The major causes of back injuries are work related and accidents involving one or more vehicles. Strenuous activities including bending, twisting, heavy lifting or standing/sitting in one position are also reasons for back injuries. Back injury settlement amounts are decided on the basis of fault, extent of injury, wages lost and predicted duration for recovery.

The back is a complicated system of muscles, ligaments, bones and nerves. When injured, damages can be severe and traumatic. Automobile accidents can cause severe injuries to the thorax, cervix and lumbar regions of the back. When damage is caused to the soft spinal tissue, it can be fatal. Recovery for survivors is slow and painful.

The damages awarded to victims depend on the extent of injuries and the age and physical health of victim prior to the accident. In the workplace, people often sustain injuries involving lifting and twisting. These injuries include slipped discs and torn ligaments. Employees of laundry and food delivery services, courier companies, postal delivery services, hospital nurses and lumber mills workers are at are particularly susceptible because their work involves a lot of lifting heavy loads and other kinds of strenuous activity. An employee can be held responsible for a personal injury settlement if it is proven that the plaintiff works in stressful conditions arising from shortage of staff, heavy workload, extended periods of overtime, etc.

Minor back pain injuries heal quickly, within a few days of bed rest. But severe injuries, especially injuries to the spinal cord, cause disability, pain and mental trauma. Treatment is expensive, often needing extensive hospitalization, surgery, medication and therapy. Keeping this in mind, it is not unusual to see a personal injury settlement award for as much as $1 million for a first time back injury, if there was no pre-existing problem with the back.

Back injuries that seem minor can become critical over time, so it always best to consider taking the advice of a personal injury settlement attorney before settling.

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