When a Word document file is corrupted, then you can try several methods to recover it:
1. First of all, you can try the recovery function integrated with Microsoft Word, as follows:
1) On the File menu, click Open.
2) In the Look in list, click the drive, folder, or Internet location that contains the file that you want to open.
3) In the folder list, locate and open the folder that contains the file.
4) Select the file that you want to recover.
5) Click the arrow next to the Open button, and then click Open and Repair.
You may find more information about this at:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word-help/recover-the-text-from-a-damaged-document-HP005189610.aspx (for Word 2003)
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/893672/en-us (for Word 2007/2010/2013)
2. Second, since Word 2003, it provides a "Document Recovery" or "AutoRecover" mechanism so that when Word is shutdown abnormally, the Word file being edited will be recovered when Word is launched next time, which makes the file recovery possible.
See below:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/316951/
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/827099/
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word-help/do-you-want-to-view-recovered-files-again-HA010354297.aspx
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word-help/automatically-save-and-recover-office-files-HP010140729.aspx
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word-help/recover-your-office-files-HP010354299.aspx
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word-help/use-the-document-recovery-task-pane-to-recover-files-HP003078411.aspx
http://office.microsoft.com/en-gb/word-help/use-the-document-recovery-task-pane-to-recover-your-files-HP010140613.aspx
for more detailed information.
3. If 1 and 2 does not work, then you may try third-party tools such as DataNumen Word Repair at
http://www.datanumen.com/word-repair/
It provides a free demo version so that you can try to see if the data you want can be recovered or not.
Good luck!
