Historians tend to agree that the first program that addressed workers’ compensation appeared in Germany with what was referred to as Sickness and Accident Laws enacted in 1884. England soon followed in Germany’s footsteps.
Starting in the early 1900s, the United States adopted similar laws which were related to what was then called social insurance. By 1921 all but six states had adopted these laws.
Before the existence of Workers’ Compensation laws, it fell upon the injured worker to try and recover damages such as lost wages and medical expenses. To do so, they had to prove negligence on the part of the employer in what generally turned out to be a long, uncertain process which, if that was not enough, cost them quite a bit of money.
Certain defenses used by employers resulted in them not having to face liability for their workers’ injuries. This complicated the process for the injured workers even more.