

Back injury has a wide range of causes, but the more common include lifting objects incorrectly, road traffic accidents and falls. Surprisingly, there needn't be any single traumatic event to cause long-term back injury.
There may not be a sudden onset of pain - it might develop over a day or so. Effects can range from slight stiffness to severe disability. Back trauma can also lead to chronic conditions such as arthritis or degeneration of discs. The most severe back injury cases can involve disfunction of other organs such as incontinence or impotence.
At one extreme, a minor back injury such as a mild strain with full recovery can see compensation of up to £4,000. At the other extreme, severe back injury affecting other bodily functions claims can win £50,000 - £80,000.
In the first instance, check that your solicitor’s firm includes lawyers who are accredited members of the two principle legal bodies in this field; the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIC) and the Law Society’s personal injury panel. You should also ask if they have solicitors who belong to associations for the specific injury your claim is about – for example the Spinal Injuries Association or the Headway Panel.
You should also ask your solicitor about their record in personal injury claims. Can they give you any case histories of successful claims similar to yours?
With the exception of medical negligence, legal aid is generally no longer available for personal injury claims. This means you will have to agree payment with the solicitor yourself. Fortunately, solicitors are able to act on a Conditional Fee (“No Win, No Fee”) basis. This means your solicitor bears the cost of the claim until you have been awarded compensation. Depending on the type of agreement you have, your solicitor will then either claim his fees from your opponent, or take a percentage of your compensation as a “success fee”.
Before agreeing to work on a conditional fee basis, a competent personal injury solicitor will assess the merits of the claim. If you and your solicitor decide to proceed you may have to take out an insurance policy to cover both your and your opponent’s solicitors’ fees in the event that you lose your claim.
Our solicitors cover the following towns in Essex:
Aingers Green, Althorne, Ashen, Audley End, Aveley, Bacon End, Belchamp St Paul, Belchamp Walter, Bishop's Green, Blackmore End, Blacksmith's Corner, Bobbingworth, Boreham, Boxted Cross, Bradwell, Bradwell Waterside, Brightlingsea, Brook Street, Bulmer, Bulphan, Bumble's Green, Burnham-on-Crouch, Butcher's Pasture, Chelmsford, Chignall St James, Chipping Ongar, Church Langley, Clatterford End, Cobler's Green, Cock Clarks, Cold Norton, Colne Engaine, Cooksmill Green, Cornish Hall End, Coryton, Courtsend, Daws Heath, Deal Hall, Dunton Wayletts, Elmstead Market, Epping Green, Epping Upland, Farnham, Farnham Green, Ford End, Fox Street, Foxearth, Frating Green, Gamble's Green, Good Easter, Gosfield, Grays, Great Baddow, Great Easton, Great Hallingbury, Great Saling, Great Totham, Great Yeldham, Harlow, Helions Bumpstead, Heybridge, High Ongar, Holland-on-Sea, Horndon on the Hill, Horsleycross Street, Hounslow Green, Hullbridge, Ingatestone, Kirby le Soken, Knowl Green, Langdon Hills, Lawford, Layer Breton, Little Clacton, Little Oakley, Little Totham, Little Waltham, Middleton, Molehill Green, New Mistley, North Benfleet, North Shoebury, North Weald Bassett, Norton Mandeville, Old Heath, Oxen End, Panfield, Pattiswick, Peldon, Pentlow, Pitsea, Potter Street, Purfleet, Ramsey, Rawreth, Rayne, Red Oaks Hill, Rettendon, Rickling Green, Rivenhall, Rose Green, Row Heath, Roxwell, Roydon, Roydon Hamlet, Salcott, Sandon, Shoeburyness, Shortgrove, Smith's Green, South Ockendon, South Woodham Ferrers, Southend, Stanford Le Hope, Stow Maries, Sturmer, Takeley, Theydon Bois, Tilbury, Toppesfield, Tye Common, Tylers Green, Upper Dovercourt, Waltham Abbey, Wendens Ambo, West Bergholt, Willows Green, Wimbish, Wormingford