The Workers’ Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) published a new flash report that focuses on changes in workers’ comp injuries from 2019-2024, exploring difference between pre-pandemic, pandemic, and post-pandemic years.
The analysis includes 8 million non-COVID-19 claims from injury years 2019 through 2024 across 31 states, representing approximately 83 percent of workers’ compensation benefits paid in the United States. Trends for COVID-19 claims are presented separately within the report.
This report focuses on changes in industry and differences by age, gender, worker tenure, and injury type. It also compares major cost components for injuries along these dimensions.
In terms of injury frequency across industry, 75% of work injuries occurred in trade (20%), manufacturing (17%), transportation and utilities (13%), other services (13%), and health care (11%).
When reviewing claims by age, the report found that the relative frequency of injury among workers aged 20-24 and above 65 increased. While this trend was ongoing pre-pandemic, it accelerated during the pandemic and slowed post pandemic.
Approximately 22% of injuries came from workers aged 55+, with higher injury rates in clerical and professional services (27%) and other services (26%). Meanwhile, 22% of injuries came from workers aged 16-24, with higher injury frequency (over 20%) in agriculture, restaurants, and trade.
Across gender, 57% of injuries were among men, with frequency higher in construction (94%), mining (91%), manufacturing (71%), public safety (71%), and transportation and utilities (69%). Frequency for women was higher in health care (80%), clerical and professional (65%), and agriculture (60%).
Regarding tenure at injury, 54% of injuries occurred in the first two years of the worker’s job tenure, with higher frequency in restaurants (64%), agriculture (60%) and construction. Approximately 39% of all injuries occurred in the worker’s first year of tenure. The pandemic-period saw an increase in the relative frequency of injuries with short tenure, but this trend slowed down post-pandemic.
When reviewing data by injury type, 63% of injuries were sprains and strains (38%) and lacerations and contusions (25%). Upper extremity fractures were most concentrated in construction and mining, while hand lacerations were more frequent in agriculture, health care, and restaurants. Minor fluctuations in these injury types occurred within the study period.
Lower extremity fractures consistently had the highest average medical payments at $25,088 at 12 months, while neurological spine pain injuries had the highest average indemnity benefits at $16,812 at 12 months.
Overall, per-claim medical and indemnity benefit payments varied by age, gender, tenure, and industry. Benefits paid generally increased with age and job tenure at injury, reflecting aging and higher earnings of longer-tenured workers. Construction and mining had the highest medical indemnity amounts paid per claim across all industries at $22,752 and $16,830 at 12 months.
