The High court has furnished some clarification of an important matter relating to the Personal Injuries Assessment Board Act 2003 (“the PIAB Act”), in Gunning v National Maternity Hospital & Ors.
There is provision in the PIAB Act (Section 17 (1) (b)) for the PIAB to decline to issue an assessment of compensation in respect of certain classes of injury. This, however, can relate only to claims that fall within the provisions of the PIAB Act. In Section 3 (d) of the PIAB Act, some actions for personal injury are excluded from the requirement to apply to the PIAB for an assessment. They are actions –
…arising out of the provision of any health service to a person, the carrying out of a medical or surgical procedure in relation to a person or the provision of any medical advice or treatment to a person”
The 1st Defendant in the action, the National Maternity Hospital, took issue with the alleged failure of the Plaintiff to procure a certificate from the PIAB under the PIAB Act, prior to the issuing of proceedings. (Where a certificate is required, the issue of the certificate is a condition precedent to the bringing of proceedings in court).
The Hospital argued that the pleadings in the action alleged a defect with, or in, a forceps used in the Hospital. It argued that a claim that a forceps was defective was not a medical negligence claim (“…the correctness or otherwise of the surgical procedure being carried out”), but was a defective product claim.
The court remarked on the arguments on the point as follows:
In my view, s. 3(d) of the Act of 2003 should be construed as applying to the factual circumstances out of which an action arises, rather than applying to the specific legal causes of action set out in the legal proceedings. I say this because if the latter approach is followed, it would result in some parts of the same grievance or complaint falling within the remit of the P.I.A.B and others falling outside. This would clearly be an undesirable situation, as it could result in two aspects of the same personal injury complaint proceeding in parallel in two jurisdictions, i.e. the Courts and the P.I.A.B.”
Although that is a valuable pointer, it is not now any more clear what the words “arising out of the provision of any health service to a person , the carrying out of a medical or surgical procedure in relation to a person or the provision of any medical advice or treatment to a person…” means, even in the context of “…factual circumstances…”.
Does it mean that only claims challenging the consequences flowing from the provision of such services are exempted by Section 3 (d) of the PIAB Act and not any arising in connection with the provision of such services?
If a patient in a Hospital or other health care setting slips and falls on the floor of the facility is he/she obliged to seek a certificate from the PIAB, or not? On the basis of Gunning v National Maternity Hospital & Ors, it would appear not. However, if a potential Plaintiff, taking no chances, applies for a certificate and the PIAB declines jurisdiction it would be open to the defendant Hospital or health care facility to plead that the Plaintiff had not complied with the PIAB Act. Gunning suggests that the practical solution is to treat the identity of the Defendant as indicative of the application of Section 3 (d) of the PIAB Act, but there must be a limit to that approach. Is there a difference between a patient slipping and falling in the corridor of a Hospital and the same patient (ex-patient?) being knocked down in the Hospital car park as he/she leaves?
Will the only relevant point of difference be the identity of the person causing the injury?