Farming Accidents: Types of Farming Equipment Injuries

What Are Farming Equipment Injuries?

Farming—otherwise known as agriculture—is one of the most dangerous industries to work in. Further, farming equipment accidents are the leading cause of injury and death among farms and farm workers. Typically, equipment-related accidents are due to:

• Farm tractor rollovers
• Tractors running over farm workers
• Getting caught in running machinery
• Equipment collisions
• Being struck by falling machinery parts
• Contact with power lines

Types of Farming Equipment Injuries

Farm equipment that could be dangerous or deadly includes:

Tractors

Tractor rollovers are the most common cause of farming accident injuries and death, while the second most common cause is tractors running over farm workers. In many of these accidents, the farm worker fell off of the running tractor and was then run over by the tractor.

Because of this, safety engineers now recommend farm tractors be equipped with dead-man switches, also known as operator presence sensing systems (OPSS). The switches are used as a fail-safe that stops a machine when the operator leaves the seat with the engine on and the tractor in gear. In addition, newer tractors are also required to have rollover protection systems (ROPS).

If you were in a tractor accident, it is likely not your fault. Tractor designs are often unsafe, and you don’t have to misuse a tractor for it to malfunction.

Bush Hogs

A brush hog is a type of mower that attaches to a tractor with a hitch. Brush hogs have rotary blades that are thick and extremely powerful, making it easy to cut through dense brush and avoid stopping on any sort impact. Because these machines are powerful and fail to stop on impact, they can be both dangerous and deadly for farm workers.

Brush hog injuries and deaths are typically caused by: the machine becoming unstable and tipping over, debris and stones flying from the machine, the operator falling off the tractor and into the brush hog, and the weight of the machine crushing the farmer.

If you were in a brush hog accident, you may be entitled to compensation. The manufacturers who designed the unsafe brush hog may be held responsible.

Hay Rakes and Hay Balers

Hay rakes are agricultural rakes used to collect and cut hay or straw into windrows for later collection. In addition, they are also used to fluff up and turn over the hay for it to dry, to protect the hay from the morning dew, and to spread the hay again. Closely related, hay balers are tractor accessories that tie and bundle hay into bales.

Injuries from these types of farming equipment can include: amputation, loss of skin and tissue, severe burns, other bodily mutilation, and death.

If you were injured by a hay rake or hay baler, you probably are not at fault.

Grain Augers and Grain Bins

A grain bin is a vented, steel structure used store grain in bulk. Closely related, a grain auger is a long tube used to raise and transport grain from the ground to grain bins, load trucks with grain from the grain bins, and carry feed to feeders.

Injuries from these types of farming equipment can include: loss of limbs or amputation, cuts and fractures, crushing injuries, burns, electrocutions, suffocation, and death.

If you were injured by a grain auger or grain bin, you may be eligible for compensation.

What to Do If You’ve Been Injured by Farming Equipment

If you have been injured by farming equipment, you should:

• Disable the farm equipment
• Seek medical attention and evaluation
• Gather evidence at the scene of the accident
• Contact a personal injury lawyer

Contact a Farming Accident Attorney Today

If you have been injured as a result of a farming accident, you are urged to contact the Indianapolis Farming Accident Attorneys of Wilson Kehoe Winingham. The lawyers at WKW can help you with the next steps in pursuing a farming accident case, regardless of the type of accident. Call 317.920.6400 or fill out an online contact form for a free, no-obligation case evaluation.

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