Chicago Back Injury Lawyer
If you suffered a back injury in an accident in Chicago or the surrounding Cook, DuPage, Will, and Kane County communities, Ori Law Group can help. Joe and Kristen Ori personally handle every back injury claim — you will never be handed off to a junior associate or an intake screen. With more than 40 years of combined trial experience and over $150 million recovered for injured clients, we represent people whose backs were hurt by someone else's negligence, and we prepare every case to be tried, not just settled.
If you’re living with a back injury after an accident, you already know how much it takes from you. A herniated disc, a fractured vertebra, or a nerve pinched by spinal stenosis doesn’t stay at the site of the injury — it follows you into your work, your sleep, and every ordinary movement you used to take for granted. At Ori Law Group, Joe and Kristen Ori have spent decades representing people in exactly this position, and they handle every case personally, from the first phone call to the final resolution. You won’t be passed to a junior associate. You’ll work with the two attorneys whose names are on the door.
Back injuries are uniquely difficult claims, and not because they hurt any less than a visible wound. They’re difficult because the harm is internal. The numbers tell the story — the Bureau of Labor Statistics has found that back injuries make up roughly a third of all workplace injuries, and the National Institutes of Health attributes a large share of traumatic spinal injuries to motor vehicle crashes. Yet because there’s no cast to point to, insurers treat these claims as opportunities to pay less. The fix is evidence. We make sure the imaging that documents a real disc, nerve, or fracture injury is in your file, we work with your treating physicians to connect those findings to your symptoms, and we account for the future care — injections, physical therapy, and sometimes a discectomy or spinal fusion — that a back injury so often requires down the line.
Wherever your injury happened — a crash on the Kennedy or the Dan Ryan, a fall on an icy stairwell in Oak Brook, a lifting injury on a job site in the western suburbs — the work is the same: identify everyone responsible, document the full extent of the harm, and refuse to let an adjuster reduce a serious injury to a “soft-tissue” line item. When your back was injured on the job, we look beyond workers’ compensation to any negligent third party who may owe you a separate civil claim for the losses comp doesn’t cover. And when an injury is severe enough to change your life permanently, it crosses into catastrophic injury territory, where lifetime medical needs and lost earning capacity drive the value. Many of our back injury clients come to us from car accidents and construction site accidents, and the same principle applies across all of them.
You have two years under Illinois law to act, but the practical window is shorter — evidence fades, imaging gets harder to tie to the accident over time, and government and work-injury deadlines can come much sooner. The consultation is free, there’s no upfront cost, and we work on a contingency basis, so you pay nothing unless we recover for you. Call Joe or Kristen at (312) 621-0000 to talk through what happened and what comes next.
Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Ori Law Group is responsible for the content of this website.
What to Do After Your Accident
- Get medical attention right away, even if the pain feels manageable — back injuries often worsen over days, and a gap in treatment becomes the insurer's argument that you weren't really hurt.
- Tell every provider exactly where it hurts and how it limits you, so your symptoms are documented from the start and tied to the accident.
- Ask whether imaging is warranted — an X-ray, CT, or MRI is often what separates a provable disc or nerve injury from a claim the insurer can dismiss as soft tissue.
- Photograph the scene, the hazard, and the conditions that caused your fall, lift, or crash before anything is cleaned up or repaired.
- If the injury happened at work, report it to your employer promptly and in writing to protect your workers' compensation rights.
- Do not give a recorded statement to the other party's insurer, and do not let an adjuster send you to a doctor of their choosing.
- Keep every bill, record, and note about how the injury affects your work, your sleep, and your daily life.
- Talk to an attorney before accepting any settlement offer — once you sign a release, the claim is closed for good, even if you need surgery later.
Common Causes & Types
- Car, truck, and motorcycle crashes — the violent force of a collision is a leading cause of herniated discs and vertebral fractures.
- Slip, trip, and falls — a hard landing on stairs, ice, or a wet floor can compress or fracture the spine.
- Workplace lifting and repetitive strain — lifting, twisting, and overexertion on the job that injure or rupture a disc.
- Construction site accidents — falls from height, falling objects, scaffold collapses, and being struck by equipment.
- Defective products, premises hazards, and acts of negligence that subject the spine to sudden force.
Who Can Be Held Liable
- The at-fault individual whose negligence caused the accident
- An employer, when the at-fault party was acting in the scope of employment
- A property owner or manager who failed to maintain safe conditions
- A general contractor or site owner responsible for an unsafe construction site
- A manufacturer of a defective product or piece of equipment
- A negligent third party, even when your injury also qualifies for workers' compensation
Injuries We Handle
- Herniated, bulging, and ruptured discs
- Vertebral fractures and compression fractures
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Spinal stenosis and nerve root compression
- Sprains, strains, and soft-tissue injuries
- Chronic back pain and reduced mobility
Illinois Law & Deadlines
Damages You Can Recover
- Past and future medical expenses, including spinal surgery and injections
- Lost wages and diminished earning capacity
- Chronic pain, suffering, and loss of a normal life
- Cost of physical therapy, pain management, and assistive devices
- Emotional distress and mental anguish
- Loss of consortium for a spouse
How the Legal Process Works
- Free consultation & investigation
We review your case, gather your medical records and imaging, identify every responsible party and insurance policy, and explain your options at no cost.
- Treatment & claim build-up
While you focus on recovery, we document the full extent of your injury, work with your treating physicians, and handle every call from the adjuster.
- Demand & negotiation
We present a demand backed by your imaging, records, and expert support, and negotiate with the insurer for the full value of your claim.
- Litigation, if needed
If the insurer won't be fair, Joe or Kristen files suit and prepares your case for trial in the county where it belongs.
Why Back and Spine Injuries Are Hard to Prove — and How We Prove Them
Back injuries are among the most undervalued claims in personal injury, not because they hurt less, but because the damage often doesn't show on the surface. There is no cast, no visible wound — just pain that follows you into every part of your life. Insurers know this, and they exploit it.
The most common tactic is the "soft-tissue" dismissal. An adjuster labels your injury a simple sprain or strain that should resolve on its own, then offers a fraction of what the claim is worth. The answer to that tactic is objective evidence. An X-ray, CT scan, or MRI can show a herniated or bulging disc pressing on a nerve, a vertebral fracture, or spinal stenosis — findings an adjuster cannot wave away. We make sure the imaging that documents your injury is in the file, and we tie those findings to your symptoms through your treating physicians and, when needed, retained medical experts.
We also confront the pre-existing condition argument head-on. Many people have some prior wear in the spine — that does not give a negligent party a free pass. Under Illinois law, a defendant takes the victim as they find them. If the accident aggravated a prior condition or turned a manageable issue into a debilitating one, that aggravation is compensable, and we document the difference between your life before and after.
Illinois Back Injury Laws You Need to Know
You generally have two years from the date of the accident to file a back injury lawsuit under 735 ILCS 5/13-202. Wait too long and the claim is barred no matter how strong it is. The deadline is shorter when a government entity is involved, so an injury on a CTA bus, a Pace vehicle, or City property needs attention right away.
Illinois follows modified comparative fault under 735 ILCS 5/2-1116. You can recover as long as you were not more than 50% responsible for the accident, but your award is reduced by your share of fault. If you are found 51% or more at fault, you recover nothing — which is exactly why insurers work so hard to shift blame onto you.
If your back was injured on the job, you have rights under the Illinois Workers' Compensation Act (820 ILCS 305), which pays medical bills and a portion of lost wages regardless of fault. But workers' compensation does not pay for your pain and suffering or your full lost earnings. When a third party — a negligent driver, a property owner, a product manufacturer, or another contractor on the site — caused or contributed to a workplace back injury, you may have a separate civil claim against that party in addition to your comp benefits. We routinely handle both tracks together so nothing is left on the table.
Dealing with the Insurance Company After a Back Injury
The other party's insurer is not on your side. Adjusters are trained to settle back injury claims for the lowest possible amount, and they often start before you know how badly you're hurt or whether you'll need surgery. Knowing the common tactics protects your claim.
- The soft-tissue label — calling your injury a minor sprain to justify a lowball offer, even when imaging shows a disc or nerve injury.
- The quick settlement — an offer made before you know whether you'll need injections, physical therapy, or surgery down the road.
- The recorded statement request — used to capture words that can be twisted to reduce or deny your claim.
- The pre-existing condition argument — blaming your pain on prior wear in your spine to avoid paying for what the accident actually caused or aggravated.
Why Choose Ori Law Group
Ori Law Group is a women-owned, two-attorney trial firm in Oak Brook. When you call, you reach Joe or Kristen — not a paralegal, not an intake AI, not a rotating cast of junior associates. Together they bring over 40 years of combined trial experience and more than $150 million recovered, and they prepare every back injury case to be tried, not just settled. Because adjusters know which firms actually try cases, that preparation shapes every offer you receive. Our Oak Brook office is convenient to Chicago and the entire Cook, DuPage, Will, and Kane County region.
Case Results
Recovered for a construction worker injured when an electrical unit on the site caught fire.
Recovered for a retired Chicago police officer who sustained back and neck injuries in an auto accident.
Recovered for a construction worker who sustained back and knee injuries in a roadway accident on the job.
Awarded to a construction worker who sustained back injuries when a deck collapsed.
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. See more results →
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you prove a back injury in a personal injury case?
Objective evidence is what makes a back injury claim. Imaging — an X-ray, CT scan, or MRI — can show a herniated or bulging disc, a vertebral fracture, or spinal stenosis that an adjuster cannot dismiss. We tie those findings to your symptoms through your treating physicians and, when needed, retained medical experts, and we document how the injury has changed your daily life and ability to work.
The insurance company says my back injury is just soft tissue. Is that true?
Often it's a tactic, not a diagnosis. Insurers label injuries soft tissue to justify a low offer, even when the medical records show a disc, nerve, or fracture injury. The way to counter it is with imaging and physician support that proves the injury is real. We make sure that evidence is in the file before we ever talk settlement value.
Can a back injury get worse after an accident, and can I still recover if it does?
Yes. Back injuries frequently worsen over days or weeks, and some require injections or surgery months later. This is exactly why you should not accept an early settlement — once you sign a release, the claim is closed even if you later need a discectomy or fusion. We build in time and medical input to value future care before resolving your case.
What if my back injury happened at work?
A work-related back injury gives you rights under the Illinois Workers' Compensation Act (820 ILCS 305), which pays medical bills and a portion of lost wages regardless of fault. But comp does not pay for pain and suffering or your full lost earnings. If a third party — a negligent driver, a property owner, a product maker, or another contractor — caused or contributed to the injury, you may also have a separate civil claim. We handle both tracks together.
When is a back injury considered catastrophic?
A back injury becomes catastrophic when it permanently affects your ability to move, work, or live independently — for example, a spinal cord injury causing paralysis, or chronic nerve damage that prevents you from returning to your job. These cases carry much higher value because of lifetime medical needs and lost earning capacity. You can learn more on our catastrophic injury page.
Can I still recover if I had a prior back problem?
Often yes. Under Illinois law, a negligent party takes the victim as they find them. If an accident aggravated a pre-existing condition or turned a manageable issue into a disabling one, that aggravation is compensable. We document the difference between your life before and after the accident so the insurer can't hide behind your history.
How long do I have to file a back injury claim in Illinois?
You generally have two years from the date of injury under 735 ILCS 5/13-202. Claims against a government entity carry a shorter deadline, often one year, with a strict notice requirement. A work-related injury has its own workers' compensation deadlines as well. It's best to act well before any deadline so evidence and imaging can be preserved.
What does it cost to hire Ori Law Group?
There is no upfront cost. We handle back injury cases on a contingency basis — we are paid a percentage of your recovery only if we win or settle your case, and your consultation is free. You pay nothing out of pocket to get started.
Will Joe or Kristen personally handle my case?
Yes. As a two-attorney boutique firm, Joe and Kristen work directly with you from the first consultation through resolution. Your calls reach the lawyers actually working your file, throughout Cook, DuPage, Will, and Kane Counties.
Legally reviewed by Joseph and Kristen Ori · Last reviewed June 24, 2026. This page is attorney advertising and is for general information only — it is not legal advice and does not create an attorney–client relationship.
Hurt Your Back in a Chicago Accident? Let's Talk.
Free, confidential consultation — call (312) 621-0000. No upfront cost, and Joe or Kristen handles your case personally.