Claiming Compensation For Lower Back Pain After A Car Accident

Last Updated 21st April 2025. A claim for lower back pain after a car accident compensation is valid when your injuries are the result of another party’s negligent driving. There are various road traffic accidents where this can apply, such as crashes caused by speeding, drunk driving, or failure to check that the way is clear at a junction. You may seek compensation with the support of a solicitor through a No Win No Fee contract. This is a great way to proceed, as there is no requirement to pay for your solicitor’s work before claiming, as you progress through the process or in the event that compensation is not given to you.

Lower back pain can be extremely difficult to live with. You may feel mentally exhausted from the pain and experience mobility issues. No one should have to deal with such an injury due to the negligent actions of another road user. However, you may have the option to claim compensation for your injuries and any resulting financial losses. Speak with one of our advisors today to find out whether you can make a claim. You may even be given the opportunity to work with one of our solicitors, who would argue for your compensation to reflect the different ways in which your injuries have impacted you. At Public Interest Lawyers, our advisors are available 24/7, so you can get your claim started at a time that suits you.

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Can I Claim Compensation For Lower Back Pain After A Car Accident?

While on the roads, all road users owe each other a duty of care to navigate in a way that prevents damage and injury to themselves and others. As part of this, road users need to adhere to the Road Traffic Act 1988 and relevant rules and regulations found in the Highway Code. If you suffer back pain after a car accident and would like to claim, you must satisfy the eligibility criteria.

This means that if you are in a car accident and have back pain following it, you must prove that:

You were owed a duty of care.
Another driver breached this duty.
You suffered injuries, such as lower back pain after a car accident because of this breach.

If you were in a car accident and had back injuries, an advisor from our team can discuss your eligibility for compensation.

How Car Accidents Could Cause Lower Back Pain

When you’re involved in a car accident, it often means that force has been applied to your vehicle. The force in a car accident, often caused by another vehicle colliding with yours, could force your neck and back to move in a back-and-forward motion. This could strain the muscles and ligaments in the back, resulting in lower back pain.

Below, we’ve included some examples of how a car accident could occur as the result of someone else’s negligence:

A rear-end collision. These are often the fault of the following driver because they failed to keep a safe stopping distance from the car in front.
A side-impact collision. This kind of accident could happen if a driver pulled out of a side road without looking properly.
A head-on collision. This could occur if one car was travelling down the wrong side of the road. It could also occur if a motorist overtook a cyclist or other road user too close to a bend or junction.

Different circumstances could have caused you to experience lower back pain after a car accident. Compensation could still be owed to you, however. Get in touch with an advisor from our team today for more information on how much you could be owed.

Types Of Lower Back Injury

In this section, we will look at different types of lower back injuries that could potentially result from a car accident.

Herniated Disc Injuries

A herniated disc happens when one of the discs of soft tissue that sit between your vertebrae move out of place. This injury could also be known as a ruptured or slipped disc.

If a disc pushes out and presses against nerves, it can be extremely painful. Some slipped disc injuries may not cause any symptoms at all, but symptoms you could look out for include:

Lower back pain
Numbness or tingling
Neck pain
Problems bending or straightening your back
Muscle weakness

Discogenic Lower Back Pain

Discogenic pain can refer to any pain associated with spinal discs. When one or more discs are damaged, the pain can be very intense. Discogenic pain can occur if the condition of the spinal discs is deteriorating over time, but can also happen as a result of sudden trauma, such as a car accident.

When discs age, they lose hydration and become more susceptible to fissures known as annular tears. This can lead to inflammation and pain. However, this condition can be treated with physiotherapy and medication; seek medical attention for more information on the course of treatment that is appropriate for you.

Facet Joint Spinal Injuries

The facet joints help support the weight and movement between spinal vertebrae. Nerves travel through these joints to go to the other parts of the body. In some cases, they can be inflamed.

One common symptom of this is muscle spasms; this is a protective reflex to inflammation. However, the spasming can cause pain and pull the spine out of alignment. There could also be a sudden and brief paralysis; for example, you could find that you’re unable to straighten your back again after bending over.

Facet joint pain can often be confused for disc-related disorders, so it is always advisable to get a proper diagnosis if you have any concerns. Treatments could include rest and some form of physical therapy.

Lumbar Spinal Sprains

Sprains in the lumbar area (or lower back) are often a result of excessive force placed on the back. This could occur in a car crash. The trauma can cause the tendons, ligaments and muscles in the back to overstretch, leading to a sprain or strain.

Rest, physical therapy, and medication could all be recommended by a medical professional to treat a lumbar spinal sprain.

How The Whiplash Reform Program Could Affect Your Claim

There have been recent changes to the law that affect how some road traffic accident claims are made. This is covered in the Whiplash Reform Program.

Under the WRP, if a passenger or driver who is over 18 has injuries that are valued under £5,000, they now have to claim using an online portal. This can cover any type of injury that may be the result of a road traffic accident. However, the Whiplash Injury Regulations 2021 have re-classified how much whiplash claims are worth.

However, you may be undervaluing your injury, so get in touch with us before you try to make a claim through the online portal. We can give you a more accurate evaluation of your injuries and see if you could potentially claim more compensation. Furthermore, you can utilise the services of a solicitor even if your claim has to be made through the online portal.

Tips On Claiming For Lower Back Pain After An Accident

If you’re wanting to claim for lower back pain after a car accident, you need sufficient evidence to prove that the injury was caused by another road user’s negligence. While you can claim directly, we recommend that you use a solicitor due to their experience making personal injury claims. They can help you collect evidence when you claim for a back injury.

Evidence that could be used when claiming for lower back pain from a car accident includes:

Photographs of your injuries and the accident site.
Medical reports – An independent medical assessment can be organised by your solicitor. A medical professional will help determine factors including your prognosis, treatment plan and if any permanent side effects have been created. This report can be used as medical evidence.
CCTV footage or dash cam footage of the accident. This can help show the series of events that led to the accident.
Contact details of witnesses. Your solicitor could then contact them for a statement as part of the claims process.

If you want more information about what can be used as evidence, please contact us for free legal advice using the above details.

Time Limit On Personal Injury Claims

The time limit on personal injury claims is outlined in the Limitation Act 1980. After suffering a back injury from a car accident, you’ll typically have three years from the date of the accident to begin your claim.

However, there are exceptions to the personal injury claims time limit. For example:

Claimants who were injured in a car accident when they were under 18 will have three years from the date of their 18th birthday to make a claim. The time limit is frozen before this point.
The time limit is suspended for those who lack the mental capacity to pursue a claim. It would only begin if they were to ever regain the mental capacity.

In both circumstances mentioned above, a litigation friend can claim on their behalf during the suspended period.

Our advisors can provide legal advice if you get in touch and can offer free guidance on the personal injury claims time limit.

Lower Back Pain After Car Accident Compensation Amounts

If you’ve suffered back pain after a car accident due to another road user’s negligence, you may be able to claim compensation. There are two potential heads of losses that can apply in a back injury claim.

General damages equate to the suffering and pain caused by the injury. The Judicial College Guidelines can give you a greater indication of what you could receive for this. Factors that dictate how much you receive includes the extent of the injury and if any permanent health issues were caused as a result.

The figures below have been taken from the latest guidelines and relate to successful general damage claim amounts from England and Wales. We’ve also included tariff amounts from the Whiplash Injury Regulations. Also note that the figure in the top row is not from the Judicial College Guidelines or Whiplash Injury Regulations, but included to show you how you can be compensated for more than one injury plus related expenses. Please remember that these figures are not guaranteed, as many aspects can dictate what you receive.

Injury	Severity	Amount	Notes
Multiple Injuries Plus Costs	Very Serious	Up to £500,000+	As well as compensation for serious back pain and other injuries, the payout accounts for financial loss like missed earnings, medical bills or transport costs.
Back	Severe (i)	£120,340 to £212,670	This could involve severe damage to the spinal cord and nerve roots, leading to serious consequences. There could be serious pain with a disability such as paralysis.
Back	Severe (ii)	£97,980 to £116,820	This could involve some form of orthopaedic injury. This could include nerve root damage with impaired mobility and loss of sensation.
Back	Severe (iii)	£51,230 to £92,130	This could involve cases of disc fractures or soft tissue injuries that have led to chronic conditions or lasting disabilities. There may also be continual pain, impaired agility and a risk of arthritis.
Back	Moderate (i)	£36,680 to £51,230	This could involve less severe back injuries such as a compression/crush fracture or prolapsed disc that leads to reduced mobility and pain.
Back	Moderate (ii)	£16,520 to £36,680	This could involve cases of prolapsed discs, or soft tissue injuries that exacerbate the symptoms of a pre-existing condition.
Back	Minor (i)	£10,420 to £16,520	This could involve less serious sprains, strains, disc prolapses, soft tissue injuries or fractures that don't necessitate surgery.
Whiplash Tariff	With minor psychological damage	£4,975	This tariff applies to a whiplash injury alongside a psychological injury with symptoms that last between 18-24 months.
Whiplash Tariff	Without psychological damage	£4,830	This tariff applies to a whiplash injury without any psychological damage with symptoms that last between 18-24 months.

Special Damages For A Back Injury After A Car Accident

When making a personal injury claim for back pain after a car accident, your settlement may also include special damages. This compensates you for any financial losses you have experienced due to your injuries.

Some examples of the losses that special damages could compensate you for include:

A loss of earnings – if your back hurts after a car accident, you might need some time off work as you recover from the symptoms of your injury.
Prescription fees – you might require medication if you are feeling back pain after being rear ended.
Travel costs – for example, if you’ve needed to pay for taxis to and from medical appointments.

You will need to provide evidence about these financial losses to be able to claim them back under special damages. Evidence could include payslips, receipts and bank statements.

Contact our advisors today to see whether you could make a personal injury claim if you have suffered a back injury in a car accident.

How Public Interest Lawyers Can Help You Claim For Lower Back Pain After A Car Accident

At Public Interest Lawyers, our solicitors work to make claiming back injury car accident compensation much easier for claimants. After the stress of an accident on the road, you want to work with a solicitor that you can trust. If eligible, one of our solicitors would provide you with great support from the start to the end of your claim. Their dedicated legal services include:

Arranging an independent medical assessment to confirm the severity of your lower back pain and the likely cause
Making sure you have any specialist equipment you need to cope with your back pain
Managing written and verbal communication with other parties on your behalf
Putting you in touch with specialists who could aid your recovery, such as an expert physiotherapist
Arranging any home help you need while you recover, such as a cleaner or gardener

Choosing a solicitor to represent you can feel like a difficult decision. You may find this easier if you speak with a member of our friendly team. This gives you the chance to learn more about the work of our law firm and the work of our solicitors.

Claiming Compensation For Lower Back Pain After A Car Crash On A No Win No Fee Basis

You have the option to seek lower back pain after a car accident compensation with one of our solicitors on a No Win No Fee basis. Signing a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) will allow you to do this. This means your solicitor can represent you without charging fees for their work:

Upfront
As your case is underway
If you are not compensated

However, should you receive a lower back pain car accident settlement, it will be necessary to pay a success fee. This takes the form of a percentage that is taken from the compensation. You will agree on this percentage before claiming, and it is subject to a legally enforceable cap. This means that most of your compensation will remain with you.

Don’t worry if you feel unsure about making a No Win No Fee legal agreement. People often want more information before making any commitments. Speak with our friendly advisors today to discuss the matter further. They can address any concerns you may have and explain what steps you can take next. Who knows, one of our solicitors could start working on your case and help you to get the compensation you deserve.

Calling 0800 073 8803
Requesting a call back by visiting our contact page
Chatting via our live online chat service

Related Guides On Making A Claim For Lower Back Pain After A Car Accident

Thank you for reading our guide on claiming compensation for back pain after a car accident. We hope it answered any questions you may have had. For more related guides, see below.

Hernia Compensation Guide – An article explaining how you could claim after suffering from a hernia.

Injury Caused by Fire – Case study

THINK!- Government road safety campaigns.

Department for Transport – The government department responsible for the English transport network.

Statutory Sick Pay – An overview of statutory sick pay and how you can access it after an accident has led to a loss of wages.

Thank you for reading our guide on lower back pain after a car accident and the compensation that could be owed to you.

Article by AO

Publisher ET

Lower Back Pain After A Car Accident Compensation Guide

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