Back injuries are common. That doesn't make them minor

Back injury is one of the most frequent workplace injuries in the UK, and one of the most frequently dismissed. If yours was caused by someone else's failure to take reasonable care, it's worth asking about.

Start your claimOr ring 0333 360 9696

Back injuries carry a particular difficulty: almost everyone has some degree of wear in their spine by middle age, and insurers use that. The argument that your back was going to give you trouble anyway is a common opening position.

The legal question isn't whether your back was perfect before the accident. It's whether the accident caused an injury, or made an existing condition materially worse.

What kinds of back injury claim do we handle?

  • Manual handling injuries at work

    Including lifting without training, help or equipment.

  • Repetitive strain to the back

    From sustained poor posture or repeated lifting.

  • Road accident back injuries

    Including disc and soft tissue injury.

  • Slips, trips and falls

    On poorly maintained premises or ungritted surfaces.

  • Falls from height

    In construction and warehouse settings.

What if I was partly at fault?

Partial responsibility reduces compensation proportionally. Where you had an existing back condition, the claim addresses the extent to which the accident made it worse, rather than treating the whole condition as pre-existing.

What you could receive

Back injury claims cover general damages for the pain and its effect on your life, and special damages for financial losses. Common items include lost earnings and time off, private physiotherapy, and where the injury prevents a return to physical work, longer-term loss of earnings.

We'll talk you through what's realistic for your situation once we've reviewed the details. We won't overpromise, and we won't quote a figure before we've properly understood your case.

How does a claim actually work?

Four stages, and you always know which one you're in.

  1. 01

    Initial consultation

    You tell us what happened. We give you a straight view on whether your claim has merit, free and with no obligation.

  2. 02

    Investigation

    We gather medical records, and where the injury happened at work, training records, risk assessments and manual handling policies.

  3. 03

    Negotiation

    We deal with the insurer directly, including on any argument that the injury was purely pre-existing.

  4. 04

    Resolution

    Once agreed, your compensation is paid. We'll explain exactly how our fee is calculated before you agree to anything.

Don't leave it late

How long do I have to claim?

Most personal injury claims must be brought within three years of the accident, or three years from the date you first connected your injury to it. For children, that three year clock starts on their eighteenth birthday. For back injuries that developed gradually rather than in a single incident, the clock generally runs from the point you first connected the injury to your work.

If you're not sure whether you're still within the time limit, contact us. We'll tell you quickly.

The money side

What will it cost me?

Nothing upfront. Where a no win, no fee agreement applies, our fee comes from your compensation only if the claim succeeds, and it's set out in full, in writing, before you agree to anything.

  • We'll explain the funding options available for your claim, which may include a conditional fee (no win, no fee) arrangement, clearly and in full before you decide whether to proceed.
  • Where a conditional fee agreement applies and your claim succeeds, a success fee is deducted from your compensation. The law limits that fee in personal injury claims, and it is never taken from any damages awarded for future care or future loss of earnings. We explain exactly how it is worked out, in writing, before you agree to anything.
  • A cancellation fee may apply if you withdraw outside the 14 day cooling off period. Full details will be provided before you sign anything.
Common questions

Frequently asked questions

I already had a bad back. Does that rule me out?

No. Where an accident makes an existing condition materially worse, that worsening is claimable, even if you had some degree of wear beforehand.

My back injury built up over years rather than in one accident.

That can still be a claim, commonly against an employer, where repeated lifting or poor working practices caused it. Time limits run from when you connected the injury to the cause.

I didn't report it at the time. Is it too late?

Not necessarily. It's harder to evidence without a contemporaneous report, but medical records and witness accounts can still support a claim.

Will I need a medical examination?

Usually yes. An independent medical assessment is a normal part of the process and is arranged as part of the claim.

Ready to find out where you stand

Tell us what happened. We'll give you a straight answer, and we won't pressure you either way.

Start your claimOr ring 0333 360 9696

Related claim types

All personal injury claims
Reviewed by Craig Bryan, Legal Services Director, COLP/COFA
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