Research and Statistics -- DLI statistics

Workers' compensation

Initial denials among initial indemnity claims and paid indemnity claims, injury-years 1984-2004 [1]

A. Initial indemnity claims

Injury year	Total	Initially denied	Percentage initially denied
1984	43,435	3,385	7.8%
1985	42,597	3,543	8.3%
1986	41,650	4,121	9.9%
1987	43,432	4,300	9.9%
1988	46,751	4,749	10.2%
1989	47,897	5,653	11.8%
1990	47,813	6,523	13.6%
1991	47,178	6,658	14.1%
1992	44,472	6,273	14.1%
1993	43,075	6,244	14.5%
1994	43,642	6,567	15.0%
1995	40,214	5,872	14.6%
1996	39,347	5,846	14.9%
1997	38,892	6,130	15.8%
1998	38,136	6,085	16.0%
1999	39,300	5,843	14.9%
2000	39,691	5,684	14.3%
2001	36,595	5,776	15.8%
2002	33,902	5,220	15.4%
2003	31,721	5,236	16.5%
2004	30,894	5,140	16.6%

B. Paid indemnity claims

Injury year	Total	Initially denied	Percentage initially denied
1984	40,158	1,488	3.7%
1985	39,054	1,464	3.7%
1986	37,575	1,765	4.7%
1987	39,172	1,937	4.9%
1988	42,007	2,175	5.2%
1989	42,465	2,782	6.5%
1990	42,558	3,351	7.9%
1991	42,010	3,697	8.8%
1992	39,423	3,329	8.4%
1993	37,682	3,181	8.4%
1994	37,070	3,260	8.8%
1995	33,984	2,751	8.1%
1996	33,809	2,692	8.0%
1997	33,562	2,810	8.4%
1998	32,751	2,694	8.2%
1999	34,117	2,719	8.0%
2000	34,654	2,619	7.5%
2001	31,732	2,678	8.4%
2002	29,552	2,397	8.1%
2003	27,452	2,460	8.9%
2004	26,537	2,328	8.8%

C. Denied and paid as percentage of denied initial indemnity claims

Injury year	Denied and paid as percentage of denied initial indemnity claims
1984	44.0%
1985	41.3%
1986	42.8%
1987	45.0%
1988	45.7%
1989	49.2%
1990	51.3%
1991	55.5%
1992	53.0%
1993	50.9%
1994	49.6%
1995	46.8%
1996	46.0%
1997	45.8%
1998	44.2%
1999	46.5%
2000	46.0%
2001	46.3%
2002	45.8%
2003	46.9%
2004	45.2%

1. Data is from the Department of Labor and Industry claims database. Numbers are "developed," meaning they are estimates (based on observed historical rates of claim development) of what the final numbers will be when claims are mature. Details in Appendix.

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