Unlike third-party personal injury claims, workers' compensation claims are no-fault-based claims. Therefore, if an individual suffers a back injury in a workplace occurrence, they may recover benefits without regard to how the incident occurred and who caused it. Instead, the injured worker need only establish that they suffered their back injury while on the job and while performing a job function or duty. In addition, workers' compensation benefits are only available to employees – or individuals who receive a W-2 form at the end of the tax year. They are not ordinarily available to individuals who work for others as independent contractors. Moreover, if a worker suffers a back injury while traveling to or from work, such as in a motor vehicle crash, they ordinarily cannot recover workers' compensation benefits for any injuries they suffer in that accident. A workers' compensation attorney in your area can determine your eligibility for filing a claim. If you can move forward, your attorney can assist you with every step of the process and work efficiently to obtain favorable results in your back-injury case.