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

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

How age affects injuries

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