Last updated 4th November 2025. You can make a back injury claim if you have been harmed as the direct result of a third party’s negligent actions. Whether this negligence has occurred in your place of work, while on the road, or out in public, your compensation payout could cover the pain and suffering (under general damages) that you endured, as well as medical expenses, care costs, lost income, and other financial losses (under special damages).
Back injuries can be extremely debilitating, leading to chronic pain, restricted mobility, and nerve damage. This can affect all areas of a person’s life, impacting their ability to work, perform day-to-day tasks, do the things they love, and even sleep. If you suffered an injury in an accident that wasn’t your fault, please continue reading to find out how one of our solicitors could help you claim compensation.
Key Points
- According to the NHS, 80% of the UK’s population will experience some form of back pain.
- Statistics from the UK’s workplace safety regulator, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), show that 43% (232,000) of work-related musculoskeletal disorders for 2023/24 are back injuries.
- Common back injury accidents include car collisions, falling objects, and slips, trips, or falls.
- Back injuries can range from sprains and strains to herniated discs and vertebral fractures.
To see if you can be connected with an expert personal injury compensation solicitor today, please get in touch with our friendly advisors.
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- Who Can Make Back Injury Claims For Compensation?
- What You Can Claim For After A Back Injury
- How Much Compensation Could Be Awarded For A Back Injury?
- What Else Can Back Injury Compensation Cover?
- What Accidents Could Result In A Back Injury?
- How Can I Prove My Back Injury Was Due To Someone Else’s Negligence?
- What Is The Time Limit For Bringing A Back Injury Claim?
- Can I Make A No Win No Fee Claim For Back Injury Compensation?
- More Information
Who Can Make Back Injury Claims For Compensation?
Anyone can make back injury claims if they can prove that they were hurt in an accident that was not their fault. Essentially, this involves establishing that a third party, such as an employer, had a responsibility to take reasonable action to protect your safety. This is known as a duty of care, which is governed by various pieces of legislation depending on the circumstances of where the accident occurred.
Eligibility Criteria For A Back Injury Claim
The eligibility criteria for a back injury claim require that you show that you were hurt because of a third party’s negligent conduct and that you start pursuing compensation within 3 years of an accident. That means you need to demonstrate:
- That a third party (e.g. a driver, employer, or someone in control of a public space) owed you a duty of care.
- That they breached this obligation.
- The breach caused your back injury.
- You are starting a claim within 3 years of your accident (though there are exceptions to this limitation period).
Later in this guide, we will look at examples of scenarios in which claims could be made. The key to any personal injury claim is showing that another party failed to take reasonable steps to ensure your safety.
Claiming On Behalf Of A Loved One’s Back Injury
You may claim on behalf of a loved one’s back injury if they are unable to pursue compensation independently. This may be done by acting as their litigation friend, which is necessary in circumstances where the injured party is too young (under 18) or mentally incapacitated to claim for themselves.
Fatal Back Injury Claims
In fatal back injury claims, only the deceased’s estate can pursue compensation within the first 6 months of someone’s death. This claim is for the deceased’s pain, suffering, and financial loss, per the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1934. The estate can also claim on behalf of eligible dependants. If no such claim is brought, then spouses, children, and other eligible loved ones can pursue compensation under the Fatal Accidents Act 1976 for how the death has impacted them.
You can learn more by reading our fatal accident claims guide and getting in touch today.
What You Can Claim For After A Back Injury
After a back injury caused by an accident that wasn’t your fault, you can claim for your physical pain and psychological suffering, as well as any financial loss related to the harm you suffered. Your payout may consist of 2 types of damages:
- General damages cover the physical and psychological effects of an injury, together with the broader impact on your quality of life.
- Special damages can be claimed in cases where injuries have resulted in lost earnings, medical bills, travel expenses, rehabilitation costs, and other financial consequences.
Next, we take a closer look at how much compensation might be awarded for a back injury. In the meantime, if you have any questions about personal injury compensation, please don’t hesitate to chat with our friendly team.
How Much Compensation Could Be Awarded For A Back Injury?
If your claim is successful, how much compensation could be awarded for your back injury will reflect its severity and long-term impact. Your solicitor may use the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) to assess the potential value of your pain and suffering (referred to as general damages). These guidelines are useful in this regard, as the document provides suggested compensation brackets based on the injury and its severity.
Apart from the first row, the following table features several JCG brackets concerning paralysis and back injuries. Since these brackets are only suggestive, the table is not to be seen as a guarantee of compensation.
| Injury | Severity | Notes | Damages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multiple severe injuries + special damages | Severe | Special damages might include lost earnings, as well as the cost of physiotherapy and day-to-day care. | Up to £1,000,000+ |
| Injuries involving paralysis | Tetraplegia | Factors such as extent or any residual movement, age and effect on the senses are taken into consideration. | £396,140 to £493,000 |
| Paraplegia | Amount of compensation is affected by pain, depression, life expectancy, and age. | £267,340 to £346,890 | |
| Back injury | Severe (i) | Spinal cord and nerve roots damage with severe pain and disability. | £111,150 to £196,450 |
| Severe (ii) | Includes nerve root damage with sensation loss. | £90,510 to £107,910 | |
| Severe (iii) | Bracket features vertebral disc fractures resulting in chronic conditions. | £47,320 to £85,100 | |
| Moderate (i) | Injuries in bracket include lumbar vertebrae compression/crush fractures. | £33,880 to £47,320 | |
| Moderate (ii) | Frequently seen back injuries, such as disturbances to muscles and ligaments. | £15,260 to £33,880 | |
| Minor (i) | Recovery is either full, or to a nuisance level without surgery in 2-5 years. | £9,630 to £15,260 |
Talk to us to learn more about payouts for back or spinal injury compensation claims.
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What Else Can Back Injury Compensation Cover?
Back injury compensation could also cover financial losses related to your accident and injuries. As mentioned, these losses are covered under special damages, which require evidence like payslips and bank statements to be included in a claim.
Lost Income
Compensation for lost income may consider the effects of reduced hours or being unable to work. This can include past and future earnings, bonuses, and pension contributions.
Cost Of Gratuitous Care
You could claim the cost of gratuitous care provided by a friend or family member to help with daily tasks such as washing, dressing, and preparing food. Even if you did not pay for such care, the courts may still recognise its value.
Medical Expenses
You could claim compensation for medical expenses if you needed private specialist consultations or treatments. These costs can also extend to prescriptions and specialist equipment, such as wheelchairs.
Rehabilitation And Recovery Costs
You could claim for recovery and rehabilitation costs if you paid out-of-pocket for physiotherapy or occupational therapy. Additionally, you may have needed to access mental health services if you also developed depression or another psychological condition.
Funding Home Or Car Adaptations
The cost of funding home or car adaptations can be claimed for if you need to install handrails, walk-in bathrooms, stairlifts, or other accessibility improvements. These adaptations can be substantial, depending on the type of back injury sustained.
Covering The Cost Of Travel Expenses
Special damages will consider the cost of travel expenses related to accessing treatment. Such costs may include paying for public transport or parking fees to access medical care or rehabilitation services.
These are just some of the losses that can be included in back injury claims, so please reach out for more tailored guidance.
What Accidents Could Result In A Back Injury?
Many different accidents could result in a back injury, including falls, car collisions, and defective equipment. Below, we look at several examples.
Accidents At Work
An accident at work resulting in back injuries can occur because of an employer’s breach of their duty of care under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. This legislation requires employers to take reasonable steps to protect the health, safety, and well-being of their workers. Any breach of this duty might lead to accidents caused by:
- Unsafe working practices, such as warehouse management allowing shelves to overflow with packages. This might result in some falling and hitting a worker, leaving them with severe spinal damage.
- Insufficient or no training for manual handling, leading to a shop employee hurting their back while using an incorrect lifting technique.
Road Traffic Accidents
Road traffic accidents often result from a failure to adhere to the Road Traffic Act 1988 and the Highway Code. On the road, everyone has a duty of care to avoid causing injury to one another. Accidents may include:
- A rear-end collision at a roundabout caused by a driver distracted by their phone. Their actions leave the other driver with multiple, severe injuries, including vertebral damage.
- Collisions at pedestrian crossings resulting from speeding drivers failing to brake in time.
Public Place Accidents
A public place accident can happen if occupiers fail to take practical actions to keep visitors to these spaces reasonably safe. This duty of care is established by the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957, which may be breached in incidents like the following:
- A bar repeatedly delays repairs to lighting near a staircase, leading a patron to fall heavily in the dark and fracture their back.
- Staff at a supermarket clean up several aisles during a particularly busy period, but fail to use any ‘wet floor’ signs. A customer subsequently slips, suffering head and spinal trauma.
Please contact us to learn more about when back injury claims could be made.
How Can I Prove My Back Injury Was Due To Someone Else’s Negligence?
To prove that your back injury was due to someone else’s negligent actions, you will need evidence establishing how it resulted from a duty of care being breached. This proof must show that their action or inaction led to your back or spinal cord injury.
Evidence That Strengthens A Back Injury Claim
Supporting evidence that can strengthen a back injury claim includes medical records, CCTV footage, and copies of any report made about an accident. Generally, this may involve:
- Medical records and GP reports can confirm your diagnosis, provide insight into the severity of your injuries, and outline the likelihood of recovery over the long term.
- Copies of an accident book or police report, if one was made.
- Contact details for any potential witnesses who could supply your solicitor with supportive testimony.
- Information concerning other involved parties, if your back injury was sustained on the road. You’ll need their contact details, registration, insurance, as well as the vehicle’s model and make.
- CCTV and other recordings or photographs of the accident scene.
- Photographs can also serve as a visual record of your injuries, documenting their severity and any lasting physical effects, such as excessive scarring.
- Payslips, invoices, receipts, and other financial documentation to detail care, rehabilitation, therapy, or other costs related to your injuries.
Our solicitors have extensive experience helping their clients gather evidence like the above, so please reach out today to see if one of them can support your claim next.
What Is The Time Limit For Bringing A Back Injury Claim?
The time limit for bringing a back injury claim is generally 3 years from the date of the accident, as set by the Limitation Act 1980. However, this time limit is paused for individuals who are too young (under 18) or mentally incapacitated to claim for themselves. Instead, the 3 years would only take effect from the date that a child turns 18 or an adult regains their mental capacity.
An advisor can assess how long you have to make a back or spinal injury claim.
Can I Make A No Win No Fee Claim For Back Injury Compensation?
Yes, you can make a No Win No Fee claim for back injury compensation if our advisors determine that you have a valid case after your free initial consultation. Our solicitors offer their nationwide services under the specific No Win No Fee terms of a Conditional Fee Agreement. The benefits of this mean that you will not pay any service fees for your solicitor’s work:
- Before your claim starts.
- During the process of claiming.
- If your claim isn’t successful.
If you win, a success fee will be deducted by your solicitor. This fee is a legally limited percentage of the compensation, ensuring you keep the majority of it.
CFAs give our clients access to a high-quality, tailored service that always puts their needs at the forefront of the claims process. This approach means every claim and client is heard, valued, and supported from start to finish.
Accident Claims’ Client-Focused Services
There are many advantages to this compassionate, client-focused commitment, including:
- Help with evidence gathering: All aspects of your back injury accident will be assessed by your solicitor, so that all avenues of potential evidence can be explored.
- A dedicated care plan: Our solicitors ensure every client is supported throughout the claims process and has access to therapists, physiotherapists, and other specialist services.
- Expert representation: Each of our solicitors has years of combined experience and training, enabling them to navigate the negotiation process with expertise. They will work tirelessly to secure a settlement that fully reflects the impact on you, along with any immediate and long-term needs you may have.
- Transparent, regular updates: You’ll be informed of every development in your claim, so you never feel out of the loop or lost in the claims process.
Our solicitors have already secured over £80 million in compensation, and they could help you next. Find out more and see if you can get started today by:
- Phoning 0800 073 8801.
- Clicking to start a claim.
- Talking to us online.
More Information
You can get more information on compensation claims in these references:
- See some accident at work compensation examples.
- A car crash on the motorway could cause severe or moderate back injuries.
- Check how to claim for an accident in a garden here.
Some references:
- Check how to request CCTV footage of yourself.
- View this NHS first aid guide.
- Learn about the insurance that small businesses need in this government resource.
Thank you for reading our guide to back injury claims, and please reach out to our team for further, tailored advice.
