Workers’ Compensation Costs
Data in the graphs on this page are from the National Council on Compensation Insurance’s (NCCI) Workers Compensation Statistical Plan database,* which reflects claims on workers’ compensation insurance policies in states where NCCI collects such data. The aggregate unit statistical data were valued 30 months after the inception date of the policy (as of the second report). The average cost for all claims combined in 2019-2020 was $41,353.
Cause of injury
According to NCCI data, the most costly lost-time workers’ compensation claims by cause of injury result from motor-vehicle crashes, averaging $85,311 per workers’ compensation claim filed in 2019 and 2020. The other causes with above-average costs were burns ($54,173), falls or slips ($48,575), and caught ($44,588).
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Nature of injury
The most costly lost-time workers’ compensation claims by nature of injury are for those resulting from amputation. These injuries averaged $118,837 per workers’ compensation claim filed in 2019 and 2020. The next highest costs were for injuries resulting in fracture, crush, or dislocation ($60,934), other trauma ($60,288), and burns ($48,671).
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Part of body
The most costly lost-time workers’ compensation claims by part of body are for those involving the head or central nervous system. These injuries averaged $93,942 per claim filed in 2019 and 2020. The next highest costs were for injuries involving multiple body parts ($62,859). Injuries to the hip, thigh, and pelvis ($59,758), leg ($59,748), neck ($59,391), and arm or shoulders ($49,116) also had above-average costs.
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* NCCI makes no representations or warranties of any kind nor assumes any responsibility for the accuracy of the underlying data or any third-party use of the data on this page.