Goldsboro Farm Accident Injury Lawyers
A booming agricultural operation requires a tremendous amount of manual labor that can result in injuries for workers. Oftentimes these injuries occur when operating heavy farm equipment. If you've been injured in an accident working in agriculture, a farm accident lawyer at Riddle & Brantley may be able to help you recover compensation. Since 2000 alone, our farm accident injury attorneys have recovered more than $600 million in total compensation for injured North Carolinians (see disclaimer below).
According to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), in 2019, 410 farmers and farm workers died from farming accidents, representing 19.4 deaths per 100,000 workers. OSHA also reports that every day, roughly 100 agricultural workers suffer a farm accident injury resulting in lost work time.
At Riddle & Brantley, our farm accident lawyers understand the challenges that injured farmers and farm workers face. You may be worried about how you will pay your bills, how you can get the treatment you need, and whether you will ever be able to go back to work on the farm again. Our experienced farm accident injury attorneys may be able to help. Call (919) 778-9700 for a free, no-obligation consultation. We will evaluate your claim and help determine your best legal options. If you decide to hire us, we will fight tirelessly to get you maximum compensation for damages suffered as a result of your farm accident.
In cases involving accidents suffered while on the job, our workers' comp attorneys can help with those claims. When a farming accident results in long-term disability, our NC disability attorneys can assist with those appeals, as well. In the most heartbreaking cases, when a farming accident results in death, a wrongful death attorney at Riddle & Brantley can help surviving loved ones fight for justice.
Common Farming Equipment Accidents
Farming operations require heavy, complicated equipment that can cause serious and even life-threatening injuries. Common types of farming accidents include:
Tractor Rollovers
Tractor rollovers are the single deadliest type of farm equipment injury in the U.S. according to OSHA. During one twelve-month period, overturns occurred at 3,000 different farm operations. Tractor rollover injuries result in an average of 98 days of lost farm work for workers who are injured.
PTO Accidents
Power Take-Off (PTO) shafts are responsible for a number of farm equipment injuries, as well. PTOs are drive shafts typically found on tractors for powering separate machines or attachments. A worker’s clothing can get caught in a PTO or associated shafts and joints, causing the worker to be pulled into the shaft and potentially lose a limb or even cause death. Our farm accident lawyers have handled several cases involving limbs or fingers lost in farm equipment accidents.
Other Types of Farm Accidents
Injuries can also be caused by incorrect use of steer skidders, hitching a tractor improperly, hair or clothing entanglement in moving parts, or carbon monoxide poisoning. Harvesting equipment added to tractors can change the balance of the equipment and require the operator to remain alert at all times.
Injuries Caused by Farming Accidents
Farm accidents can result in all types of injuries. In more than 35 years serving injured farmers and agricultural workers in North Carolina, our farm accident lawyers have handled cases involving all types of injuries, including:
- Contusions (bruising)
- Lacerations
- Broken bones
- Internal bleeding and organ damage
- Concussions
- Brain injury
- Amputations
- Eye damage
- Death
"Can I Get Workers' Compensation for a Farm Accident Injury?"
Although most farm equipment accidents occur while working on the farm, North Carolina workers' compensation laws are specific about what benefits farmers may be eligible for if injured. Unfortunately, farms that employ fewer than ten (10) non-seasonal workers are not extended workers’ compensation protections. Additionally, the nature of the laborer’s work determines whether they are considered a "farm laborer."
Some farmers, however, purchase workers' compensation coverage for their farm laborers even though such coverage is not required by North Carolina law. In these situations, there will be coverage for the accident and injuries under a workers’ compensation policy.
In the event workers’ compensation isn’t available for a farm accident injury, the injured farm worker can still make a claim against his employer or owner of the farm for any injuries potentially caused by the negligence of another worker or defective farm equipment. These claims would be handled like other personal injury or product liability cases. A farm accident lawyer at Riddle & Brantley can assist with these claims, as well as workers' comp claims when coverage is available.
"How Long Do I Have to File a Farm Accident Injury Claim?"
Farm accident injury claims are subject to the Statute of Limitations for personal injury and wrongful death claims in North Carolina. In general (there are some exceptions), farm accident injury claims in Goldsboro and North Carolina within:
- 3 years of the date of farming-related injury in personal injury claims
- 2 years of the date of farming-related death in wrongful death claims
Don't lose your right to compensation by missing an important deadline. Call (919) 778-9700 today to speak with a farm accident lawyer for free. If you decide to hire us, we can help manage all important deadlines and make sure you don't miss your chance at justice by failing to file a claim or lawsuit within the statute of limitations. Don't wait — call a farm accident injury attorney at Riddle & Brantley today.
Do You Need a Farm Accident Injury Lawyer?
At Riddle & Brantley, our farm accident attorneys have more than 220+ years of combined legal experience, and we've recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in compensation for injured North Carolinians (see disclaimer below). We would love to help you however we can. Please call (919) 778-9700 today and let's review your claim.
Why Riddle & Brantley for Your Farm Accident Injury Claim?
Riddle & Brantley's farm accident lawyers have been recognized by many prestigious membership organizations and awards for their experience and results (see disclaimer below). Among other memberships and awards earned by Riddle & Brantley's farm accident attorneys are:
- The National Trial Lawyers Top 100
- The National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40
- Super Lawyers
- Super Lawyers "Rising Star"
- Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum
- Million Dollar Advocates Forum
- The National Association of Distinguished Counsel
- AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell
- The Litigator Award
It’s important to remember that not all farm equipment accidents are covered by workers’ compensation insurance. However, even if you are not covered by workers’ compensation, you may be entitled to file a claim against your farm employer to seek compensation for injuries caused by the negligence of another worker or faulty equipment. Don't wait, though — the longer you wait to file a farm accident injury claim, the harder it may be to prove your case and secure the compensation you need and deserve. Call (919) 778-9700 today for a free consultation with an experienced farm accident lawyer.
"They made a hard time in my life easier to endure."
-Melissa C., Riddle & Brantley client
If you have been injured or have lost a loved one in a farm equipment accident, it’s best to consult with an experienced farm accident attorney quickly. Please call (919) 778-9700 or complete the fast and easy form below to request a free, no-obligation consultation today. We can consult with you by phone, email, text, or video conference, and we can even come to you directly if it's more convenient.