The Workers’ Compensation Division received notification of 21,660 accepted disabling claims in 2008, a decrease of 1,773 claims from 2007. Employment decreased by 13,700 workers. This resulted in a claims rate of 1.2 claims per 100 workers, and a record low claims rate in 2008.

In 2008, there were 73 years separating the oldest and youngest claimants. The youngest was a 14-year-old camp counselor. The oldest was an 87-year-old office worker.

• Occupational diseases comprised 9.7 percent of the accepted disabling claims.
• Workers in their first year with an employer filed 6,580 claims, 30.4 percent of the total accepted in 2008.
• Of the total 21,660 accepted disabling claims, 112 were for workers younger than 18 and 462 were for workers 65 or older. The average age of claimants in 2008 was 41.
• Claims filed by women totaled 7,495 (34.6 percent).
• The average weekly wage at time of injury for 2008 claimants was $623.65. The average weekly wage
  for Oregon workers, excluding federal employees, was $771.14.
• Eighty-eight percent of the accepted disabling claims came from private industry.
• Claims tend to be centered on areas of the state with dense population. The Portland metropolitan area (Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington counties) had 41.2 percent of all accepted disabling claims
  in 2008.
  

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This document was originally published in August 2009.
[Printed form: 440-2055 (08/09/COM)]