It may be surprising to many, but farming is one of the deadliest jobs in America. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, farming, with its fatality rate of 22 deaths per 100,000 farmers, is twice as deadly as law enforcement, five times deadlier than firefighting, and 73 times more deadly than banking on Wall Street.
Farming is dangerous for a few reasons. First, farming requires the use of large, dangerous machinery, with one-third of all farm deaths due to tractor rollovers. While newer tractors are required to have rollover protection devices, many farmers keep their tractors for decades with older tractors not required to have such protective measures in place.
Additionally, farms are often in very remote locations and farmers often work alone. If an emergency occurs, help is often delayed.
Farming death rates are high, but the rate of injury is even higher. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that over 50,000 injuries occur in farm-related accidents yearly, with many of these injuries resulting in a permanent disability. Vehicle accidents contribute heavily to these injuries, but other dangers include falling from roofs and barns, trampling by farm animals, suffocation in silos, and exposure to herbicides and pesticides.
Farming is especially dangerous for children, as well. The vast majority of the injuries and fatalities suffered by minors on a farm are to children who are relatives of the farm owner and thus are not subject to labor laws. In fact, the majority of farms in Illinois are smaller farms with family members who are not considered part of the 11-employee threshold that is needed to trigger oversight by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). And, smaller-scale farmers tend to be resistant to overregulation or unable to afford the safety equipment that is required by OSHA for larger industrial farms, putting them at risk for serious accidents and injuries.
Agricultural jobs rank as one of the most dangerous in the U.S. The lawyers at America’s Consumer Lawyer will work with you to help determine whether filing a lawsuit is in your best interest and make sure you receive the compensation you deserve. If you or a loved one suffered an injury on a farm, contact us today.
We are proud to serve our fellow citizens in personal injury cases, especially when you or a loved one has suffered an injury or illness due to another’s negligence. We see you as a person, not just a client – and that makes us better at the work we do. We listen. We learn your story. And, as we help you get the money you deserve, we go above and beyond in a way most law firms never could and never would. Because we’re not just lawyers. And you’re not just a client. We’re friends, neighbors, family. We’re all people and here at America’s Consumer Lawyer, we put People, First.
Helping our clients is about counseling, advocating, and ultimately solving problems. With years of experience successfully representing the people, not the powerful, we will take care of the insurance adjusters, your medical bills, your property damage, and your lost wages, and monitor your treatment so you can focus on healing and getting your life back to normal. Our unique formula has earned us over 950 outstanding client reviews on our website, an A+ BBB rating, and over 125 five-star reviews on Google. Call 888-572-0176, e-mail us at michael@agrusslawfirm.com or schedule a meeting with us here. We’re here 24/7.
