The Startling Truth: 24 Workers Compensation Statistics You Need to Know
Workers compensation provides a vital lifeline for employees who suffer job-related injuries and illnesses. This insurance system helps pay their medical bills, replaces lost income, and supports rehabilitation.
But behind the safety net lies a complex and often costly system struggling under the strain of rising claims. Fraud and abuse divert funds from those who need it most. And troubling gaps leave too many workers vulnerable.
That’s why these 24 eye-opening workers compensation statistics matter. They highlight crucial trends, problem areas, and inform efforts to strengthen protections for both employers and employees alike.
Snapshot: Key Workers Compensation Statistics
- Work injuries and illnesses with days away from work totaled 1.2 million in 2021 (BLS)
- Workers comp covered 139.7 million employees in 2019 (NCCI)
- $60.2 billion was paid out in workers comp benefits in 2017 (NAIC)
- Workers comp payments per $100 of covered wages rose from $0.99 to $1.32 from 2009-2019 (NCCI)
- Claims with more than 7 days of lost time have 18% higher medical costs (WCRI)
1. 1.2 Million Work Injuries and Illnesses Had Days Away from Work
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 1.2 million work-related injury and illness cases involved days away from work in 2021. While this represents a drop from prior years, it remains an alarmingly high number.
These injuries and illnesses alone accounted for 945 million days of lost work time. They ranged from fractures to soreness to carpal tunnel syndrome.
(Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics)
2. Construction Industry Accounts for 20% of Work Fatalities
While down from prior years, 887 construction industry workers suffered fatal on-the-job injuries in 2021. This represented one-fifth of all workplace deaths across all industries that year.
Falls and slips were the leading causes of death, claiming 335 lives in construction. The industry’s high hazard work continues to carry steep costs in injuries, deaths, and workers compensation claims.
(Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics)
3. Workers Compensation Covered 139.7 Million Employees in 2019
Workers compensation programs apply to virtually all employees. A report by the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) quantified coverage at 139.7 million employees across the country in 2019.
Not only do laws require that employers carry workers compensation insurance, but also this coverage spans public sector and private industry employees alike.
(Source: NCCI)
4. $60.2 Billion in Workers Compensation Benefits Paid Out in 2017
An Insurance Information Institute statistic cited $60.2 billion in overall workers compensation benefit payments during 2017. This reflects the mounting costs required to cover medical expenses and income losses for injured employees.
Payments per $100 in covered wages have also climbed over the past decade, from $0.99 in 2009 to $1.32 in 2019, underscoring the major growth in program costs.
(Source: III, NCCI)
5. Claims with More Than 7 Days of Lost Time Have 18% Higher Medical Costs
A 2021 Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) study analyzed how much lost time raises claim costs. The findings show claims with more than seven days away from work had 18% higher medical payments per claim on average.
Longer disability periods generally necessitate more visits, tests, and treatments. Extended time off can also lead to other effects like depression. This highlights the importance of prompt medical care and return-to-work programs.
(Source: WCRI)
6. COVID-19 Directly Caused 44 Workplace Deaths in 2020
The pandemic infiltrated places of work resulting in lost lives. The Bureau of Labor Statistics confirmed that 44 workplace deaths during 2020 stemmed directly from COVID-19 infections.
Additionally, many more likely uncounted cases occurred. This prompted workers compensation programs across the country to update their policies to cover coronavirus claims.
(Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics)
7. Cumulative Trauma Injuries Account for 38% of Claims
Called the “disease of the workplace,” cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs) arise from repeated stress to certain body parts over time. CTDs including carpal tunnel syndrome and tendonitis make up over one-third of all workers compensation claims.
Moreover, CTD claim rates are rising. NCCI data show such claims per $100 of payroll jumped 80% from 2000-2009 highlighting the urgent need for prevention.
(Source: NCCI)
8. $785 Million in Workers Comp Fraud Estimated in 2016
The Coalition Against Insurance Fraud published estimates that workers compensation fraud totaled around $785 million across all states in 2016. This drains the system, diverting funds and driving up costs for all.
Most fraud involves employees faking injuries or claiming aggravations to existing conditions. However, some employers also improperly misclassify workers to avoid insurance premiums.
(Source: Coalition Against Insurance Fraud)
9. Workers Compensation Payments Totaled $721 per Worker in 2019
Workers compensation premium costs per employee averaged $721 in 2019 based on a NCCI analysis. Payments ranged greatly across occupations from over $14,000 per worker in roofing contractors to under $100 for some clerical office staff.
Also, average loss costs per $100 in payroll rose from $0.92 per worker in 2009 to $1.32 a decade later showing a clear trend of rising comp costs.
(Source: NCCI)
10. Falls Cause Majority of Lost Work Day Injuries in Healthcare
Workers sustaining injuries from falls, slips, and trips exceeded all other major event categories for healthcare practitioners and support staff in 2021. Such falls led to 346,960 lost workday cases reported by the industry.
This signals a major area needing better safety interventions across medical offices and hospital settings alike to protect healthcare employees on the job.
(Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics)
11. Average Workers Compensation Claim Is $46,800
One widely reported workers compensation statistic shows the average claim ringing in at $46,800 including both medical and indemnity costs. However, averages don’t tell the whole story.
Severe injury claims can run well over $100,000 in some states. Also, averages blend minor claims with major claims with lost time. Clearly, there’s wide variability behind this benchmark.
(Source: Insurance Information Institute)
12. Workers Compensation Covers $100,000 for Medical Services
How much does an injured employee’s medical care cost? Treatment expenses add up fast from surgery, to medications, to physical therapy. Bills reaching six-figures aren‘t uncommon in serious accident cases.
Thankfully, most states’ workers compensation systems cover 100% of medical costs related to job injuries without any caps or limits.
(Source: FindLaw)
13. Lost-Time Claims Increased Nearly 20% in 2021
After declining claims throughout 2020 likely due to employment shifts during COVID-19 lockdowns, BLS stats show sharp reversals. In 2021, reported cases involving lost work days shot up nearly 20% over the prior year.
Clearly, progress made improving workplace safety has backslidden with employees returning to worksites. This points to a critical need for reinforcing injury prevention programs across all industries.
(Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics)
14. $1 Billion for Workers Compensation Fraud Since 2008
A cross-industry fraud reporting program called BIFS tracks billions lost to bogus claims in construction, transportation, healthcare, and other sectors.
Since 2008 alone, confirmed fraud against workers comp programs topped $1 billion according to BIFS. This equates to 3-10% of all claims. Uncovering and prosecuting fraud must remain priorities.
(Source: Boston Independent Fighters)
15. 90% Value Workplace Safety Over Office Perks
Many workers willingly accept high injury risks in exchange for a paycheck. Yet awareness grows that preventing harm trumps any other workplace offering. An EHS Today poll revealed 90% of employees feel workplace safety outweighs typical perks like snacks or ping pong.
(Source: EHS Today)
16. Bureau of Labor Stats: Women Suffer Fewer Injuries
Workplace injury data repeatedly show significantly lower incidence rates for female employees compared to males across most occupations. This holds true whether reviewing fatalities, non-fatal trauma, musculoskeletal disorders, or lost work time.
Though reasons are complex, more hazardous exposure likely explains much of the difference especially in traditionally male-dominated fields like manufacturing and construction.
(Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics)
17. Caregivers and Nurses at High Risk for Workplace Violence
Among healthcare professionals facing assault on the job, nursing assistants topped the list with 249 cases per 10,000 workers reported in 2018. Registered nurses also faced an above average rate of violence according to an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) report.
The numbers highlight risks care staff face interacting with unstable or aggressive patients. Better safeguards are clearly needed.
(Source: OSHA)
18. Workplace Deaths from Violence Increased Over Past Decade
While overall workplace fatality numbers have declined in recent years, deaths from violence are bucking that trend according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Such fatal assaults jumped from 77 cases in 2011 to 428 in 2021 marking concerning five-fold growth over the decade.
Employers must make workforce protection from violence prevention a top priority across multiple occupations at risk.
(Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics)
19. Average Shoulder Injury Claim: $16,858
A California Workers’ Compensation Institute breakdown of claim costs by body part provides insight on system expenses. Average shoulder injury claim costs ranked on the lower end at $16,858 though still substantial.
In comparison, severe spinal cord injury claims topped their report at over $516,000 on average revealing the full range of claims impacting the comp system.
(Source: CWCI)
20. 27% of Work Comp Claims Are Back Injuries
Workers lift, twist, and strain. In the process, their backs bear the brunt of the burden. Federal injury data verify backs suffer damage more than any other body part.
Backs ranked first accounting for over one-quarter – 27% – of all work-related injury claims in 2020. Solutions easing physical demands through ergonomic design and lifting equipment could turn the tide.
(Source: Injury Facts®)
21. Work Stress Contributes to 120,000 Deaths Annually
While the above statistics focus on traumatic injuries, work-related stress proves equally hazardous. Researchers estimate occupational stress plays a role in up to 120,000 deaths per year constituting a true modern crisis.
Moreover, links clearly exist between job strain and cardiovascular illness over time. Promoting psychologically healthier worksites is an imperative.
(Source: NIOSH)
22. Workers’ Compensation Has Its Origins in Early 20th Century
Policymakers debated remedies for injured workers during the 19th century’s Industrial Revolution. However, workers’ compensation did not become codified into law until 1911 starting in Wisconsin. Soon, other states followed enacting no-fault insurance systems for those hurt on the job.
By 1949, all states adopted comprehensive laws mandating this coverage. The system remains our social contract promising care for the injured and support for affected families.
(Source: International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions)
23. Work Comp Gap: Independent Contractors & Gig Workers
Independent contractors and gig workers are sorely underserved by safety nets like workers’ compensation. Since they don’t fit the definition of employees under most state statutes, such non-traditional workers lack guarantees for medical and disability coverage after injuries.
Some states now provide alternative benefit structures. However, most independents must purchase private insurance at higher rates if they even qualify.
(Source: Insurance Information Institute)
24. Work Comp Pending Cases Decreased During Pandemic
Early 2020 saw work injuries decline with shutdowns and remote work. One result was 662,700 new comp cases filed by August 2020 compared to 761,200 for the same period in 2019, about a 15% drop.
Likewise, overall pending cases fell 6%. Of course, lower employment and deferred care during COVID likely contributed. Still, fewer injuries benefited workers and employers alike last year.
(Source: National Association of Insurance Commissioners)
Conclusion: Lessons Learned from Workers Compensation Stats
Behind each data point lie human realities – injuries, disabilities, deaths, and destabilized families. Workers compensation can facilitate healing. Yet this protection remains out of reach for too many, while costs and fraud undermine the system’s stability.
These workers compensation statistics should serve as a call to action on multiple fronts. For employers, urgently address hazards to curb known risks revealed in the data. For employees, speak out about dangers and access benefits entitled after harm. For policymakers, close gaps in protection for independent workers.
At stake are both human and economic impacts affecting us all. The ethical path forward demands learning every lesson within these statistics to build a system matching the values of our shared humanity. All workers deserve to be safe, cared for when hurt, and able to provide for their loved ones free of preventable harm. Our collective will and moral conscience must make it so.
