The Price of Pain: Workers Compensation Costs for Musculoskeletal Claims in the State of Kansas, 2014-2022.

Abstract

The aim of the study is to describe cost and frequency of work-related musculoskeletal disorders in Kansas. Data were provided by the Kansas Department of Labor and included all closed workers' compensation claims entailing indemnity and medical costs from 2014 to 2022. Work-related musculoskeletal disorder claims entailed a median total cost of $20,097. Medical comprised 48.4% of costs, indemnity 46.4%, and legal 5.2%. The most frequently injured and costliest body part was the shoulder. Manufacturing comprised 28.4% of claims, followed by health care and office. Lifting was the most common cause, generating 32.0% of claims. Education, transportation, and mining were among industries with above average claim rates. Very few studies use workers' compensation data to assess work-related musculoskeletal disorder costs. This study introduces a state not yet analyzed and presents more recent years of data than available in the literature.