Lost-time claims reached a frequency of 0.87 per 100 insured workers nationally. Average duration of temporary total disability claims stood at 146 days while total benefits paid reached 64.2 billion dollars. Industry and injury breakdowns show where claim rates and costs diverge most sharply.
Key Takeaways
- The frequency of lost-time claims nationwide declined 4.2% in 2022 to 0.87 per 100 insured workers
- In 2022, total workers' compensation benefits paid nationwide reached $64.2 billion, marking a 5.1% increase from 2021
- Males accounted for 67% of all workers' compensation claimants in 2022
- Construction industry sprain/strain claims were 35% of total injuries in 2022
- Sprains, strains, and tears accounted for 29.5% of all nonfatal occupational injuries in 2022
Workers compensation claims are declining, indicating improving workplace safety and better early intervention.
Related reading
01 · Category
Claims Statistics27 stats
01
The frequency of lost-time claims nationwide declined 4.2% in 2022 to 0.87 per 100 insured workers
02
Medical-only claim frequency fell 5.1% in 2022 to 1.12 per 100 insured workers nationally
03
Average duration of temporary total disability claims increased to 146 days in 2022 from 142 days in 2021
04
Indemnity claim frequency decreased 3.8% in 2022, reaching historic lows
05
1.7 million workers' compensation claims were reported in the US in 2022
06
California reported 456,000 workers' compensation claims in 2022, a 2.3% decrease
07
Lost-time claims accounted for 25% of all workers' compensation claims in 2022 nationally
08
Average indemnity benefits per lost-time claim were $30,200in 2022
09
Texas workers' compensation claims frequency was 1.45 per 100 workers in 2022
10
Florida indemnity claims averaged $25,800per claim in 2022
11
New York lost-time claim frequency was 0.92 per 100 in 2022
12
Pennsylvania medical-only claims numbered 112,000 in 2022
13
42% of workers' compensation claims involved males aged 25-44 in 2022
14
Approval rate for workers' compensation claims averaged 88% upon initial filing in 2022
15
Average settlement value for workers' comp claims was $21,800in 2022
16
Illinois reported 98,500 workers' compensation claims in 2022, down 1.5%
17
Michigan claim frequency declined 6.2% to 1.03 per 100 in 2022
18
Georgia lost-time claims cost averaged $38,500in 2022
19
Missouri total claims reached 45,200 in 2022
20
North Carolina claim closure rate was 92% within 12 months in 2022
21
Ohio workers' compensation claims totaled 112,000 with 28% lost-time
22
Washington state denied claims rate was 9.5% in 2022
23
Wisconsin average claim processing time was 45 days in 2022
24
Louisiana indemnity claims frequency was 0.78 per 100 in 2022
25
Minnesota medical claims per 100 workers were 1.25 in 2022
26
Oregon contested claims represented 15% of total in 2022
27
Indiana permanent partial disability claims made up 35% of lost-time claims in 2022
Interpretation
Claims Statistics Interpretation
While fewer workers got hurt on the job last year, which is excellent news, those who were seriously injured are facing longer and often more expensive roads to recovery, revealing a troubling split in the nation's workplace safety story.
03 · Category
Demographic and Trends29 stats
01
Males accounted for 67% of all workers' compensation claimants in 2022
02
Workers aged 25-34 filed 28% of lost-time claims in 2022
03
Female workers' comp claim frequency rose 2.1% in 2022, narrowing gender gap
04
Hispanic or Latino workers had 19% higher claim frequency than non-Hispanic in 2022
05
Temporary workers' injury rate was 2.3 times higher than permanent in 2022
06
Workers over 55 had average claim costs 25% higher due to severity in 2022
07
Union workers filed 15% fewer claims per 100 than non-union in 2022
08
Part-time workers represented 22% of claims despite 18% of workforce in 2022
09
Black or African American workers had 1.1 cases per 100 vs. 0.9 for white in 2022
10
Immigrants filed 18% of total workers' comp claims in 2022
11
Claim frequency declined 18% since 2012, reaching all-time low in 2022
12
Medical costs per claim increased 42% from 2013 to 2022
13
Projected workers' comp premium growth is 5.2% for 2023
14
Telework reduced claim frequency by 1.8% during 2020-2022 period
15
Opioid prescriptions in workers' comp fell 60% from 2012 to 2022
16
Permanent disability claims dropped 12% over the last decade to 2022
17
Return-to-work success rate reached 89% within 6 months in 2022
18
State legislative reforms impacted 15 states' workers' comp systems in 2022
19
Gig economy workers' comp coverage gap affected 10% of workforce in 2022
20
Aging workforce projected to increase claim severity 8% by 2030
21
Women now 48% of workforce but 38% of claims in 2022
22
Millennials (25-40) accounted for 42% of new claims in 2022
23
Rural area claim costs 15% higher than urban due to access issues in 2022
24
Vocational rehab participation grew 7% in workers' comp cases in 2022
25
Long COVID claims projected to add $2 billion in costs through 2025
26
Attorney involvement in claims declined to 22% in 2022 from 28% in 2012
27
Small employers (<50 workers) had 55% of total policies but 40% of premiums in 2022
28
Climate-related injuries up 12% in workers' comp from 2018-2022 trend
29
Automation projected to reduce manufacturing claims 20% by 2030
Interpretation
Demographic and Trends Interpretation
The data paints a sobering portrait of a safer but more expensive system, where disparities in risk and recovery stubbornly persist across age, race, and job status, even as innovations like telework and automation begin to chip away at the human cost of work.
More related reading
04 · Category
Industry Breakdown26 stats
01
Construction industry sprain/strain claims were 35% of total injuries in 2022
02
Manufacturing sector lost-time frequency rate was 1.2 per 100 workers in 2022
03
Healthcare workers' comp claims totaled 450,000 in 2022, 18% of national total
04
Retail trade injury incidence rate was 2.8 cases per 100 full-time workers in 2022
05
Transportation and warehousing had the highest median claim cost of $42,000in 2022
06
Agriculture, forestry, fishing saw 4.6 incidents per 100 workers in 2022
07
Construction pure premium was $2.85per $100 payroll nationally in 2022
08
Mining industry's workers' comp claims frequency was 2.1 per 100 in 2022
09
Accommodation and food services had 3.2 injury cases per 100 workers in 2022
10
Utilities sector claim severity averaged $55,200in 2022
11
Wholesale trade workers' comp pure premium was $0.92per $100 in 2022
12
Educational services claims were 1.9 per 100 workers in 2022
13
Professional services had the lowest frequency at 0.6 per 100 in 2022
14
Leisure and hospitality median days away from work was 12 days in 2022
15
Oil and gas extraction workers' comp costs were $4.20per $100 payroll in 2022
16
Finance and insurance claims frequency was 0.4 per 100 in 2022
17
Public administration injury rate was 1.5 cases per 100 workers in 2022
18
Real estate workers' comp claims totaled 45,000 in 2022
19
Waste management pure premium was $3.10per $100 in 2022
20
Arts, entertainment, recreation had 2.9 incidents per 100 in 2022
21
Construction roofing subclass had highest pure premium at $12.50per $100 in 2022
22
Nursing care facilities claims cost averaged $48,000per lost-time in 2022
23
Trucking freight pure premium was $2.95per $100 payroll in 2022
24
Supermarkets injury rate was 3.5 per 100 workers in 2022
25
Logging industry claim frequency was 3.8 per 100 in 2022
26
Hospitals (general medical) had 5.2 claims per 100 workers in 2022
Interpretation
Industry Breakdown Interpretation
The sobering cost of doing business is clear: whether you're logging trees or logging patient charts, every industry pays a premium for pain, proving that the real bottom line is measured not just in dollars but in days lost and lives disrupted.
05 · Category
Injury and Illness Types25 stats
01
Sprains, strains, and tears accounted for 29.5% of all nonfatal occupational injuries in 2022
02
Soreness and pain cases represented 17.8% of workers' compensation-related injuries in 2022
03
Fractures comprised 9.2% of nonfatal workplace injuries treated via workers' comp in 2022
04
Cuts, lacerations, and punctures made up 8.1% of reported occupational injuries in 2022
05
Musculoskeletal disorders accounted for 32% of all workers' comp claims in 2022
06
Slips, trips, and falls caused 25% of workers' compensation claims in 2022
07
Overexertion incidents represented 22.7% of nonfatal injuries in private industry in 2022
08
Skin disorders accounted for 1.2% of total occupational illnesses compensable by workers' comp in 2022
09
Hearing loss claims under workers' comp numbered 12,500 in 2022
10
Respiratory conditions made up 4.3% of occupational illnesses in 2022
11
Carpal tunnel syndrome claims averaged $29,000per case in 2022
12
Back injuries constituted 20.4% of lost-time workers' comp claims in 2022
13
Shoulder injuries accounted for 11% of musculoskeletal workers' comp claims in 2022
14
Knee injuries represented 7.5% of lower extremity workers' comp claims in 2022
15
Traumatic injuries from machinery caused 5.2% of severe workers' comp claims in 2022
16
Poisoning and exposure cases were 2.1% of occupational illnesses in 2022
17
Mental health claims under workers' comp rose 15% to 18,000 cases in 2022
18
Heat-related illnesses compensable by workers' comp totaled 2,300 in 2022
19
Eye injuries from foreign bodies accounted for 4.8% of facial injuries in 2022
20
Head injuries comprised 6.3% of all nonfatal workers' comp cases in 2022
21
Upper extremities injuries were 33% of total body part claims in 2022
22
Lower extremities injuries accounted for 15.2% of workers' comp claims in 2022
23
Trunk injuries, mainly back, were 28.4% of claims in 2022
24
Multiple body parts injuries represented 12.1% in 2022 workers' comp data
25
COVID-19 related workers' comp claims peaked at 245,000 cumulatively by end-2022
Interpretation
Injury and Illness Types Interpretation
The data reveals that the modern workplace is essentially a high-stakes obstacle course where the most common trophies are sprains, soreness, and musculoskeletal mayhem, while a pandemic, rising mental health crises, and the constant threat of a misplaced staple or a vengeful office chair add dramatic, and costly, flair to the proceedings.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Samuel Norberg. (2026, February 13). Workers Compensation Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/workers-compensation-statistics
MLA
Samuel Norberg. "Workers Compensation Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/workers-compensation-statistics.
Chicago
Samuel Norberg. 2026. "Workers Compensation Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/workers-compensation-statistics.
Sources & references
16 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level