The Workplace Injury Report: The Most Common (and Costliest) Claims 2025

Workers comp is required by law if you have one or more employees, but there are other coverages that may protect your business as well. The average workers compensation claim costs $44,179 but not everything is covered by this coverage, which only protects employees. ^[3] Let’s look at the most common injuries that occur in a commercial setting to see how much it’ll cost your business without workers compensation.

On This Page

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  How Much Will a Workplace Injury Cost My Company?

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  The 4 Leading Causes of Injury at the Workplace

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  Specific Injuries and Related Costs

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  Which Type of Insurance Covers Workplace Injuries?

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  Which Type of Insurance Covers Injuries to a Visitor of a Workplace?

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  Which Other Types of Commercial Insurance Should My Small Business Have?

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  Workplace Injuries FAQs

How Much Will a Workplace Injury Cost My Company?

The National Safety Council (NSC) estimates that workplace injuries cost nearly $1,100 per employee and over a million dollars per death in 2023. Each injury that received care cost an average $43,000. In addition, there were 70,000,000 days lost due to injuries in total. ^[2]

The 4 Leading Causes of Injury at the Workplace

From 2021-2022, the NSC tracked the number and types of injuries that took place around the country. These were their findings. ^[1]

1. Overexertion: 1,001,440 incidents.

Jobs that lead to overexertion often include lifting, pushing, turning, holding, carrying or throwing objects that are sometimes heavy. Repeated strain on parts of the body due to the job’s required tasks can lead to injury or even disability.

An employee may treat the injury using their health insurance, but it is the obligation of the employer to file a workers compensation claim.

2. Contact with objects and equipment: 780,690 injuries.

Workers compensation will pay for related expenses as well as for injuries resulting from impact or contact with an object or injuries resulting from any type of business property, equipment or materials.

For instance, if someone working in a factory is hurt on the assembly line, they may be covered. The same goes for someone working for a catering company who has an accident with a cooking device.

3. Falls, slips and trips: 674,100 injuries.

Slips and trips without falling are just one type of accident that may cause injuries but are usually less severe. Then, there are injuries from falling on the same level (not down steps or from another elevated surface) or falling onto or against an object on the same level.

A fall to a lower level, such as a collapsing building or falling from a ladder, roof, scaffolding or other raised structure will cause greater injury in most cases, maybe even disability or death. Workers compensation would cover these types of incidents for workers, not third parties who may have been on the job site. That would fall on general liability insurance, a coverage most small businesses have.

4. Exposure to harmful substances or environments: 658,240 injuries.

Electricity can pose a danger at any workplace, and in some jobs there is great exposure to radiation and noise, which may affect workers’ wellbeing, if precautions are not taken seriously.

Some jobs require workers to work in extreme temperatures, like inside a meat freezer for many hours or in a hot kitchen in summer time. Exposure to extreme temperatures may take its toll on a worker’s health.

Exposure to air and water pressure change or oxygen deficiency at a workplace may also result in harm.

Exposure to other harmful substances as well as contagious and infectious diseases, including COVID-19, may rest on the employer too, if these substances and/or transmissions were a result of doing one’s job.

Exposure to a traumatic or stressful event, such as workplace harassment or a workplace shooting, would qualify workers to seek workers compensation.

Specific Injuries and Related Costs

The NSC analyzed all work-related injuries, deaths and amputations from 2021-2022, which is the most recent report. The average costs of these injuries are as follows. ^[3]

*Nature of Burn is tissue damage diagnosed — whether from fire, chemicals, radiation, electrical, etc.

**Cause of Burns refers to the mechanism of injury — for example, touching a hot surface, a chemical spill or an explosion. Smoke inhalation may apply.

Which Type of Insurance Covers Workplace Injuries?

Workers compensation is the type of insurance that will cover any injuries or disabilities that occur in or due to the workplace. For instance, if an employee slips and falls in the office or at the shop, they would file a workers compensation claim that will take care of costs that include medical care and lost wages.

Not all injuries are physical. An employee may develop generalized anxiety disorder due to a toxic work environment or as a result of the kind of work they do. They too could file a workers compensation claim.

However, workers compensation doesn’t cover injuries to non-workers. Third parties that are injured in the workplace would be covered by a general liability insurance policy. See more on this below.

Workers compensation is required by law in every state, if the business has one or more employees.

Which Type of Insurance Covers Injuries to a Visitor of a Workplace?

General liability insurance covers medical bills, even death, if a visitor is injured at a business, whether it’s an office building or a shop. Most small businesses have general liability insurance and workers compensation.

Which Other Types of Commercial Insurance Should My Small Business Have?

If you store sensitive information about your customers or clients, having cyber insurance is a must. General liability insurance is also one that nearly all small businesses need. Commercial auto is not required by law but using a vehicle for business purposes invalidates a personal auto insurance policy and you or your employees may not be covered in an accident.

There are many types of commercial insurance, which may be necessary for your type of business. Some small business owners also bundle general liability, business interruption and commercial property coverage in one cheaper BOP policy and add on other coverages they may still need.