Industries With the Most Workers’ Compensation Claims

Injuries can happen in any workplace environment. An office worker or executive could trip over a dangling power cord and suffer a head injury, or a teacher could suffer a back injury while moving desks. However, some industries present serious safety hazards by the nature of the job and work environment despite regulations by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to improve safety in the workplace.

What Do Industry Statistics Indicate About Workers’ Compensation Claims?

According to the Insurance Information Institute report of the annual numbers of claims filed in a single recent year, some industries place employees at a higher risk than others. The following industries have inherent risks that could be minimized with careful adherence to safety laws and employee safety training, yet injury numbers remain escalated:

The Service Industry:

Surprisingly to many, the service industry held the lead for workers’ compensation claims with 538,380 claims, or about 24% of total injury claims. The most common injuries were slip-and-fall injuries, scalds, lacerations, back strains, and repetitive motion injuries.

Transportation and Freight Industry:

Because of the risk of traffic accidents in addition to lifting and loading, the transportation industry has the second-highest number of injury claims with 503,610 injury reports or 22.4% of the total. The transportation industry had the highest number of fatal work injuries at 38% of total workplace deaths.

Production:

Factories, refineries, production plants, and other workplaces producing products are the third leading cause of workplace injuries with 223,840 reported injuries or 10% of the total.

The Healthcare Industry:

Despite being dedicated to medical care for others, hospital and clinic environments have the fifth-highest number of injury claims with 223,680 or about 10% of injury claims. Strains, slip-and-falls, and repetitive motion injuries are common.

Repair, Maintenance, and Installation:

Working with power tools, ladders, and electricity combine to make repair and maintenance a high contributor to workers’ compensation claims at 163,140 claims or 7.3% of total claims.

Sales Industry:

Retail workers suffer injuries in a number of ways, from warehouse accidents and repetitive motion injuries for in-store retail workers, to traffic accidents for delivery drivers, there were 146,310 injuries in the sales industry, or 6.5% of claims.

Construction:

Although construction isn’t at the very top of the list of injury claims at 136,570 or 6.1%, it has some of the most serious and fatal injuries from falls from heights, equipment injuries, electrocutions, and toxic exposures. Farming, fishing, and forestry also have high rates of accidents and injuries requiring workers’ compensation claims.

Common Injuries In Workers Compensation Claims

Injuries in the workplace often cause anxiety and stress as well as pain and disability, as injury victims worry about how to pay their bills and medical expenses while out of work. A successful workers’ compensation claim is a critical safety net. Common injuries in workers’ compensation claims across industries include:

• Traffic accident injuries
• Slip-and-fall injuries
• Back injuries
• Neck injuries
• Fractures
• Head injuries/traumatic brain injuries
• Repetitive motions injuries
• Electrocutions
• Burns/explosion injuries
• Toxic exposures
• Struck-by injuries (hit by falling objects or struck by machinery)
• Caught-between injuries
• Soft-tissue injuries to knees, shoulders, wrists, and ankles

How Can a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Help?

Being hurt on the job can have temporary or permanent life-altering impacts. A successful compensation claim is critical to ensure that you can continue to support yourself and your family while you recover. Call the experienced St. Louis workers’ compensation lawyers at The Floyd Law Firm so we can help ensure you get the most out of your claim.