The earnings losses of injured men: Accounting for injuries outside the Workers' Compensation system

Woock, Christopher (2007): The earnings losses of injured men: Accounting for injuries outside the Workers' Compensation system.

Abstract

Using individual reports of workplace injuries, I estimate the effect of injuries on the labor market earnings of men. Injured workers suffer large and persistent annual earnings losses, an average of $2,200 per year following injury. Moreover, data restrictions on previous studies resulted in earnings losses 1.2 to 3 times larger than those found when all injured workers are compared to uninjured workers. Largest losses occur when a work limiting disability follows injury, with average losses from $4,000 to $8,000. The findings suggest a more nuanced picture than previously presented, and suggest focusing on injuries resulting in a disability.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Workers' Compensation; injuries; earnings
• Subjects: I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I1 - Health > I12 - Health Behavior; J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J2 - Demand and Supply of Labor > J28 - Safety ; Job Satisfaction ; Related Public Policy; J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J0 - General

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