Back injury compensation calculator
Read the description against the medical evidence.
Read the adopted guidelinesGeneral damages only. Not a predicted payout or legal advice.
Use the back injury compensation lookup to compare the adopted Irish guideline categories. Select a severity and recovery description to display its exact euro bracket and source reference. Read the full description before treating a category as relevant to an injury.
| Category and source description | Official euro bracket | PDF reference |
|---|---|---|
| Most severe back injuriesThe most severe back injuries which fall short of paralysis but €150,000-€300,000 | €150,000-€300,000 | 7.B(a), p. 30 |
| Severe and serious back injuries(i) Cases less severe than those at (a) above but which have special €90,000-€140,000 | €90,000-€140,000 | 7.B(b)(i), p. 30 |
| Severe and serious back injuries(ii) Disc lesions, fractures of discs or of vertebral bodies or soft tissue €50,000-€90,000 | €50,000-€90,000 | 7.B(b)(ii), p. 30 |
| Moderate back injuries(i) This bracket applies to a wide variety of injuries where the claimant €35,000-€55,000 | €35,000-€55,000 | 7.B(c)(i), p. 31 |
| Moderate back injuries(ii) Injuries to the back less severe than those included in the higher €20,000- €35,000 | €20,000- €35,000 | 7.B(c)(ii), p. 31 |
| Minor back injuries(i) Where a substantial recovery without surgery takes place €12,000-€20,000 | €12,000-€20,000 | 7.B(d)(i), p. 31 |
| Minor back injuries(ii) Where a substantial recovery or a recovery to nuisance level €6,000-€12,000 | €6,000-€12,000 | 7.B(d)(ii), p. 31 |
| Minor back injuries(iii) Where a substantial recovery takes place without surgery €3,000-€6,000 | €3,000-€6,000 | 7.B(d)(iii), p. 31 |
| Minor back injuries(iv) Where a substantial recovery is made within six months. €500-€3,000 | €500-€3,000 | 7.B(d)(iv), p. 31 |
Worked lookup example
This example follows a published category through the lookup. It is not a sample claimant or a forecast.
| Selected area | Back |
|---|---|
| Selected category | Minor (iv): within six months |
| Published bracket | €500-€3,000 |
| Source reference | 7.B(d)(iv), PDF page 31 |
Back injury categories
Section 7.B separates the most severe back injuries, severe and serious injuries, moderate injuries and minor injuries. The most severe description refers to spinal cord and nerve root damage with serious consequences. The severe and serious categories include distinct descriptions of nerve root problems, disc lesions, fractures and chronic conditions. The fact that a medical report mentions a disc does not by itself identify the correct category.
There are separate moderate categories. Their descriptions distinguish residual disability and the particular examples in the higher moderate bracket from the less severe ligament, muscle and soft tissue injuries described in the other bracket. The latter also covers prolonged acceleration or exacerbation of a pre-existing condition. Read the complete passage before selecting a category based on a familiar injury term.
Minor injuries and recovery
The minor back section includes sprains, strains and less serious soft tissue injuries. Its longer recovery categories specify recovery without surgery. They distinguish two to five years, one to two years, and six months to one year, followed by the within-six-months category. The source says duration matters but also refers back to its wider considerations. Those include treatment, degenerative changes, work, daily life, psychological effects and prognosis. The table helps compare the official wording without making a medical or legal classification.
How it works
Displayed range = Guidelines[selected injury area][selected category]
This is a direct table lookup. No arithmetic formula estimates a settlement. The lower and upper amounts are copied from the selected guideline row, with its original bracket wording. The Guidelines explain how to identify the relevant damages bracket by reference to the injury evidence. See Use of Guidelines, PDF page 6. This tool cannot determine where an individual award belongs within the range.
How to read the result
The result is a source lookup. A category label is a starting point for reading the Guidelines, rather than a diagnosis. Open the linked PDF page and compare its full description with the medical evidence. The short descriptions on this page help you find a passage; the original wording gives the complete category and its qualifications. If the description does not match, return to the category selector instead of treating the amount as a personal entitlement.
A bracket has a lower and upper endpoint. The tool reproduces both endpoints and the source spacing. It does not select a midpoint, apply an inflation adjustment, multiply by a severity score or deduct fees. It also does not add the brackets for separate injuries together. The Guidelines discuss multiple injuries separately and call for a proportionate overall assessment. A simple sum would miss that guidance.
Keep the bracket separate from the claim
The Board describes general damages as compensation for pain and suffering and special damages as financial losses, including medical expenses or lost earnings. This tool only displays a general damages bracket. It has no fields for expenses, earnings, liability or legal costs. A result therefore cannot be read as a total settlement, a net payment or an assessment of whether a claim will succeed. Use the Board fee and process table to read the official application information alongside the injury source.
Questions about this tool
How do I look up back injury compensation?
Choose a source category above, then read the complete description on the linked PDF page. The result reproduces the published bracket for that category.
Is this an average back injury payout?
No. The range is the guideline bracket for the selected description. This tool does not display average awards or predict a payment.
Can I add this range to another injury bracket?
The Guidelines address multiple injuries separately. This lookup does not add ranges or calculate a total for multiple injuries.
Related guideline tools
Official sources
Judicial Council: Personal Injuries Guidelines (adopted edition, PDF). Each table row includes its section and printed PDF page.
Judicial Council: adopted guidelines and draft amendment publications
Injuries Resolution Board: Our Process
Data as of October 5, 2026. Brackets shown: adopted March 6, 2021 edition. Draft amendment figures are excluded. Recheck the official publication for changes before relying on a category.