Arkansas Workers Compensation benefits are intended to provide health care benefits to employees who are injured on the job, without having to resort to the courts. Typically, if you suffer a personal injury because of your work on a job, you would sue your employer for compensation. However, if you are entitled to Workers Compensation benefits, you can be compensated for your injury or illness without having to go to court. In this article, our Rogers, Arkansas workers compensation lawyer will discuss some of the most recent statistics relating to Workers Compensation accident claims.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics

The Occupational Safety and Health Act, enacted in1970, established regulations that require most private industry employers to maintain records and create reports on work-related injuries and illnesses. The Bureau of Labor Statistics is responsible for developing a framework for collecting and reporting comprehensive statistical data on work-related injuries, illnesses, and deaths in the private industry.

National Statistics on Occupational Injuries and Illnesses

In 2016, there were approximately 2.9 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses reported by private industry employers.  That is nearly 48,500 fewer nonfatal injury and illness cases than the previous year. Close to one-third nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses were serious enough to result in days away from work. In 2016, there were 892,270 occupational injuries and illnesses that resulted in days away from work in private industry, which is basically the same as reported in 2015.

Statistics on Occupational Injuries and Illnesses in Arkansas

In the fiscal year 2015, there were 6,001 reported Workers’ Comp cases in Arkansas and 12,033 closed cases. October was the most active month for reported cases, with a total of 555 cases. Most of the cases were closed in April (2,129). In the fiscal year 2016, the reported cases were about the same, with 5,979. However, there were nearly half as many cases closed (6,206). More cases were reported in September 2016 and closed in March 2016.
Medical only expenditures in 2015 were more than $20.7 million and most those were private industry employers, with more than $9.7 million. In 2016, medical only expenditures were practically the same, with $20.2 million. Unlike 2015, self-insured employers had the most in expenditures, at $9.2 million.

Worker’s Comp compensable and death claim statistics for Arkansas

In the fiscal year 2015, most reported compensable claims were with private employers at 3,723. Fifty-one claims were death claims. As for closed claims, once again most compensable claims were for private employers at 3,697 and 70 death claims were closed that year.
In Benton County, there were 399 reported claims in the fiscal year 2015 and 713 closed claims. Benton County had slightly fewer reported claims in the fiscal year 2016, with 370 and quite a few less closed claims (402).

Arkansas Workers’ Comp claims by industry

Of the classifiable industries, the fiscal year 2015 saw most death claims reported from the construction industry, 6 reported deaths. Of non-death claims, the trucking and warehouse industry had the most reported and closed claims in both fiscal year 2015 and 2016. In 2015, there were 514 reported claims and 1,127 closed claims involving the trucking and warehouse industry. In 2016, there were 515 reported claims and 610 closed claims.

Arkansas Workers’ Comp claims by injured body part

In 2015, lower back injuries were the most reported injury (791) and the claims that were closed most often (1,786).  However, multiple body parts were most often reported that year (848) and closed (1,639). The numbers were similar, in terms of reported cases in 2016, with lower back claims at 700 and multiple body parts at 871. However, the numbers of closed cases for those categories were significantly less.

Arkansas Workers’ Comp fatalities by age and sex

In 2015, the highest number of death claims was for women age 20-29 and 40-49, at 2 claims each. Men, age 50-59, had the most death claims with a total of 18. The numbers for 2016 were very similar, with women age 40-49 having 2 claims and men age 50-59 having a total of 17 claims.
The purpose of a Workers’ Compensation claim is to ensure that employees who become injured on the job can be reimbursed for those injuries, without having to resort to the courts. The way the system works is that the injured employee receives compensation for the work-related injuries and agrees not to file a legal action against the employer. The employee is not required to prove negligence or liability to be compensated for his injuries; making it essentially a no-fault system.
If you have questions regarding Arkansas Workers Compensation matters in, please contact the Cottrell Law Office for a free consultation. You can contact us either online or by calling us at (888) 433-4861.