

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.
A compensation settlement for injury consists of two parts. The most immediately obvious effects of your injury are covered by a settlement for “General Damages”. This part of your compensation settlement covers “pain and suffering” and “loss of amenity”
Pain refers to the physical pain resulting from your injury.
Suffering concerns the mental and emotional aspects, so part of your settlement will be based on whether you suffer anxiety, post traumatic stress disorder, embarrassment and so on.
Loss of amenity covers activities and abilities you will no longer be able to enjoy as much as before the injury. For example, a passionate hiker who can no longer walk, or an amateur musician who loses their hearing.
The “Special Damages” part of your settlement involves financial loss or additional costs. Under this heading will come a settlement for loss of earnings if you are unable to work, costs of nursing care and changes to accommodation or equipment (e.g. cars) to allow you to live as normal a life as possible.
If you are to win a settlement, you must be able to prove “on the balance of probabilities” that your injury is due to negligence by another party. Note that this does not necessarily mean that you have to be entirely fault-free; you need only demonstrate that the other party is more than 50% responsible for your injury. If you can do this, you may then be awarded a compensation settlement.
On the contrary, the settlement awarded for your claim can include an element for aggravating an existing condition. It is most important that you give a full medical history when discussing your claim for this reason.
Our solicitors cover the following towns in Essex:
Ardleigh, Ashdon, Asheldham, Ashingdon, Audley End, Baker Street, Bamber's Green, Bannister Green, Bardfield End Green, Bardfield Saling, Barling, Beaumont, Belchamp Otten, Berden, Berners Roding, Blackheath, Blackmore, Borley, Bournebridge, Boxted, Bradwell Waterside, Brentwood, Broad Green, Brook Street, Bulphan, Bumble's Green, Burnham-on-Crouch, Chignall Smealy, Chigwell, Childerditch, Churchend, Coggeshall, Colchester, Cold Norton, Cornish Hall End, Coxtie Green, Crays Hill, Danbury, Daws Heath, Debden Green, Dedham, Elsenham, Epping Upland, Farnham Green, Fiddlers Hamlet, Fordstreet, Foxearth, Frating Green, Fryerning, Gamble's Green, Good Easter, Gosfield, Grange Hill, Great Easton, Great Horkesley, Great Leighs, Great Saling, Great Sampford, Great Tey, Halstead, Harlow, Harwich, High Ongar, High Roding, Holland-on-Sea, Hounslow Green, Ingatestone, Jasper's Green, Kirby Cross, Kirby le Soken, Langford, Langham, Langham Moor, Langley, Lawford, Leaden Roding, Little Dunmow, Little Leighs, Little Wakering, Little Warley, Lower Nazeing, Manuden, Margaret Roding, Marks Tey, Mill Green, Moulsham, North Stifford, Norton Heath, Nounsley, Paglesham Churchend, Paglesham Eastend, Quendon, Ramsden Bellhouse, Rickling, Rivenhall End, Rowhedge, Roxwell, Roydon Hamlet, Rudley Green, Runwell, Sandon, Sewards End, Shrub End, Silver End, Smythe's Green, South Fambridge, South Green, South Hanningfield, South Ockendon, South Weald, South Woodham Ferrers, Southminster, Stebbing Green, Steeple Bumpstead, Stisted, Swan Street, Takeley, Thaxted, Thornwood Common, Thundersley, Tiptree, Twinstead, Upshire, Weeley, Weir, West Horndon, West Thurrock, White Colne, White Roding, Woodham Walter, Writtle