Top Trends Identified in WCRI’s Examination of Current Workers’ Compensation Claims

Workforce composition continues to change, with older employees working later in life and younger employees entering the job market. As identified in a recent study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI), workers’ compensation claim trends vary by industry, gender, age, tenure, and injury type. This report, focused on non-COVID-19 claims, analyzed two years of data from approximately four million worker injuries.

“Understanding these trends gives organizations an opportunity to strengthen prevention strategies, tailor training to their workforce, and better manage emerging risks,” said Sean Fitzsimmons, Large Casualty Workers’ Compensation Claims Manager at Safety National. “By using claims data to identify where injuries are occurring and which workers may be most vulnerable, employers can take more targeted steps to protect their employees and reduce the potential for severe losses.”

In its report, Overview of Workers’ Compensation Claims Composition: A Recent Perspective, WCRI identifies several key findings.

1. 54% of worker injuries occurred in the first two years of employment.

The share of injuries occurring early in employment declined as age increased, which could indicate that overall work experience affects injury frequency. Among workers ages 20–24, WCRI reports that 27% of injuries occurred within the first two months of employment and 61% occurred during the first year.

2. Five industries represent nearly 75% of workplace

Trade, manufacturing, transportation and utilities, healthcare, and other services were the predominant industries for workplace injuries.

3. Men sustained 57% of total workplace injuries.

Further analysis shows female and male workers had similar claim distributions across most characteristics, but the industries in which their injuries occurred differed. Female employees in healthcare, clerical, and professional roles had relatively more injuries, while male workers had more injuries in construction, manufacturing, transportation, and utilities.

4. Lower extremity fractures were associated with the highest average medical payments.

Medical payments for these injuries averaged around $25,000 at 12 months of maturity. Neurologic spine pain injuries had the highest average indemnity benefits with a cost of nearly $17,000 at 12 months of maturity.

5. Sprains, strains, lacerations, and contusions represent 63% of injuries.

When comparing injury types, sprains and strains accounted for 38% of injuries, while lacerations and contusions represented 25%. Hand lacerations were more frequent in agriculture, healthcare, and restaurants. Construction and manufacturing accounted for the majority of upper-extremity fractures.

6. The highest medical and indemnity payments per claim were in the construction and mining industries.

Although these industries represent only 7% of all injuries, their injuries typically have greater severity, which can lead to longer-tail claims and increased costs. In construction, average medical payments were nearly $23,000 per claim, while average indemnity costs were nearly $17,000 per claim.

7. Injury frequency increased among workers ages 20–24 and 65 and older.

The trends in these two age groups have remained relatively consistent for several years. However, injury frequency among workers ages 45–64 decreased over the study period.