average workers comp settlement
NSC Injury Facts lists $47,316 as the average cost for all lost-time claims from 2022-2023 accidents, $125,058 for amputations, and $91,433 for motor vehicle crashes. Those are insurer claim costs, not net checks to workers. Average workers comp settlement is not a national payout schedule. State formulas change what a worker actually receives.
Last updated: August 25, 2026
NSC claim costs by nature and cause
These are total claim costs paid by insurers. Workers do not receive the medical share. Source: NSC Injury Facts, Workers' Compensation Costs.
| Published category | Published average claim cost |
|---|---|
| All claims combined (2022-2023 accidents) | $47,316 |
| Amputation | $125,058 |
| Motor vehicle crashes | $91,433 |
WCRI states that total claim costs grew by an average of 6 percent per year from 2022 to 2025 in the median study state. Cite: WCRI April 2026 analysis.
Why an average misleads a single file
| What the average includes | What the worker may not receive |
|---|---|
| Medical payments to hospitals and clinics | Those dollars go to providers, not the worker |
| Temporary disability and permanent awards | Subject to that state's weekly cap and duration rules |
| Outlier catastrophic files | They pull the mean above a typical file |
Hypothetical, not NSC data: if nine claims cost $10,000 each and one costs $500,000, the mean is $59,000 even though 90% of those claimants received far less.
State pages: maryland workers comp rates, texas workers compensation process, chicago workers compensation process.
| Claim | URL | Listed |
|---|---|---|
| NSC/NCCI average lost-time claim cost, 2022-2023 accidents | injuryfacts.nsc.org/work/costs/workers-compensation-costs/ | $47,316 |
| NSC/NCCI average amputation claim cost, 2022-2023 accidents | injuryfacts.nsc.org/work/costs/workers-compensation-costs/ | $125,058 |
| NSC/NCCI average motor-vehicle-crash claim cost, 2022-2023 accidents | injuryfacts.nsc.org/work/costs/workers-compensation-costs/ | $91,433 |
| WCRI median-state claim-cost growth 2022-2025 | wcrinet.org/news/detail/workers-compensation-claim-costs-grew-6-percent-annually-2022-2025-as-wages-disability-duration-and-medical-payments-increased | 6 percent |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is $47,316 the check an injured worker receives?
No. NSC Injury Facts lists $47,316 as the average cost for all lost-time claims from 2022-2023 accidents. That figure is insurer medical plus indemnity, not a net worker payout. Medical bills are paid to providers. State caps, attorney fees, and liens still sit between the average and any individual check.
Why is there no national settlement schedule?
Workers compensation is a state system. Each agency sets its own weekly caps, impairment method, and duration rules. NSC lists one national claim-cost average. WCRI lists 6 percent annual growth in the median study state from 2022 to 2025. Neither source publishes a single payout table that every state uses.
What do the $59,000 and 90% figures mean?
They are a labeled hypothetical, not NSC data. If nine claims cost $10,000 and one costs $500,000, the average is $59,000 even though 90% of those files paid far less.
Should I settle before maximum medical improvement?
A settlement offer made before MMI prices an unfinished medical file. If later treatment or permanent restrictions appear after a closed deal, many systems will not reopen the claim. Wait for the treating doctor to state MMI and write the lasting work status before comparing any offer to the NSC averages.