Injuries to the back are very common, especially at work where people are lifting or pulling weights which are often too heavy.

A back injury is one of the most common reasons for absence from work and most people will suffer from it in their lifetime. The pain is usually in the lower or upper back area and it could be a sprain, prolapsed disc or fracture.

Most claims for back injury compensation are a result of negligence from someone else and are often manual handling injuries. This could be at your place of work if you have not had any manual handling training on things like lifting or moving heavy items. Your employer should offer manual handling training as soon as you start work to avoid back injury problems. Employers must also assess the risk involved in your job to minimise injury. Other common incidents where you may experience a back injury are after a car accident or slip and fall.

Back injuries should be treated with care and rest to enable a full recovery. This could require surgery or physio treatment which means you require time off work and therefore suffer loss of earnings. To help you with this, it is important that you take advice on making a claim for back injury compensation.

What are the symptoms of a Back Injury?

You may experience back pain immediately after the accident or it could take several days for symptoms to develop. Some of the most common symptoms include:

• Lower or upper back pain
• Limited movement
• Constant back pain
• Numbness in lower areas
• Difficulty sleeping
• Loss of feeling in arms and legs

Most back injuries can clear up within a few weeks but in more serious cases they can develop over time and last for several months. It is important to get medical help as soon as you feel any sort of back pain, especially if you have suffered an accident recently. Acute back pain is the name given to back injuries which last for a few days to several weeks. Pain which lasts longer than this (typically more than 3 months) is known as chronic.

Typical Back Injury Compensation Amounts

Examples of compensation amounts awarded for back and spinal injuries:

• Minor sprains, soft tissue damage or prolapsed disc - up to £7,500*
• Moderate back injury - up to £21,500*
• Severe back injury - up to £93,000*

* Please note these figures are estimates of what is commonly awarded for similar back injuries.

It is advisable to seek medical advice from your GP or local hospital as soon as possible following a back injury as they will be able to recommend the best treatment for you. The GP/Hospital records of your back injury are used when making your personal injury claim.

For more information please visit the compensation guide to find out how much compensation you could expect for your back injury.

If you have suffered a back injury and it wasn’t your fault, then you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation. Our Solicitors can help you make a no win no fee claim for compensation. You will receive 100% of your compensation with no deductions. So you won't pay a penny, win or lose!