Workers' compensation and litigation status influence the functional outcome of patients with neck pain.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine if workers' compensation (WC) and litigation status were associated with long-term functional limitation in patients with neck pain. Understanding what physical and psychologic variables are related to long-term functional limitation is an important aspect of clinical decision-making and understanding illness behavior in patients with neck pain.

Methods: Seventy-nine patients reporting neck pain participated in this study.