cuts and bruises
  • Dislocated ankles
  • Deep cuts to the arms and legs needing stitches
  • Cracked ribs
  • Shock

Some injuries, such as spinal damage, can last a lifetime with all the extra pain and suffering that comes with such a debilitating injury.

You make a compensation claim for the effects of the public event injury on your life today and in the future.

Common public event claims in Ireland

Common public event claims in Ireland range from a slip at the muddy GAA ground to the trip and fall at the Farmers Market in town. Any personal injury can impact your life, and you could have a public event claim.

Types of public event accident claims

  • Injury in a slip accident at a music gig
  • Injury in a trip accident at the festival weekend
  • Crush injury at a public event
  • Assault injury at a public event
  • Injury in a fall at a public even

Injury in a slip accident at a music gig

Any injury in a slip on a wet surface at a music gig could be a claim if the gig organisers did not maintain the property, leading to your personal injury.

Types of claims for a slip accident injury:

  • Back injury in a slip on a wet floor not cordoned off
  • Broken wrist in a slip on a wet bathroom floor
  • Head injury in a slip on a muddy footpath at an outdoor gig

O’Reilly Doherty & Co. Solicitors can make your slip injury at a public event accident claim.

Injury in a trip accident at the festival weekend

The injury in a trip accident at the festival weekend could keep you off work, have you spending time in hospital and unable to drive or exercise.

Types of claims for the trip injury at a public event:

  • Broken arm in a trip over loose cables at the music gig
  • Soft tissue injuries in a trip over uncollected rubbish
  • Torn muscles in a trip on an uneven surface in the eating areas

O’Reilly Doherty & Co. Solicitors in Dublin can make your injury at the festival weekend compensation claim.

Crush injury at a public event

Crush injuries at public events can easily occur when there is poor crowd control or faulty seating that collapses during a gig.

When too many people are allowed into an event with inadequate security, both kids and adults can suffer crush injuries when crowds push them against barriers.

Faulty seating can collapse and crush the concertgoer’s fingers and hands, which can result in severe injuries.

Assault injury at a public event

Assault injuries at public events are becoming very common in Ireland. If the event is not properly policed, too many people can get into an event, while alcohol is always a factor.

Types of claims for an assault injury at a public event:

  • Head injury in an assault at the open-air music gig
  • Stab injury in an assault at the street festival
  • PTSD following an assault while at a GAA homecoming

O’Reilly Doherty & Co. Solicitors can make your assault at a public event injury claim.

Injury in a fall at a public event

So many injury claims come from falls at a public event. If a public event is not properly run and known hazards are not removed, a fall injury is always possible.

Types of fall injuries seen at a public event:

  • Facial cuts and bruises in a fall over cables at the gig
  • Shoulder injury in a fall on an uneven surface
  • Broken ankle in a fall off a stand at the farmers’ market

O’Reilly Doherty & Co. Solicitors can make your injury in a fall a public event compensation claim.

Common public events in Ireland where injuries can happen

There are so many public events on in Ireland throughout the year, but especially so during the summer and at weekends.

Most public events are very well run, but poor management, event organiser negligence and a lack of risk control procedures can lead to accidents and many types of personal injuries.

Common public events in Ireland:

  • The Rose of Tralee Festival
  • GAA Championship matches
  • Donegal International Car Rally
  • Electric Picnic
  • The Ploughing Championships
  • Farmer Markets
  • Walking Tours
  • Park Run in the local park
  • Community Games
  • Horse Racing festivals
  • Stadium gigs at Croke Park
  • Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann
  • Altogether Now Festival

People go to public events nearly every day of the week in Ireland. The majority of people come home unscathed, but if you are one of those who are injured at a public event, then you may have a personal injury claim*.

O’Reilly Doherty & Co. Solicitors can be with you when making a public event personal injury compensation claim*.

Who is responsible for your injury at a public event?

The organiser of the public event can be responsible for your personal injury. A venue owner may also be responsible if they did not maintain the property prior to the event.

In some cases, a third-party operator may be responsible for the personal injury. The security company that employs under-qualified staff or the catering company that serves food that causes food poisoning are good examples here.

For an injury to become a personal injury claim*, you must be able to show:

  • The event organiser or other party had a duty of care to you
  • They breached their duty of care to you
  • The breach of duty of care caused your injury
  • You suffered losses, known as damages, due to the injury

If you can show you have losses and suffering due to a breach of duty of care by the event organiser, the security operator or a third-party service provider, then you could have a personal injury claim*.

Compensation for a public event accident claim

Compensation for a public event accident claim is for the impact of the injury on your life. Making a personal injury compensation claim* can be daunting, but O’Reilly Doherty & Co. Solicitors have the experience to make a claim.

In a public event injury case, you claim for the effects of an injury on your life due to negligence by an event organiser or other third party involved with the event.

The level of compensation awarded for any injury is different for every claim. The effects of an injury and the impact on one’s life can vary significantly from one individual to another.

Damages in a public event claim are a combination of:

General Damages in a public event claim are compensation for what is known as the Loss of Amenity in a person’s life.

The injured person may have:

  • Pain and unnecessary suffering
  • Difficulty in walking, exercising, and getting out of bed
  • A difficulty in doing the tasks they could do before the accident

You claim compensation for this Loss of Amenity due to negligence leading to a personal injury.

Special Damages in a public event injury claim are for the financial costs to the injured person or their family for caring for them after the accident.

Dependents claim the Special Damages for costs and financial losses, such as

  • Medical Bills
  • Loss of Income
  • Out-of-Pocket Expenses
  • Paying for other care services where needed

O’Reilly Doherty & Co. Solicitors have the experience of claiming compensation and will be with you at every step of the claim.

Public Event Injury FAQS

If a person is unable to make a compensation claim, their loved ones may be able to make it on their behalf.

Those who can make a compensation claim when the injured person is unable:

  • The spouse of the victim of the accident
  • A parent of a person injured in an accident
  • A step-parent 
  • A grandparent 
  • A child 
  • A step-child 
  • An adult-dependent 
  • Family members who relied on the injured person for financial support
  • A sister or brother 
  • A half-brother or sister 

A compensation claim may take a while, but having the right solicitor on your side can make the process easier in what can be very troubling times.

The Injuries Resolution Board is the body responsible for handling personal injury claim*s at work in Ireland. The Board was previously known as the Personal Injuries Resolution Board, PIAB.

The Board will assess the claim and make a recommendation to the insurance company and to the injured party. 

If both sides are in agreement, the claim may be paid according to the rules of the Injuries Board. 

You do not have to use the Injuries Resolution Board, but it is the proven way to make a successful personal injury claim* in Ireland.

The Board was established by the government to give both sides a fair hearing and to resolve personal injury claim*s as quickly as possible.

Your solicitor can work with the Injuries Resolution Board to help process an injury claim.

You do not need a personal injury solicitor for a claim, but having a personal injury solicitor is the best way to get a favourable outcome with your case.

A personal injury solicitor will tell you if you have a valid claim. The solicitor will know how to make a personal injury claim* and how to deal with the Injuries Board.

The personal injury solicitor will be your guide and expert advisor when making a public event injury compensation claim.

No, you will not have to go to court with a public event injury claim. Any personal injury claim* can be settled without going to court in Ireland.

The Injuries Board is usually the best way to settle a personal injury compensation claim* in Ireland.

You may need to go to court if you are not happy with the outcome of the IRB process, and a personal injury solicitor will handle the case for you.

O’Reilly Doherty and Co. personal injury solicitors, can answer all your questions about compensation claims.

Make a public event injury claim today

Make a public event injury claim today by contacting O’Reilly Doherty & Co Solicitors. We have the team in place to handle your claim and secure compensation for your injuries.

A personal injury claim* can be a complicated process, but with the right solicitor on your side, you can get the compensation you and your family deserve.

Contact O’Reilly Doherty & Co. Solicitors in Dublin to make a public event injury compensation claim today.

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