Have you ever pondered about taking someone to court?

Suit of Wolves

Have you ever pondered about taking someone to court, or passed up the opportunity to do so? I once took a company I worked for to court over €150 and won it. In my case I knew I'd win before I took them to court but sometimes it's not so straight forward; and in such cases it's often a lot more interesting.

The average individual doesn't know the law too well, so it's often quite hard to know (when you've been unfairly treated) if you've any leverage for legal action or not. Over the years I've thought of things from a legal stand point when I've been unfairly treated... sometimes right up until the statue of limitations period has expired.

When have you thought about such a matter?

Lenar3556

As retired high court judge Deirdre Murphy said recently, “only paupers and multimillionaires can sue in Irish courts”

The costs and risks are such that most will see the courts as a last resort when it comes to resolving a dispute, and in some respects that might not be a bad thing. I wouldn’t like to see society here becoming more litigious than it currently is. There are often more pragmatic solutions.

gym_imposter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058360474/have-you-ever-pondered-about-taking-someone-to-court

Yes , I decided against in the end and given the chance again I would have pursued it as the people in question were and are utterly unrepentive despite being responsible for my sustaining life altering injuries and a life long sentence of chronic pain

The legal firm I engaged educated me to the fact that contrary to public perception, making personal injury claims are not at all straight forward outside of motoring accidents

That said I was able to find such an exercise and some times people need to be taught a lesson as they have no common decency

L1011

Gone through the small claims procedure multiple times, got what I wanted every time. Nearly always against multinationals with poor to non-existent knowledge of Irish law; once was against a Latvian airline who didn't understand EU law or the international conventions they were covered by.

The effort of doing domestic small claims for less than ~300 is questionable now. European small claims lets you claim costs and virtually no chance of an in-person hearing so more worth it.

Rezident

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058360474/have-you-ever-pondered-about-taking-someone-to-court

Yes I have considered taking my ex-partner to court for coercive control, domestic violence and Breach of Court order but the lawyers said that the law in Ireland is such that, it is only really designed to protect females from men in these cases and not the other way around.

StormForce13

I beat Ryanair in the Small Claims Court once. It even made the Evening Herald!

Their solicitor (arrogant bastard) was so annoyed at loosing that he (or they) appealed the finding to the Circuit Court, only to withdraw the appeal a week before the hearing was scheduled (over a year later). I got my money in the end, but lodging an appeal meant that I had to wait until it was dropped before I could get it. (The amount involved was about €400.)

csirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122403187#Comment_122403187

This is vety true. The reality is the average citizen has no real access to the courts due to costs and the length of time it takes.

Loads of alternatives out there where people are willing to engage.

The big problem we have in Ireland is that there are a cohort of people who will not engage, knowing that brazening it out and ignoring will usually mean they get away with it.

csirl

BTW, I was once part of a group of people who successfully sued an organisation. Would probably not have done it if it wasnt a group due to cost.

Once won a case that went through one of the 'alternative' dispute mechanisms. Was one of a number of people with the same issue - my case was the first. After losing to me, they stopped engaging with the process for the others - knowing that all/most wouldnt be able to afford to go to court.

Gusser09

The HSE. They are utter scum.

Suit of Wolves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122403187#Comment_122403187

So why couldn't you just answer the question posed in the thread rather than saying all that acting like it's interesting?

3DataModem

I took a former employer to the EAT. It took a very long time. They settled in the room for a big amount. My legal fees were higher, but the objective was protecting my reputation not making any money. Objective achieved, but in retrospect, I wouldn't have bothered.

StormForce13

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122446002#Comment_122446002

Three of my friends and one of my kids work for the HSE. One is a surgeon, one a nurse, one a pharmacist while the other works in a payroll unit. None of them are utter scum.

However, one of them has told me that a very small minority of the many users of the HSE's wide range of services are complete and utter scum. Ring a bell?

Vestiapx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122461216#Comment_122461216

They aren't the HSE they work for the HSE

IIts Not complicated

John_Rambo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122461216#Comment_122461216

I'd say the insult is levelled at admin and management. The clipboard brigade marching around various hospitals.

I made a complaint about an administer in Beaumont hospital, her behaviour was disgusting. I got a call and the person on the line told me that the admin (that I made the complaint about me) would know it was me that made the complaint and if I was ever in the hospital again she'd know me!

StormForce13

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122461239#Comment_122461239

Many thanks for the helpful clarification.

I now realise how foolish of me it was not to have understood that if no one at all worked for the HSE it would still exist as a malign presence somewhere in the cloud.