The Seven Most Common, High Cost Injuries

The Seven Most Common, High Cost Injuries
in Washington State 1998-2002
And in what industries they occurred

Dept. of Labor & Industries Workers’ Compensation Claims Data Analysis.

Summary

Between 1998-2002, Washington state workers filed 166,722 compensable injury claims with the Department of Labor & Industries (L & I).

Seven common, high cost injury types were identified in these claims:

• Caught in/under/between
• Falls from elevation
• Falls at same level
• Struck By/against
• Motor vehicle accidents
• Musculoskeletal disorders of the lower extremities
• Musculoskeletal disorders of the neck, back and upper extremities

These seven injury types accounted for:

• - 91.6% of all compensable claims,
• - 94.7% of compensable claim costs,
• - 95.5% of all compensable time-loss days (days off work)

These claims cost an estimated $3.9 billion in paid benefits and resulted in 24.3 million days off work during the 5 years studied.

What are “compensable” claims?

Compensable claims are worker claims for serious injuries that result in time off from work for medical treatment and recovery.

Compensable claim payments include medical bills, compensation for days off work and disability payments.

Claims involving simple medical treatment for minor injuries with no days off work are not included.

Compensable claims account for 92.1% of all claims costs paid by the worker compensation system.

What is a “caught in/under/between” injury?

An injury produced by squeezing, pinching or crushing a part of the body between a moving or stationary object, between two moving objects or between parts of an object.

Examples:

• hand caught in a rotating part of a machine
• finger amputated by a rotating saw blade
• Toes crushed by wheels of a moving vehicle
• Worker pulled into an auger.