What should I do if I suffer a back injury from manual handling at work?

Manual handling At Work can caused severe back pain.  If you’ve suffered a back injury at work, you are not alone. Nearly half a million people in the UK are off work with musculoskeletal problems every year – and around 40% of these are back injuries.

Of course, if you are the one who has suffered a traumatic and potentially quality of life-changing back injury through manual handling at work, this might be of little comfort.

One of the most serious concerns for many people in this situation is the financial cost of being unable to work – potentially for an extended period of time.

Worker’s compensation may cover some of the costs associated with your treatment. But to get the full compensation you deserve for all the physical and mental trauma of your injury, you may need to make a personal injury claim.

Reach out to our friendly team today for FREE on 0800 0747 644 or make an online enquiry to tell us your story.

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Here is everything you need to know about what is considered a back injury at work, your rights if you suffer one, and what to do about it:

What is Manual Handling at Work

“Manual Handling” is defined as the transporting or supporting of a load (including lifting, putting down, pushing, pulling, carrying or moving) by hand or by bodily force.

The term “Load” is not limited to inanimate objects – it includes people (and animals).

Source: The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 from legislation.gov.uk

What Injuries at Work from Manual Handling can cause a Back Injury?

The range of what can cause a manual handling at Work and what is considered a back injury is very broad. It includes:

• Lifting heavy items or lifting items incorrectly (perhaps as a result of insufficient training)
• Performing repetitive activities
• Driving over rough ground for extended periods
• Exacerbating a pre-existing condition (perhaps otherwise this would not have affected you for many years to come)
• Sitting in one position for too long (perhaps your chair or desk were unsuitable)
• Accidents, falls, and trauma (perhaps no safety equipment was in place)

People working in some sectors are naturally more at risk from back injuries caused by manual handling in the workplace than others. People working on construction sites, in warehouses, in agriculture, or in health and social care, for example, where this is a lot of movement involved.

Yet, it’s incredibly common for people working in offices and other largely sedentary jobs to develop back injuries through not moving.

Can You Claim For A Back Injury At Work caused by Manual Handling?

Your employer has what is known as a “duty of care” to you and the other people working for them. This legal obligation is set out in the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

According to this act, the deciding factor in whether you can claim for a back injury at work will almost always be whether or not your employer bears any responsibility for your injury:

1. Did they do everything they reasonably should have done to fulfil their duty of care to you?
2. Was there a lapse that might qualify as negligence?
3. If so, was this negligence partially or wholly at fault for your injury?

If it can be shown your employer bears some degree of responsibility, a specialist personal injury lawyer will likely be able to press your claim.

To do this though, you will need evidence. This will include a medical examination of your injuries and potentially gathering witness statements or conducting an investigation of the place where your injury happened.

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What Is The Average Payout For A Back Injury In The UK?

Every case is different. If it is judged that your employer did fail in their duty of care towards you, it will be down to the courts to decide what payout you may be due for your back injury caused by manual handling.

However, at Grieves Solicitors, in our more than 76 years of combined specialist experience of dealing with personal injury claims, we’ve also seen the impact good representation can have on the level of compensation you are awarded.

As a general rule of thumb, you might expect your payout to vary by the severity of your injury. For example:

• Minor back injury – anywhere up to £12 500 on average for comparatively minor injuries like a slipped disc or soft tissue damage.
• Moderate back injury – anywhere up to £38 500 on average for ongoing pain or increasingly severe injuries such as ligament damage.
• Severe back injury – anywhere up £161 000 on average for severe injuries that may lead to reduced mobility or even paralysis or issues relating to lower body organ function.

What Should I Do If I Hurt My Back At Work?

If you hurt your back at work through manual handling,  it is important to go to the hospital immediately. You may wish to notify both the hospital and your employer of the situation as soon as possible.

In the aftermath of your injury though, it can be worth exploring your options. This is especially true if you believe your employer may have been negligent in their duty of care towards you and be at least partially responsible for your injury as a result.

Your next step should be to talk to a specialist personal injury solicitor. Having achieved millions of pounds in compensation for our past clients, we give you simple, straightforward advice about your claim.

Reach out to our highly experienced, dedicated team to talk about your situation for FREE on 0800 0747 644 today. You can also complete our online form to have us call you back.

Here at Grieves Solicitors, Personal Injury Specialists, we offer a no win, no fee solution to funding your claim (a conditional fee agreement) which means that you do not have to worry about legal costs and expenses.  You can read about our no win, no fee agreement here.