Cost of Injuries and Violence in the United States
The total lifetime medical and work loss costs of injuries and violence in the United States was $671 billion in 2013. The costs associated with fatal injuries was $214 billion while nonfatal injuries accounted for over $457 billion.
Injuries, including all causes of unintentional and violence-related injuries combined, account for 59% of all deaths among people ages 1-44 years of age in the U.S.—that is more deaths than non-communicable diseases and infectious diseases combined. Injuries killed more than 192,000 in 2013—one person every three minutes.
Each year, millions of people are injured and survive. In fact, more than 3 million people are hospitalized, 27 million people are treated in emergency departments and released each year. These people are often faced with life-long mental, physical, and financial problems.
Nearly $130 billion of the fatal injury costs were attributable to unintentional injuries, followed by suicide ($50.8 billion) and homicide ($26.4 billion).
Drug poisonings, including prescription drug overdoses, accounted for 27% of fatal injury costs.
Falls (37%) and transportation-related injuries (21%) accounted for the majority of costs treated in emergency departments.
Males account for the majority (78%) of fatal injury costs ($166.7 billion) and nonfatal injury costs (63%; $287.5 billion).
