5.2 million women and 2.2 men report pain in the face or jaw joint. Calculating the cost of pain is a complicated matter, Vedder says, but he is among those taking on the task. Economists often are called as expert witnesses in court cases alleging pain and suffering and are asked to put quality of life into a mathematical model. Vedder has testified in more than 80 such cases. Pain often immobilizes people to the point at which they simply can't work.
Damages often are in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
These types of lawsuits have become so commonplace that economists have developed a formula to calculate damages. The model estimates income loss based on the plaintiff's salary before injury or illness and how long the plaintiff will be unable to work, which usually is based on medical reports. Many of these cases resulted from a work-related injury or illness. Vedder says such complaints have declined slightly in recent years, crediting the drop to better safety measures, employee wellness programs, and a work force that is shifting away from jobs that traditionally carried a greater risk of injury. The National Bureau of Labor Statistics reports 6.2 million nonfatal injuries and illnesses and 439,000 new occupational illnesses in 1996, compared to 6.4 million nonfatal injuries and illnesses and 495,000 new occupational illnesses in 1995.