Injury Cost Calculator

Millions of Americans suffer injuries every year. The health and economic burden of temporary and permanent injuries is substantial, and it affects employers. In 2010, nonfatal injuries cost society more than $471 billion in productivity losses and over $111 billion in medical costs.¹ Many of these injuries occur off-the-job, but the amount of lost work is the same regardless of whether the injury occurred on the job.¹

The Injury Cost Calculator helps employers approximate the average costs of certain types of unintentional injury. The calculator uses nonfatal cost and incidence data extrapolated from national-level data sources. Cost estimates are based on the number of employees the user enters, and are given in 2009 U.S. dollars. The results should be interpreted as the average amount of resources that could be saved through preventing one injury.

INSTRUCTIONS

To use the cost calculator:

1. Select either unit medical costs^* or productivity loss costs.^‡
2. Select the types of injury or injuries for which you would like to calculate costs
3. Enter your company-specific employee populations for the selected age and/or gender groups.
4. Download the report that provides average cost data for the chosen injury or injuries, broken down by the selected age and/or gender group.

Injury Prevention Fact Sheets
Fire and Burn Injuries
Fall Injuries
Motor Vehicle and Transportation Injuries
Overexertion Injuries
Unintentional Poisoning Injuries

 

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* Unit medical costs are calculated by combining the number of injuries with the cost of medical treatment and rehabilitation. It includes medical costs for physical injuries across all settings (hospitals, emergency departments, doctor's offices)¹. It excludes psychological or mental health treatment, resource costs (e.g. police services), productivity losses, and pain and suffering.¹

‡ Productivity losses represent the value of goods and services that were not produced because of injury-related illness and disability. This number includes costs of lost work both at the job and in the home.¹ Worker's compensation data is included.¹

Limitations to Use: The data in the cost calculator is based on the entire U.S. population and is not limited to the formally employed sector. Also, calculations are based on year 2000 life table and assume life expectancy is constant over time.¹ Data sources have been adjusted to 2009 U.S. dollars.

1. Finkelstein E, Corso PS, Miller TR. The incidence and economic burden of injuries in the United States. New York, NY: Oxford University Press; 2006.