The largest workers’ compensation carrier in the U.S. conducted a survey of 1.5 million claims to identify the most common injuries reported.
Researchers for the Travelers Companies listed the top five injuries and their causes and grouped results by industry and business size. Do you have a work-related injury named on that list?
Surprising results
Travelers conducted the survey on workers’ compensation claims submitted between 2010 and 2014. Would you have guessed that strains and sprains are the most common work-related injuries? Next were cuts or punctures, followed by contusions, then inflammation and, in fifth place, fractures. Sprains and strains topped the list in all industries and for companies of various sizes. In small businesses, cuts and punctures were the most frequently reported injuries.
Most costly
The survey found that the highest medical costs were for amputations, electric shock, dislocations and “multiple trauma injuries,” such as multiple broken bones. The financial aspect aside, injuries of all kinds can be costly in terms of lost wages and missed work days. For example, the survey found that sprains and strains resulted in an average of 57 missed work days, showing that even injuries regarded as minor can adversely impact daily business operations.
Frequent causes
The survey turned up a variety of reasons for the top injuries based on workers’ compensation claims:
- Material handling (representing 32 percent of all claims)
- Slips, trips and falls (representing 16 percent)
- Colliding with or struck by an object (10 percent)
- Accidents with tools (7 percent)
- Injuries that occur over time (4 percent)
Injuries by industry
Injuries related to material handling occurred most often in the retail and manufacturing industries, while falls happened most frequently in both retail and construction. Injuries related to motor vehicle accidents were only found in the oil and gas industry. Finally, eye injuries were most often related to manufacturing and construction work.
Moving forward
Perhaps your work-related injury is one of those listed in the Travelers survey. There are many more injuries that make workers eligible to file a claim for compensation. Explore your options, and seek help to ensure you receive all your legally entitled benefits.
