Illness Benefit - not enough PRSI

Hi, if anyone can advise me on this i would be grateful. My brother had an accident and broke his leg in 3 places 2 weeks ago. He was at work but hadn't signed in yet when he was asked to move his car so the trucks could come out of the yard. As he and another lad did this, he slipped and broke his leg. As he hadn't signed into work they said he wasn't entitled to sick pay. He sent all the forms off for illness benfit but had an email yesterday from social welfare, 5 minutes before the offices closed, to say he was unsuccessful as he hadn't enough prsi contributions paid in 2007/08.
Can anyone advise if he is entitled to anything else? His wife works part-time, they have 2 young children and like most other people, a hefty mortgage. Could he re-apply in January as he would have 32 prsi contributions paid in 2009 and 52 in 2010 which would suffice?

Would really appreciate any advice

As his employer won't play ball as regards the sick pay, I would be informing them that he will be contacting a solicitor to see if he can sue for negligence on their behalf.

This may encourage them to pay him sick pay

Thanks for that.

Hi there - it is injury benefit that he should apply for and not illness benefit - his doctor will have completed the form and should have ticked the injury benefit box and not illness benefit as the accident occurred at work - injury benefit applies even on an unbroken journey to or from work so it most certainly applies when you are in the work place. You do not have to be insured under class A etc prsi for any particular amount of time to qualify for injury benefit - you qualify because the accident happened at work and it is payable for 26 weeks - after that you would transfer to illness benefit subject to prsi conditions - read more on the citizensinformation.ie website or welfare.ie websites...

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/e...ts/disability_and_illness/injury_benefit.html

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