Neck Injury At Work? See If You Can Claim Compensation

By Ian Morris | Updated December 12th, 2022

52 questions have been answered on this subject - ask us your question

Injuries to the neck commonly cause extreme pain, limit mobility, and often leave people struggling to carry out everyday activities such as driving and working. Employers are legally required to provide a safe working environment, and the correct training and equipment to employees. If their negligence led to you or someone you know suffering a neck injury, then you are entitled to claim compensation. Here we look at what this involves.

The benefits of claiming neck injury compensation
When can you make a work neck injury claim?
Compensation amounts for neck injuries
How Direct2Compensation can help
Comments – your questions answered

The benefits of claiming neck injury compensation

Employees who suffer neck injuries at work often contact us when they are in a considerable amount of pain, unable to move freely and sleep comfortably, or work and earn their regular salary. Recovering from neck injuries can take many months. Sadly, some people may never feel like they have fully recovered and their injury is always present whenever they attempt any physical task.

If you have injured your neck as a result of your working life or in an accident at work, claiming personal injury compensation can help ease some of the problems you face.

As all claims are made on a No Win No Fee basis, you will never be charged if your claim does not succeed. A successful claim will lead to a compensation settlement being made to you, with the value of the claim including any lost income and incurred costs as well as a settlement value for the injuries you have suffered and medical treatment that you have required.

As well as a financial settlement to cover your neck injury, claiming compensation can also help you in other ways.

Making a claim is your legal right, and fairly compensates you for injuries that were not your fault.
It can include private medical treatment and rehabilitation therapies to speed your recovery.
It can make up for lost income now and in the future.
You can also claim out of pocket expenses and other losses.

Specialist rehabilitation therapies

Once your claim is active and your solicitor has obtained an admission of liability from the insurers that provide your employer with their employer liability insurance, your claim will succeed. At this point, your solicitor can look to help you to recover more quickly by obtaining specialist rehabilitation therapy if it is deemed relevant and needed. In the case of a neck injury, such rehabilitation therapy would most likely involve osteopathic/chiropractic or massage therapies. Any such physiotherapy or private specialist treatments will be provided at the expense of the third party dealing with your claim.

In the more severe claims, neck injuries can include bone fractures, paralysis and even psychological trauma. Depending on the specifics of your injury, your solicitor may be able to look to obtain further treatments – unavailable in usual circumstances – to help you recover more quickly from your injuries than you otherwise may do. Further information on this will be available from your solicitor once your claim has been started.

When can you make a work neck injury claim?

Employers are legally obliged to provide a safe and secure environment for workers and visitors to any work site. Claims will succeed if it can be shown that the employer has been negligent and exposed them to the risk of injury. A lack of training, a failure to provide the correct equipment and failing to provide a safe working environment are all forms of employer negligence.

Whilst neck injury claims are usually associated with jobs that include repeated lifting, such as in warehouses, factories, construction sites and shops, they can happen in any workplace. Even jobs that most people would see as very safe, like an office job, can see employees suffer nasty neck injuries.

Many claims relate to soft tissue injuries to the muscles and ligaments of the upper spine, shoulders and neck. They are commonly caused through strain related incidents, such as dangerous carrying techniques and workers being asked to lift items exceeding a safe weight limit.

Common scenarios leading to compensation include:

Employers failing to provide manual handling guidance or training
Not advising staff of the risks of lifting incorrectly
Forcing people to lift weights heavier than they should
Refusing or failing to provide lifting equipment
A working environment that prevents people from working and lifting safely

Employers must ensure that the staff member is correctly trained and provided with the right know how and tools to work safely, further, the employer is responsible for the maintenance and safety of any equipment provided to employees to use during the performance of their duties.

Regardless of the kind of workplace, employers must by law ensure:

That staff are adequately trained in how to lift items safely.
That staff know how to identify items that will require 2 persons or lifting equipment to move.
That any equipment provided to staff to enable them to lift heavier items is regularly maintained and repaired.
That any equipment found to be faulty or dangerous is removed from use and only returned to active service once repaired fully.

Manual handling claims are among the most frequent we deal with. Employers that fail to ensure full training, guidance and a safe ‘lifting and moving’ policy will be liable if staff are injured as a result of lifting or moving items at work.

Any person injured in this way at work is entitled to make a claim for personal injury compensation. If you believe that the cause of your neck injury was because of the negligence of an employer or other organisation who failed to provide training or the correct equipment, you should contact Direct2Compensation today to start your claim.

Compensation amounts for neck injuries

The following is a guide to compensation amounts for neck injuries based on their severity. These amounts are for the injury itself, but you can also claim for special damages, which can include your expenses and rehabilitation therapies, for example. Once your specialist solicitor has obtained your medical report they will be able to give you an idea of how much compensation to expect.

Severity	Compensation Amount
Severe	£43k - £140k
Moderate	£7k - £36k
Minor	£2k - £7k

How Direct2Compensation can help with your claim

As with all accidents, if you have injured your neck at work or anywhere else, it is important to make sure that the details of your accident have been recorded properly within an accident book or elsewhere, and that medical attention is sought for any injuries that you have sustained. If you haven’t done this already, we can help you to do so.

Direct2Compensation are experts in managing compensation claims. Over the years we have successfully assisted many neck injury claimants and have helped them to find the right specialist injury compensation solicitor. We know your rights and can help you to understand whether you are likely to be able to successfully hold your employer liable for your injuries.

Direct2Compensation work with some of the best accident at work solicitors in the UK. With our easy to understand claims process and ability to handle your claim quickly, simply and transparently, there are many reasons that make us the right choice when it comes to starting your compensation claim.

To start your claim today, or even to find out a little bit more about the claims process and how we can help, call us on 01225 430285 or if you prefer, .

52 questions have been answered on this subject - ask us your question

Comments & Questions

Read on for questions and advice about claiming, plus work neck injury claim examples...

I worked at national windscreens as a trainee windscreen fitter and was sent out on a job on my own. I following all the training and wore the provided PPE.

As I was removing the old glass, it folded and cut my throat open. I was taken to hospital where the cut was closed and glued. Work were trying to make me use my holiday leave for the time off and weren’t very supportive. I left a couple of weeks after that.

Was the accident recorded (in an accident book or similar) with your former employer? It is unclear as to whether liability or negligence can be attached as you had received training, but as you were sent out to work alone, there could be a route to seeking compensation. If you would like to speak with our Solicitors about this incident and a potential claim, please provide further details by calling us on 01225430285 or via the start your claim form on our website.

Hello
I have a neck injury, bulging disc and soft tissue damage as a result of using a small laptop and phone from home – working long hours during the pandemic and the injury has meant I am not working now – on sick leave but due to run out. I cannot see me returning to office work as the long hours at a computer caused this and makes it worse when I attempt to work. I will resign shortly as soon as the sick leave runs out. I have had this now for over a year… I have a neck in a permanent twisted position and the pain is constant, sleeping is difficult etc etc.

Did you ever report to your employer that your work station set up and equipment was causing you discomfort and injury? If so, the employer should have undertaken an assessment to see whether they could provide an alternative or more appropriate set up for you. If you did report it and the employer ignored this, you could potentially pursue a claim against them for the ongoing injury and loss that you have sustained.

If you would like to discuss this with our Solicitors, please make a further detailed enquiry via the ‘start your claim‘ page of our website and we’ll gladly look in to this for you.

I had a roller door come down on my head at work last week and sprained my neck the door came down due to a faulty sensor which did not detect I was under it, do I have a claim?

You certainly do have a valid claim for compensation and we would love to help you. Our Solicitors can help you on a No Win No Fee basis to recover compensation for your injuries, recover any lost income and access rehabilitation therapies, such as physiotherapy if successful with your claim. In this case, the claim will be against your employers mandatory insurance cover and it will not jeopardise your right to continue to work for the employer, or damage the business in anyway.

I’ve recently been diagnosed as suffering from cervical spondylosis in my neck. As a result I’ve been on sick leave since mid December 2020 from my job as a fork truck driver, only being paid ssp. My diving involves a lot of reverse manovering and I’m certain that this has contributed towards the condition. I’ve been employed with the same company in this role for 6.5 years. They have stated that I cannot return to work until I’m better and are not prepared to consider me for an alternative role which does not impact on the condition. Do you think that I may have grounds for a claim?

The condition you have been diagnosed with is something that can occur through natural degeneration and due to ageing. However, repetitive work can also cause or certainly speed up the onset of the condition and it is something that can form the basis of a claim for personal injury compensation.

The issue we therefore need to consider is causation – establishing a causal link between your work and the condition you have been diagnosed with. To this end, I would recommend that you have a conversation with your specialist or GP regarding the diagnosis and your work.

I work as a field based sales person, the company supply a laptop. Due to lockdown I have had to work from home and use the laptop most of the day, I don’t have a home office so have just sat on the sofa with the laptop on my knee. The company has not provided any additional equipment.
I now suffer severe neck pain, I take pain killers and I have been seeing an acupuncturist and chiropractor after a GP visit. I feel I can’t continue in this work situation. I don’t know what to do, any advice would be welcome.

Workstation provision and ensuring workers have the correct equipment to work safely – whether that be within an office environment or when working from home – is an obligation faced by all employers.

As your employer has failed to provide adequate support and equipment or a work station set up assessment, your enquiry warrants detailed consideration by our specialist Solicitors as you may well be able to claim compensation for the chronic neck pain you are suffering with.

Hi i have recently hurt my neck and back at work, I used to be a cleaner and I was asked to clean a sofa which I haven’t done before, as I moved the sofa to reach an arm rest I have injured my neck.

It would appear that the injury you have sustained was caused through lifting and moving. If your employer has failed to provide you with manual handling and safe lifting training – or if the work that they have asked you to do has not been correctly risk assessed, we can help you to pursue a claim for compensation and recovery of any lost income from the insurers of the employer.

Please call us on 01225430285 so that we can talk about your injury and the work you do with you, with a view to starting a No Win No Fee claim for personal injury compensation.

Hi, my name is Rebecca and at the end of last year I finished a job that I was doing for 9 months in a warehouse. I was hired to do production work, there were different jobs that we had to do each day but they started putting me on the same job all day everyday that lead to me having to look down for hours. After a few months I went to the doctors and she said I have repetitive strain injury and told me to tell them to put me of different jobs and that I should have the week off work and so I did. I went back to work and told them and they lowered my hours to half and started putting me on different jobs for a few weeks but then they started putting me on the same job again not long after, for 4 hours a day, after I had asked them numerous times if I could do another job. Am I entitled to claim? I’m still having the bad neck pain and its stopping me from sleeping, I have to keep having painkillers almost everyday.

This is certainly something we can help you with and further investigate pursuit of a claim for compensation for the pain and discomfort caused to you by the injury to your neck.

The fact that you have reported the injury to your GP and also informed the former employer will increase the prospects of succeeding with such a claim.

I have been pushing & pulling rods for 20yrs for a few different companies subbing to the likes of virgin & BT. I’ve been pushing rods in ducts that are full of silt & cable & is very demanding job, I’ve basically been doing this for 20yrs.
On the 25th sept I woke one morning with a very sore neck and by evening time had to visit the hospital as pain was like pain I’d never felt before.
I’ve been on tramadol and naproxen for 5mths and recently had a mri done private, a few days later a phone call of my doctor saying I’ve had a urgent referral to a specialist.
I seen the specialist yesterday and have two very badly worn disc. The very first question the specialist asked me is was what do I do for work! I went on to asked if this could be work related to which he said most definitely!
On the morning behind the pain I was getting in a jrc basically that’s a road pit with metal lids, all I remember is having a little stumble sort of thing getting in and thought nothing of it at the time, maybe it was maybe it wasn’t but the bottom line is the disc herniation is something that my job as more than likely caused.
I’m now awaiting emergency operation on my neck and feel this is all caused by pushing and pulling everyday where I rod between 2000m-3000m a day.

Thanks Craig

It is almost certainly the case that your injury is work related. However, any confirmation of that belief would need to come from a Doctor – as appears to have happened with the specialist you have seen.

Although the injury is work related, to succeed with a claim, you’ll need to be able to demonstrate that the employer has been negligent in their management of your workload and the health and safety risks posed by the nature of the work. Given the severity of your injuries, it is certainly a wise and just idea to make further investigations in to making a claim for personal injury compensation. We would like to submit an enquiry for you to our specialist Solicitors. In order for us to be able to do that, we’ll need a few minutes on the phone with you to gain a better understanding of the nature of the work and specifically the events in which you sustained the pain and injury.

I was injured during my training. The employer sent me to a training provider and during exercise I sustained a neck injury.
Who am i claiming against?

In this scenario, a claim would be against the training provider as they would have responsibility for your safety and well-being whilst providing your training. Our Solicitors have pursued claims for people injured during training courses previously and can assist you with your claim.

Hi. I am an area manager driving around schools. Due to travelling and being told by my line manager to work in my car on my laptop also with the tension with my job it has caused me severe neck problems resulting so far having over 5 months off work. My consultant believes it has been caused by neck and posture with the laptop. I am on the urgent list now to go in for surgery as I have 2 large bilges on my neck pressing on my discs causing the loss of my right arm. I feel that this was definitely through the work practice that was put in place by my line manager.

We would recommend that you put your employer on notice of the damage being done to your neck and request a workplace assessment of the nature of your work.

You may have grounds to make a claim and we would be happy to help you further investigate this.

You may have a case, but there are some issues to consider. The main issue is likely to be proving a causal link between the working environment in which you operate and having to work in your car and the neck pain you are suffering with. However, given that your Consultant appears to have already made an initial link, it indicates that it may be possible to jump that particular hurdle.

I had a head injury about 5 years ago and am now getting a lot of neck pain. The disc in my neck has been crushed and it’s affecting nervous system.

Unfortunately, unless you are under the age of 21, you will now be statute barred by the UK Law as any personal injury claim MUST be pursued within 3 years of the date of the incident in which you were injured.

If you are under 21 years of age, you may still be entitled to make a claim.

I was an employee at an organisation that works with persons with disabilities. I was a passenger in the bus that transported people, i fell out of the bus and injured my neck and did not know that I had broken a bone in my neck. This happened in 2009. It is 10 years ago. I am experiencing a lot of problems with my neck, had problems for years unaware how bad the injury was . The discovery of the broken bone was due to me having a bad fall in 2016, i had xrays done and the doctor explained the reason for years of discomfort and pain whilst doing xrays for the current fall . Can I lodge a claim 10 years later?

Hi I work in an office environment at a contact centre, a couple of years ago we had a refit and were given two computer screen per work station, the screen cannot be moved so one can put it to the middle of the desk they only mover up and down so I am constantly moving my head neck from side to side. Last year we were furloughed for 12 weeks and when I returned to work in June last year after a few months I was getting a very tight neck. By September last year the pain was agony and I had to be signed off work for a fews weeks, pay for private massages and was still given a disciplinary from my employer for having time off (they also used my other medical condition against me). I was then told that if I tried to appeal the decision I wouldn’t win even though my dr had said I had very good grounds to appeal. Now this year I have been back after the Christmas break and now find myself off again with an excruciating neck and shoulder pain and have been given strong painkillers and haven’t been able to work for the last two days and know when I go back I will be up for another disciplinary, do you feel I have grounds for suing my employer as I feel I have been very let down, every one is put into the same category when it comes to sickness and surely every one has different problems.

We would like our specialist Solicitors to discuss your situation with you as it would appear that you have a valid right to make a claim against your employer. Employers have a duty of care to ensure that the working environment – including work station set up – is safe and that the risk of injury is minimised. In your situation, there is clearly an issue to be considered and questions to answer. When an employer informs an employer that their work station is causing discomfort or pain, the employer should arrange for an occupational health assessment and make appropriate adjustments if recommended to do so.

We offer a No Win No Fee service, so you don’t need to be anxious about the costs of the legal process and you can pursue a claim for compensation – if our specialist Solicitors feel it appropriate to do so – without jeopardising your position at work. You cannot be disciplined or discriminated against for making a claim for compensation.

Also, in terms of the disciplinary procedures your employer has taken against you, we can also have our employment law Solicitors offer advice to you on that too.

Sadly, even though you were not aware of the extent of your injury in 2009, the UK laws of statute with regards to personal Injury compensation claims are strict in that any claim arising for a personal injury sustained within the UK MUST be made within 3 years of the date of the accident. Therefore you are out of limitation and cannot take action.

13 years ago I had my second hip replacement on the same hip. On the second replacement the surgeon made my leg shorter and I had a permanent limp. After a couple of years this started to give me back pain and was put on painkillers. 4 months ago I had an accident at work, due to my hip replacement leg getting caught up in a hose pipe and went flying into a brick wall. I got sent home from work and thought I would be ok in the morning, but woke up and I could hardly move my neck, so my son took me to A&E. I had a C.T scan and found out that i’ve got 3 fractures in my neck. The hospital was in contact with Kings College Hospital, and they were debating whether to operate on me but decided to put a neck brace on me. Had an appointment at Kings College for the 5 June, which was 4 months after the accident, but the fractures have not fused together, and now face an operation. Due to the short leg with the hip replacement this has given me great misery, is there any thing that can be done?

If the surgery that took place was conducted in a negligent manner, then you may have had a right to make a claim for clinical negligence compensation. However, the claim limitation period would be well expired now given that this was some 13 years previously.

With regards to the neck injury you sustained when tripping at work, you could seek to make a claim for compensation against your employer. You mention that your foot caught in a hose pipe and that this caused you to trip. The hose pipe could be deemed to be a tripping hazard and you may have rights to make a claim on that basis. However, we clearly need to know more about the accident, your work and how you tripped before we can advise further.

Hi, I am wondering if i am eligible to make a claim? I was at work last week (I do sandblasting) and when I was in the room a steel panel fell off the roof and hit me on the head, bending my neck. I had been in some pain and yesterday it became increasingly painful so went to a&e and it is soft tissue damage (whiplash) in my neck. I can’t move it very well and I’m under pressure from my employer to get back into work. I’m just wondering what to do as I am in a lot of pain and don’t think I can go back yet?

You most certainly have a valid right to pursue a claim for compensation against the insurers of your employer. Given that a steel panel has fallen on you from height, it is understandable that you are now in pain and suffering as a result. When a heavy item falls on someones head from height, along with the obvious symptoms such as concussion, headaches etc, it is also common to see injuries such as whiplash and muscle damage.

You should certainly make sure that an accident report is made in the accident book at work and if your neck is still sore, you should see your GP and ask to be signed off work for a week or so to aid your recovery. Whilst your employer may struggle without you, they cannot argue with a qualified medical opinion stating that you require rest as a result of injury. Of course, you may lose some income if you take a week off, but should you then make a claim any lost income or incurred costs caused by your injury will be recovered during a successful claim by our specialist Solicitors.

I was in a work accident about 15yrs ago where coming out of a mine site in a bus we got hit head on by a 22t crane. It hit right where I was sitting and I got thrown across the bus and my back and neck was injured, it went through works comp and now these days every single day I get pain in my neck and back and I know it from that accident!! Can I still claim a pay out for it?

UK law will not allow you to pursue a claim for the injuries you sustained 15 years ago. UK law requires that any claim for personal injury compensation be made within 3 years of the date of an accident.

I am a cleaner an have now had to be off sick as have been doctors an told I have bulging discs in my neck an upper back an am awaiting a mri scan to see what this shows up . Work is asking when I will be back but giving the pain I’m currently in I know it will be a struggle to complete all my job tasks … not sure what to do .

If you believe that your injury was caused by your work and that your employer has failed in their obligations to ensure your safety at work – lack of training, failure to provide manual handling training etc, you could pursue a claim against them for the injury that you have sustained.

If your GP has signed you off work due to the nature of your injury, you simply need to advise your employer that you have been signed off for whatever period your GP has stated and hand them the GP’s document.

Hi, I had a work accident in January. While receiving delivery, driver pushed delivery cage too fast and crushed my hand between delivery cages.
Because of big pain, I’ve fainted, unconscious and hit my neck and maxillary bones to other metal cage. Neck was overextended. Been taken to hospital for investigations, nothing broken. Had 2 weeks off work because of pain and stiffness. I remember this every day, I still feel that panic.

You can make a claim for compensation on a No Win No Fee basis for the injuries you have sustained.

Make sure that the accident has been recorded in the employers accident book and then contact us.

I had an operation on my neck in June 2018, my consultant said a C5 – C6 can be caused by wear and tear on older persons and he thinks some kind of trauma to my neck caused the Cervical Stenosis.

I work with a HIAB on a flatbed lifting building material. In September 2017, I was hit hard in the head, whilst wearing a safety hat but it still knocked me back and I think that this may be the cause. I did not record it at time as no physical evidence was present, also because at time I didn’t think anything was wrong. In October 2017 I started to get a tingling sensation in my fingers and feet which led to doctor visits and eventually an operation.

There was a colleague present at time. I have been off work since May 29th 2018 and am now seeking advice.

You may well be right in that the impact to your head in the incident at work in September 2017 could well have caused damage to your vertebrae and be responsible for the subsequent problems you have been suffering with.

However, the issue you will face now is proving causation – that is that the condition you have been caused to suffer was definitely caused by this incident at work and not as a result of the ageing process or another incident in your past. As such, it could be very difficult to succeed with a claim.

It would be worthwhile speaking with the colleague you were with at the time of the incident to see if they would be willing to provide a supporting witness statement regarding the impact to your head whilst at work in September 2017.

I tore my bicep muscle off and and also hurt my neck at work but my neck was never checked. Now I have torn both biceps again and they finally did an MRI on my neck and shoulder. I now have stenosis of the neck and the pain runs down my back, in my buttocks, down my legs and in to my feet, which feel like they are going to explode when I get up from sleeping or just sitting. I need someone to help me.

This all happened in 2008 and they said that I had lost 2% use of my shoulder, but now I can hardly walk due to my neck. They should owe me for my neck from 2008. I always complained about my neck but the Doctors didn’t check it till now and i have stenosis of the neck.

In the UK, you are afforded a strict claim limitation period of 3-years from the date of an injury in which any claim for compensation must be made. As your injuries date back to 2008, some 10-years ago, you will be statute barred and unable to do anything.

I used to work for the Royal Mail 18 years ago, in the last 10 years I have suffered with very bad neck pain, in the last 7 years suffered with terrible headaches and spasms in my neck and head causing me being admitted to hospital several times. I’ve had a MRI on my neck which the results were narrowing of discs in C4 C5 C6, I’m constantly suffering with dizzy spells and passing out for 7 years which I’ve been told by many specialist that this is caused by my neck issues. I am now waiting for a spine MRI to see if my spine has some damage. I’m constantly off work now with no pay in and out of hospital. I am now with numbness in both arms and legs walking with a walking stick, I would like to know if I can claim any compensation after so many years as I have financial issues due to this.

There is a strict 3-year limitation period on making a claim for compensation. In your case, it would appear that your injuries are long standing and as such, your 3-year limitation period would commence at the date that you became aware of your injuries being a work related issue.