Work Injury Trends 2026: Gerber & Elkins Analyzes New BLS Data on Rising Claim Costs

Gerber & Elkins analyzes a surprising trend in new BLS data: workplace injuries are declining, yet the financial cost of claims continues to rise.

ATLANTA, GA, UNITED STATES, April 22, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Gerber & Elkins Workers’ Compensation Attorneys has released a new report, Workplace Injuries Are Down But Costs Are Rising, BLS Data Reveals, examining how work-injury trends are shifting nationwide and what that means for workers.

Recent data shows that while overall work-related injuries have declined, the cost of serious workplace injuries has increased significantly. For injured workers, that shift can mean longer recoveries, more complex claims, and increased pressure from insurers.

On the surface, fewer injuries may sound like progress. However, the drop in total cases was largely driven by fewer reported illness cases, not a meaningful reduction in traumatic injuries.

Additionally, when you look closer, the most dangerous hazards haven’t changed, and the injuries that do happen are often more severe and more expensive.

From 2023 through 2024, nearly 3 million workers experienced injuries that were serious enough to require time off, job restrictions, or transfers, and the most common causes of those injuries—overexertion, falls, contact incidents, and transportation events—remain unchanged.

At the same time, workers’ compensation trends show a different concern: fewer claims, but higher costs per claim. While serious claim frequency declined by about 5%, the average cost per claim increased by roughly 6%.

Georgia trends mirror these national patterns. Despite fewer work injury claims overall, Georgia paid approximately $1.72 billion in workers’ compensation benefits in 2024, up from approximately $1.62 billion in 2023.

The BLS data suggests that declining injury totals do not necessarily mean safer workplaces. Instead, it points to a shift where serious injuries still occur at consistent rates, recovery periods are often longer, medical treatment is more complex and costly, and insurance companies may be scrutinizing claims more closely.

For injured workers, this can make navigating a claim more challenging, especially when dealing with denied benefits, delayed treatment, or disputes over compensation.

Benjamin Gerber
Gerber & Elkins Workers' Compensation Attorneys
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