THE COST OF COMPENSABLE UPPER EXTREMITY CUMULATIVE TRAUMA DISORDERS

Citation
Bs. Webster et Sh. Snook, THE COST OF COMPENSABLE UPPER EXTREMITY CUMULATIVE TRAUMA DISORDERS, Journal of occupational medicine, 36(7), 1994, pp. 713-717
Citations number
8
Categorie Soggetti
Public, Environmental & Occupation Heath
Journal title
Journal of occupational medicine
ISSN journal
00961736 → ACNP
Volume
36
Issue
7
Year of publication
1994
Pages
713 - 717
Database
ISI
SICI code
0096-1736(
Abstract
There is little information available of the costs of upper extremity cumulative trauma disorders. Cost data were collected from computerize d records of the Liberty Mutual Insurance Company for upper extremity cumulative trauma disorder workers' compensation claims (N = 6,067) an d for all claims (N = 731,087) initiated from 45 states during 1989. T he data were not analyzed until July 1992, allowing more accurate ''cl osing cost'' data to be used in the analysis. Upper extremity cumulati ve trauma disorder cases represented 0.83% of all claims and 1.64% of all claims costs. The mean cost per case for upper extremity cumulativ e trauma disorders was $8070; median cost per case was $824. Medical c osts represented 32.9% of the total costs; indemnity costs were 65.1%. The total compensable cost for upper extremity cumulative trauma diso rders in the United States was estimated to be $563 million.