Study: Back, Shoulder Injuries Tend to Be Most Costly in Comp

Claims involving degenerative back conditions tended to be among the most costly, at an average of $120,000 in medical and indemnity payments, according to a study released Thursday by the Workers Compensation Research Institute. WCRI studied “high-cost” shoulder and back injury claims, described as those that hit $100,000 or just below, and found that 42% of degenerative back claims fell into that category. Thirteen percent of disc disorder claims, 10% of neurological back claims and 1% of claims for sprains, strains and “nonspecific” back pain were “high-cost.&...