Who claims for injury: comparing self-reported injury data and accident compensation claims

How well does compensation claims data capture actual injury trends? Research in several different jurisdictions has suggested that workers' compensation claims data represents only a fraction of actual injuries at work. A recent study examined whether a similar pattern of under-reporting exists in New Zealand, where the universal, no-fault accident compensation environment should theoretically remove common barriers to filing claims. This study used self-reported injury data and examined how many people have an accepted compensation claim. In this IWH Speaker Series presentation, lead researcher Michelle Poland shares results of her findings and their broader implications.