What Is The Most Common Cause Of Work Injury Claims In The Workplace?

Workers Compensation: The Most Common Cause Of Work Injury Claims In The Workplace

According to a study conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in 2016, work injuries cost employers and their employees an estimated $179 billion annually, and the number of work-related injuries and illnesses continues to rise every year. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of work-related injuries and illnesses decreased by about 7% in 2018, from 2015 levels. However, there were still more than 4 million workers injured on the job in 2018, which translates to about one injury for every two workers.

A study by the U.S. Department of Labor found that about 90% of workplace injuries can be prevented through engineering controls, administrative controls and training. Although it’s possible to avoid most workplace injuries through engineering controls, administrative controls and training, there are some jobs where a worker may be at risk of suffering a serious injury. These include jobs that require workers to perform strenuous activities or repetitive tasks and carry heavy loads.

In many cases, work injuries happen due to a worker’s actions or lack thereof. Sometimes, these injuries are caused by a sudden accident or a worker’s negligence. In addition, some work injuries result from a long-term condition, such as repetitive stress injuries.

Workplace Injuries

The most common cause of work injuries is a fall. Falls are the second leading cause of all workplace injuries and account for 20% of fatal workplace injuries. Falls are also the leading cause of occupational death. The second leading cause of work injury is overexertion. Overexertion is a broad category of work injuries that includes physical overexertion, mental exertion, and repetitive motion injuries. The third leading cause of work injury is being struck by a thrown object. Being struck by a thrown object is often associated with construction and manufacturing jobs. A fourth common cause of work injury is slips and trips. This is the third leading cause of work injury after falls and overexertion.

Workers who are injured at work may receive workers compensation benefits. These benefits can be provided by an employer, an insurance carrier, a third party, or a self-insured employer. Workers compensation provides benefits to injured workers who suffer an illness or injury on the job.

Employer Benefits:

Employers can provide some of the benefits listed above through a private health plan. Workers may also have the option to purchase additional private health insurance coverage. Employees are responsible for any co-pays, deductibles, or out of pocket expenses. Private health insurance premiums are paid directly by the employee.

Insurance Carrier Benefits:

An insurance carrier may also offer benefits to injured workers. An insurance carrier will provide benefits to a covered employee when they are injured on the job. These benefits include medical care, rehabilitation, and vocational retraining. Injured workers may also receive temporary disability benefits for the duration of their recovery period. In addition, an insurance carrier may provide some or all of the benefits listed above to a family member.

Third Party Benefits:

When a worker suffers a work injury, a third party may also provide benefits to the injured worker. Third party benefits are typically provided to an injured worker by a self-insured employer, insurance carrier, or third party administrator. Some examples of third party benefits include income replacement, disability benefits, wage loss benefits, death benefits, and burial benefits.

Self-Insured Employee Benefits:

Many employers choose to pay workers compensation benefits themselves. This is known as self-insuring. Self-insurance has the benefit of providing immediate benefits to an injured worker. Self-insurance may also be less expensive for employers. Employers who choose to self-insure are required to pay monthly premiums to an insurance carrier. In addition, employers are responsible for paying claims that are made against their self-insured plan.