I would need to know more information. Did you create this file or did you get it from someone else? If you got it from someone else it was probably created in a newer version and you might not be able to view it. There are compatibility tools that you can try to download from Microsoft's website, but it still might not work.
If you created it and you absolutely know that it was created then try to do a repair on office. In the link below, follow the section that tells you how to do a repair. One thing it doesn't tell you is to first close out of all applications and then open an office application that you aren't having an issue with, then follow the steps. Like since you are having an issue with Word, open Excel instead and use that.
http://www.techrepublic.com/forums/q...orrupted-file/
If that doesn't work try to uninstall office and install it back.
If that doesn't work try to send it to someone who has a newer version to see if they can open it.
One last thing you can try, but it will remove all formatting in the document, is to open notepad and then drag the file into the blank opened notepad template. This might allow you to copy some of the text to allow you to start over.
If none of that works, then the file is too corrupt and you can't open it at all. That's why you should always make a backup of all important files each time you update them.
It also would help top know what the file extension is so I know that it is indeed a Word file that you are trying to open and not a file for some other application.
If this helps please mark it as the answer.