Workers' Compensation

Statistical Information on Work-Related Injuries

Each year, the Research and Statistics Unit of the Division of Workers’ Compensation publishes a report providing information on work-related injuries, occupational illnesses, and fatalities that occur in Colorado during a subject calendar year. Work Related Injuries in Colorado has been made available for calendar year 2003.* The following facts can be found in the specified pages located in the Work Related Injuries report. This information will help to answer some of the most frequently asked questions about work-related injuries. To view full report in PDF format will require a one time download of Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Interesting Work Related Injury facts:

• Percent distribution of lost-time claims by part of body:

• Strains and sprains are almost 38% of lost-time claims filed.
   
• From 1994 to 2003, Colorado’s average annual employment grew by 21.8%, yet the number of lost-time claims filed has dropped by 21.2%.
   
• Motor Vehicle accidents are the cause of injury in 3.4% of claims.

• While 7.1% of the work force is employed in construction, 11.1% of the lost-time claims are filed by construction workers.
   
• The NAICS sub-sector with the highest percentage of lost-time claims is Specialty Trade Contractors (7.8%).
   
• Both males and females injure their back more than any other body part.
   
• Strains and sprains far outnumber other injuries for both males and females.

• Lifting causes strain or injury in the greatest number of claims.

• The percentage of claims for strains has remained fairly constant over the past ten years, while the rate of claims for strains has declined.
   
• Males file more lost-time claims than females, except in the Information, Finance and Insurance, Educational Services, Health Care and Social Assistance, and Accommodation and Food Services sectors. These differences may merely reflect the gender distribution of the workforce.
   
• The greatest percentage of lost-time claims for females is in the Health Care and Social Assistance sector (17.4%), while for males it is in the Construction sector (16.9%). These differences may merely reflect the gender distribution of the work force.
   

• For the employed overall, and for both males and females, workers 35-44 years of age file the highest percentage of lost time claims. In every age category males file a higher percentage of claims than females. These differences may merely reflect the age and gender distributions of the work force.

• Nearly one-quarter (24.2%) of lost-time claims are denied and never admitted.

• 75% of the fatal claims involving heart attacks are denied.
   

• Construction is the industry with the highest number of fatal claims, but Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting is the industry with the highest rate of fatal claims.

• Of those identified as being of Hispanic-origin, 65% are Mexican/Mexican-American; for the rest, the country of origin was not reported on the death certificates.
   
• Construction and Extraction occupations have the highest number of fatalities.
   
• On average, claimants represented by attorneys receive larger settlements. This difference is due to a number of factors, including the fact that claimants with more serious injuries are more likely to be represented by an attorney than claimants with less serious injuries.
   

* The only exception to this statement is the information on hearings reported in Tables 29 and 30 and the information on settlements reported in Table 31and 32. The hearing data are based on applications received, hearings held, or orders issued in 2003, regardless of the date of injury. Settlement information is based on claims that were settled during calendar year 2003. However, the claim itself may have initially been filed in 2003 or a prior year.

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