The average duration of temporary disability benefits in workers compensation lost-time claims increases with the age of the injured worker, but after age 40 the increase becomes less significant, the National Council on Compensation Insurance says in a report published Thursday.
The report, Workers Compensation Temporary Disability Benefit Duration – A First Look, which is the first installment in a new series, also shows that shoulder injury claims in comp have the longest average duration of temporary disability benefits, with an average of 123 days.
The construction and utilities sector has the longest average and median duration of temporary disability benefits out of all economic sectors at 116 days and 74 days respectively, the report states.
The report’s authors said average duration varied by state, age, body system and medical condition.
The data used in the report was based on a total of 272,968 claims filed during a 12-month period. The 2023 data updates previous reporting on temporary disability benefit duration that was published between 2010 and 2013, according to the NCCI.