Although overall workplace injury rates are declining, the injuries that are occurring are “growing more complex and taking longer to heal,” according to a new report from insurance provider The Travelers Cos.
The findings are derived from the company’s 2026 Injury Impact Report, which is based on information from more than 1.2 million workers’ compensation claims submitted through various businesses and industries from 2021 through 2025.
“The decrease in workplace injuries is a positive story,” said Claude Howard, vice president of workers’ compensation claims at Travelers, in a press release, “yet injured workers are still missing an average of 80 workdays.”
What’s Driving Injury Severity?
According to researchers, the increasing injury complexity is tied in part to employee age. They lay blame on an aging workforce and the “disproportionate vulnerability of first-year employees.”
Additional findings from the study include:
- Injured construction workers missed an average of 114 workdays.
- Injured transportation workers missed an average of 94 workdays.
- Injured professional service workers missed an average of 77 workdays.
- Injured manufacturing workers missed an average of 76 workdays.
- Workers 60 and older represented 16 percent of all lost-time claims and missed an average of 97 days.
- First-year employees accounted for around 37 percent of injuries and 34 percent of overall claims costs.
- First-year employees accounted for 51 percent of restaurant injuries.
Although it seems that many workplaces have followed protocols that reduce more minor work injuries, it’s clear that more significant injuries still place a heavy toll on the employee and the workers’ compensation system. Management should take extra care to consider the risks posed to first-year employees as well as to older employees who may not be as physically capable as they were decades ago. The study suggests these groups are particularly vulnerable to workplace injuries.
At Hey Workers, we’re ready to help you get the compensation you deserve no matter when you were hurt on the job. Whether it was your first day or you were closing in on retirement, we can help secure your benefits and ensure you get every penny you’re entitled to receive.
Working with an attorney is especially helpful for these complex injuries. You may have longer lasting effects, future medical bills to consider and be eligible for retraining and rehabilitative services, but if you are unfamiliar with the system and don’t know how to pursue all eligible benefits to the maximum amount, you may leave tens of thousands of dollars or more on the table. Let us be your guide so that you can focus on your health and your family.
Whether you’re dealing with a relatively minor injury or you’ve sustained major trauma, let the team at Hey Workers go to bat for you. For more information about the types of services we offer, or to see if you may be eligible for compensation, connect with our office today at (844) 439-9675.
