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What To Do After a Farm Accident

The steps taken following farm accidents are critical for your physical and mental health and your ability to recover compensation. While the best way to protect your rights is to get in touch with a lawyer as soon as possible, here are some additional tips to keep in mind following an accident on a farm:

Seek Medical Attention Immediately

Even if your injuries seem minor, don’t delay seeking medical care. Some injuries (e.g., internal injuries, head trauma) can get worse over time—and may turn fatal if not addressed in a timely manner. Further, seeking medical treatment establishes a clear connection between the accident and your injuries, which will be important if and when you file a claim.

Report the Accident

Some workers hesitate to report farm accidents because they worry their employer could retaliate. The problem is that your employer might be completely unaware of your accident if you don’t report it, meaning there will be no official documentation. When seeking compensation for your damages, proper documentation of your accident and subsequent injuries is crucial.

Document the Accident

Take photos of the accident scene, the equipment involved, and anything else that might seem pertinent to how the accident took place. If there were witnesses, gather their information and take notes about everything they can remember. Small details that may seem insignificant now could prove pivotal to your claim later on, even if it’s as simple as a lack of a warning sign or an unshielded piece of equipment.

Be Cautious With Insurance Companies

Insurance companies have one priority when reviewing claims: pay as little compensation as possible. To help accomplish this goal, they may ask you for a recorded statement or access to your medical records. Never comply with these types of requests before consulting with an attorney.

What Are the Most Common Farm Accidents?

Farming requires the use of heavy, dangerous equipment that can cause serious injuries, especially if it is defective, malfunctions, or is not handled properly. Combined with the physical nature of the work, this can lead to many types of accidents.

Some of the most common include:

Tractor rollovers & collisions
Machinery malfunctions
Falls
Chemical exposure
Grain entrapment
Livestock-related injuries
And more

Safety protocols and proper maintenance do their part to prevent accidents; however, these measures are not foolproof, and devastating injuries still occur.

What Is the Main Cause of Accidents on a Farm?

Most serious farm accidents are avoidable. If employers, workers, manufacturers, and other parties all played their roles correctly, we could all but eliminate them. Unfortunately, most farming accidents still stem from preventable risks, including:

Defective parts
Lack of safety equipment
Faulty maintenance
Inadequate or improper supervision
Operator fatigue
And more

It can be difficult to determine who, exactly, should be held responsible for an accident. Operator fatigue, for example, could be the immediate cause of an accident on a farm, but what if a worker was only operating machinery while fatigued because their employer was placing unrealistic demands on them?

In these situations, it’s critical to take a closer look at the reasons behind the cause of the accident to accurately determine why it took place.

What Are the Most Common Types of Injuries in Farming Accidents?

Regardless of the reason behind an accident on a farm, there is no debating that the consequences can be dire. Injuries from farm accidents may require extensive treatment in the short term and may even result in long-term damages that can make it difficult or impossible to continue to work.

Some of these serious injuries include:

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
Amputation
Crushed limbs
Burns
Respiratory injuries
Spinal cord trauma
Internal injuries
And more

What can happen in the blink of an eye can be felt for a lifetime—which is why it is so important for injured workers to pursue the compensation they deserve for their damages.

Do I Need a Farm Accident Injury Lawyer?

If you have been injured in an accident on a farm, yes—we strongly recommend working with a lawyer. Farming accident claims are often complex because of the severity of the injuries sustained and the difficulty in identifying who is responsible for the accident itself.

Determining liability requires a thorough investigation, which includes gathering evidence and carefully interviewing witnesses and subject matter experts. Once it is clear who is responsible, we can strategize how best to proceed. A claim or lawsuit against a parts manufacturer should be handled much differently than a claim against an employer, which should be handled differently from a claim against a third party.

A determined and practiced farm injury lawyer will be able to help you weigh your options, assess liability, prepare your claim, and represent you in all negotiations and legal proceedings. This support allows you to focus on healing from your injuries and gives you the peace of mind that your best interests are protected.

Contact Patrick Daniel Law for a FREE Consultation

Hiring a lawyer is an excellent first step for victims of farm accidents. Choosing the right lawyer, however, can seem daunting. At Patrick Daniel Law, we want to make the process as easy as possible for you.

We start with a FREE consultation to review your situation and evaluate if you have a viable claim. We are experienced in handling the intricacies of farming accident claims, and we understand how frustrating and stressful it can be to try and manage the process on your own.

We’re here to help you take the next step and make sure you are pursuing full and fair compensation for your injuries or the loss of your cherished loved one. Contact us today to get started.

What Should I Do After a Farm Accident?