Claims for Back injuries and Degeneration through Work
What is it?
In the UK alone, a staggering 85 million work days are lost each year because of
back problems, costing the economy £6 Billion.
Most reported episodes of back pain are short lived with 90% settling enough for
a return to work within 6 weeks. However, problems often recur. Claims can range
from relatively low levels of compensation to extremely significant settlements
where substantial loss of earnings claims need to be quantified and compensated.
The most common chronic back injuries occur in employments with prolonged bending
and twisting at work, and with heavy lifting occupations. There can also be one
off events which can give rise to an identifiable trauma to the spine.
Claims are often pursued by office workers, delivery men, and manual operatives
alike.
The UK introduced legislation known as the Manual Handling Operations Regulations
in 1992, which expressly cover:
"...any transporting or supporting of a load (including the lifting, putting down,
pushing, pulling, carrying or moving thereof) by hand or bodily force"
How to tell whether someone has a work related Back Injury
The diagnosis has to come from a Consultant Orthopaedic surgeon who will assess
the type of symptoms as against the work that you have been involved with. The symptoms
are often varied and expert opinion is necessary to identify whether the symptoms
of back pain stem from pressure placed on a pre-existing condition by work, or whether
they are as a direct consequence of the physical effects from work.
There is sometimes an overlap between claims for back injuries, and Work Related
Upper Limb Disorders.
How does a claim work?
The starting point is to complete the online questionnaire
by clicking on this link.
Once you have submitted your enquiry we will tell you what your chances of making
a successful claim will be and we will contact you with details of an appropriate
solicitor, who will get in touch over the next couple of days.