As the U.S. work force continues to age, this will affect how workers' compensation claims are handled. TheBureau of Labor Statistics estimates that over the next five years,the percentage of people over the age of 45 in the U.S. workforcewill increase to over 40 percent and the number of workers 55or over will grow an estimated 25 percent.

In the near future, approximately two out of every five workerswill be 45 or older. Concomitantly, approximately one out of everyfour workers will be 55 or older in the coming years. As theworkforce ages, we should anticipate the effect this will have onboth the types of workers' compensation claims being reported, aswell as how these claims are handled.

How age affects injuries

As people age, they see changes to their health, which may becompletely unrelated to any workplace activity or injury.Nevertheless, these changes can adversely affect the number ofreported accidents and injuries within the older population, aswell as the severity of those injuries. This affects how claimsprofessionals will need to respond in order to improve results andhelp those injured workers return to productive employment.