Workplace injuries by body part
Workplace injuries by body part
Every body part tracked by OSHA, ranked by frequency.
| Rank | Name | Hospitalizations | Annual Avg | Trend | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fingers | 29,560 | 2,811 | ||
| 2 | Brain | 3,574 | 339 | ||
| 3 | Lower Legs | 3,294 | 309 | ||
| 4 | Ankles | 2,899 | 322 | ||
| 5 | Thighs | 2,256 | 206 | ||
| 6 | Knees | 1,625 | 152 | ||
| 7 | Forearms | 1,201 | 113 | ||
| 8 | Toes | 1,127 | 106 | ||
| 9 | Wrists | 1,055 | 117 | ||
| 10 | Lower Back | 745 | 69 | ||
| 11 | Shoulder | 625 | 69 | ||
| 12 | Elbows | 607 | 57 | ||
| 13 | Eyes | 589 | 56 | ||
| 14 | Feet | 507 | 49 | ||
| 15 | Upper Arms | 497 | 46 | ||
| 16 | Skull | 441 | 43 | ||
| 17 | Jaw and Chin | 272 | 26 | ||
| 18 | Hands | 270 | 26 | ||
| 19 | Thoracic spine | 145 | 14 | ||
| 20 | Scalp | 132 | 12 | ||
| 21 | Nose | 123 | 12 | ||
| 22 | Heart | 119 | 15 | ||
| 23 | Forehead | 117 | 11 | ||
| 24 | Mouth | 100 | 10 | ||
| 25 | Tailbone | 71 | 7 | ||
| 26 | Cheek | 63 | 6 | ||
| 27 | Internal Respiratory Organs | 42 | 5 | ||
| 28 | Internal Organs | 31 | 10 | ||
| 29 | Sacrum | 20 | 2 |
Data sourced from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Severe Injury Reports, which require employers to report all work-related hospitalizations, amputations, and losses of an eye within 24 hours.
Body Part Injuries and Long-Term Compensation
The body part affected by a workplace injury is one of the most important factors in determining your compensation. Hand and finger injuries — the most frequently reported — can result in permanent impairment ratings that significantly increase your benefits. Back, head, and knee injuries often require ongoing treatment and may qualify for long-term disability.
Workers' compensation systems assign impairment ratings based on which body part is injured and the extent of lost function. Injuries to extremities, the spine, or sensory organs typically carry the highest ratings — and the largest settlements.
If your workplace injury has affected your ability to work or perform daily activities, you may be entitled to more compensation than you realize. A free benefits review takes two minutes and can help you understand your options.
ClaimsBoost is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. ClaimsBoost is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to any government agency. Performance scores, rankings, and statistics displayed on this site are calculated by ClaimsBoost using publicly available government data from OSHA severe injury reports. Individual results may vary. Nothing on this site should be construed as legal advice or a guarantee of benefits. If you need legal help, we can connect you with licensed attorneys in your area.Some written content on this page was created with the assistance of AI to help interpret and explain the data. AI can make mistakes — all content has been reviewed for accuracy, but we encourage you to verify any information that is important to your situation.