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Ecnomic consequences of workplace injuries and illnesses: Lost earnings and benefit adequacy
Author(s) -
Boden Leslie I.,
Galizzi Monica
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
american journal of industrial medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1097-0274
pISSN - 0271-3586
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0274(199911)36:5<487::aid-ajim1>3.0.co;2-2
Subject(s) - earnings , medicine , unemployment , occupational medicine , workers' compensation , compensation (psychology) , wage , occupational safety and health , demographic economics , demography , environmental health , occupational exposure , labour economics , economics , finance , psychology , pathology , sociology , psychoanalysis , economic growth
Background This is the first study based on individual data to estimate earnings lost from virtually all reported workplace injuries and illnesses in a state. Methods We estimated lost earnings from workplace injuries and illnesses occurring in Wisconsin in 1989–90, using workers' compensation data and 6 years of unemployment insurance wage data. We used regression techniques to estimate losses relative to a comparison group. Results The average present value of losses projected 10 years past the observed period is over $8,000 per injury. Women lose a greater proportion of their preinjury earnings than do men. Replacement of after‐tax projected losses averages 64% for men and 50% for women. Conclusions Overall, workers with compensated injuries and illnesses experienced discounted pre‐tax losses projected to total over $530,000,000 (1994 dollars), with about 60% of after‐tax losses replaced by workers' compensation. Generally, groups losing over eight weeks' work received workers' compensation benefits covering less than 40% of their losses. Am. J. Ind. Med. 36:487–503, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.