Illinois Workers’ Compensation Statistics
For many workers throughout the United States, the likelihood of becoming injured on the job is a real possibility to be considered. Depending on the state, industry, role description, and several other factors, workers may be more susceptible to straining themselves or sustaining an injury.
Since Illinois mandates workers' compensation coverage, injured employees have the right to pursue a claim for any damages they sustain through their work duties. The Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission and the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) annually release reports detailing the claims filed. Using these, we can better understand who is more likely to be injured on the job or generally file a workers' comp claim.
Industry Impact on Injuries
The vast majority of Illinois workers' compensation claims occur in specific industries. In 2019, about 70% of fatal work-related injuries in the private sector involved employees in goods-producing or service-providing occupations. Overall, four main industries accounted for the highest percentage of fatal work injuries:
- Trade (23%)
- Construction (19%)
- Transportation and Warehousing (15%)
- Government (11%)
Transportation incidents were also the number one type of event where these injuries occurred, accounting for over one-third of fatalities.
For nonfatal injuries in 2018, the industries with the highest injury rates slightly shifted. Here is the breakdown of those industries and their incident rate per 100 full-time workers:
- Agriculture (4.3)
- Healthcare and Social Assistance (4.0)
- Transportation and Government (3.6)
- Retail Trade (3.6)
- State Government (3.6)
- Manufacturing (3.5)
Among these, overexertion and bodily reaction and falls, slips, and trips were the most common causes of injuries in private sector positions.
Are Some Roles More Dangerous Than Others?
The job you take within a specific industry may also impact the likelihood of becoming injured and filing a workers' compensation claim. For example, healthcare professionals and educators have higher rates of work injury cases that require days off of work. In contrast, manufacturing jobs have the highest rate of job transfers or restrictions following an injury incident.
Furthermore, the size of the company you work for may also correlate to a higher injury likelihood. For example, workers in natural resources and mining have greater incidence rates of nonfatal injuries and illnesses when the employment size is between 250 and 999 (about a 60% higher risk than smaller companies). There could be many reasons for this, such as a lack of resources, employee supervision, or delayed reporting.
Is Gender Influential?
According to the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission, women make up about 47.7% of the labor force in the state—which is pretty on par with national rates. In terms of occupation, according to BLS national data, women are most likely to be:
- Registered nurses
- Elementary and middle school teachers
- Secretaries and administrative assistants
- Managers (general)
- Customer service representatives
Regarding male-leaning occupations, BLS data shows men comprise most of the labor force in natural resources/mining, construction, transportation, and manufacturing.
However, no definitive data on a state level indicates that men file more workers' compensation claims or have higher work injury rates. This demographic information is not available in Fiscal Year reports. Considering the previous information regarding injuries among industries, however, gender is likely not statistically significant enough to discuss at this level.
Chicago Workers’ Compensation Attorneys
When a worker is injured in Illinois, our team is dedicated to helping them through the workers’ compensation process. Leonard Law Group has spent almost two decades representing over 35,000 clients in injury cases and has the knowledge to obtain the most desired results. Get started on your claim with a free consultation today by calling (312) 487-2513.