Preliminary figures from InjuriesBoard.ie - formerly the Personal Injuries Assessment Board - show that it awarded €217m last year from 8,845 claims.
The organisation said the number of high-value claims - those linked to complex or serious personal injuries - showed a particularly strong increase.
The amount of money awarded on claims above €38,000 rose from a quarter of all awards in 2007 to a third in 2008. The number of awards associated with more serious cases rose by 47%, while the number in the sub-€38,000 range was up by 4%.
Chief executive Patricia Byron said the body had saved the economy up to €250m since mid-2004. She added that she had seen no evidence that the volume of claims had increased as a result of the recession.
The body was set up in 2004 with the aim of reducing the costs of insurance by speeding up the claims process and eliminating the need for expensive legal fees.
