If you sustain a work-related back injury, you may qualify for worker’s compensation. During this process, our experts will need to diagnose you with one of the following: Temporary partial disability: You can resume your old job after treatment. Permanent partial disability: You can return to work, but you need a new position. You can no longer complete your former tasks. Permanent total disability: You cannot return to your former position or any work at all due to your injury.