Injured in a Farm Accident?

Here in the Midwest, farming is a way of life, a family tradition passed down by generations. There’s immense pride in working the land over time and providing for your family and the community. But even when you do everything right, farm accidents can happen, putting your ability to continue your work in jeopardy. When your family’s future hangs in the balance, you need our experienced farm accident lawyers in Eau Claire, River Falls, and La Crosse, WI.

If you have been injured in a farm accident, you know the devastating impact your injury has on your day-to-day life. Fortunately, you are not alone. The Wisconsin personal injury attorneys at Bye, Goff & Rohde have helped countless injury victims regain control of their lives since 1974, including farmers throughout the Badger State. Our lawyers have more than 180 years of combined experience helping accident victims, and we are ready to help you get back on your feet.

Types of Farm Accidents Our Injury Lawyers Help With

Just as there are many types of farms throughout Wisconsin, there are a multitude of ways to get injured in farming-related accidents. Agricultural accidents often cause severe and disabling injuries. And at Bye, Goff & Rohde, we believe that serious injuries need serious lawyers. Our personal injury attorneys work with farm accident victims involved in various types of incidents, including the following:

• • Farm Machinery Accidents: Heavy machinery incidents caused by tractors, harrows, backhoes, ploughs, excavators, combines, cultivators, spreaders, balers, augers, harvesters, and other equipment. 

• Silo and Grain Accidents: Injuries caused by fires, explosions, and heavy equipment involved in grain vacuuming, drying, and storage. These are often caused by sparks from misaligned equipment, static electricity, overheated bearings, and toxic, built-up gases.

• • Falls and Collapses: Farm workers may experience falls from a variety of heights and activities. Common ones include structural collapse of older barns and buildings, falls from ladders or scaffolding, grain wall avalanches, and grain bridge collapses.
  • PTO Injuries: A power take-off (PTO) injury can occur when a worker gets clothing, hair, or a body part stuck to the PTO shaft of farming machinery. Due to the high-speed rotation of this part of the equipment, PTO entanglement poses a severe threat to limb and life.
  • Road Accidents: Whether on private roads or public ones, wagons, tractors, and farm trucks may experience accidents just like any other vehicle. Our farm accident lawyers understand these types of crashes and handle them with care.
  • Injury from Livestock: When working with any large animal or livestock, workers run a risk of getting maimed or hurt by an animal. Understanding how liability works in these cases is vitally important to being taken seriously.

• Hazardous Materials: From exposure to toxic chemicals in sprayers to natural gas buildup in grain storage (silo gas), farmers and workers can be exposed to a wide variety of hazardous materials. If there is liability involved where a person or company failed to protect you properly, you may have a solid case for your personal injury or illness.
• Other Farm Incidents: Farming is hazardous work. If someone else failed in their duty of care to protect you or warn you from a hazard, you may have the right to compensation that can help you during your recovery.

If you believe you have a farm accident injury case, we will review the facts of your case, how you were injured, and what liability may be. As Wisconsin’s personal injury powerhouse for over 50 years, Bye, Goff & Rohde has supported farmers like you in regaining their lives after injury.

OSHA and Farm Accidents

Many smaller, family-run farms are exempt from Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards, but even if your agricultural operations are not subject to their inspections, they may be a helpful resource. Just because your farm may be exempt, it does not mean the safety standards do not apply. While OSHA may not inspect your farm and threaten fines for noncompliance, the same rules and standards are often used in court to decide if someone was negligent after an accident.

OSHA provides helpful documentation and safety standards in the agricultural industry, especially when it comes to things like tractor safety, equipment guarding, grain handling, and communication of hazards. Agricultural workers in Wisconsin may contact the Chicago Regional Office with any questions or concerns about their workplaces. If you have further questions about your employer’s conformity to OSHA guidelines, consulting with farm accident lawyers can help you get answers specific to your unique situation.

Common Farming Injuries Associated with Liability

Farming is a physically demanding job, and when an accident happens, it can leave you with serious injuries that affect every part of your life. If you’ve been hurt due to someone else’s carelessness, you may be able to get compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and other damages. The team at Bye, Goff & Rohde has seen firsthand the devastating impact these injuries have on farm families in and around Eau Claire, La Crosse, and the River Falls area:

• Amputation Injuries: Losing a limb is a life-altering event. Injuries can happen in an instant, like when an arm or leg gets caught in heavy equipment, or it can be a medically required amputation after an injury, such as receiving irreparable damage in a crushing injury.
• Back Injuries: Often associated with chronic pain and reduced movement, back injuries threaten the very foundation of a farmer’s work, making simple tasks agonizing. Chronic pain and limited movement can keep you from doing the daily chores that are essential for your farm’s success. Compensation for back injuries can go towards recovery and extensive physical therapy, and possibly help to support you in your daily work.
• Head injuries: From slight concussions to life-threatening traumatic brain injuries (TBI), damage to the head can have long-lasting effects on your memory, coordination, and overall health. Seek medical attention right away to get a proper diagnosis and treatment plan.
• Burn Injuries: Injuries due to burns from fires, explosions, or even chemicals can cause lasting pain, disfigurement, permanent scarring, and limited mobility. These injuries can make it impossible to work and may require costly and painful skin grafts and other treatments.
• Eye Injuries: Limitations to vision can be a dealbreaker for those who rely on their ability to work on a farm to make their livelihood. An eye injury may severely limit your ability to work with machinery, livestock, or crops, becoming a severe impediment to your work and independence.
• Soft Tissue Injuries: Injuries sustained to organs, muscles, and other soft tissues are often debilitating and can lead to a long, slow recovery. These injuries can cause chronic pain and make it difficult to perform the physical tasks required on a farm, affecting your ability to provide for your family.
• Catastrophic Injuries: Severe, life-altering injuries that result in permanent disability, chronic health issues, and a reduced quality of life. Unlike minor injuries, these conditions often require lifelong medical care, assistive devices, and long-term rehabilitation, impacting not only the individual but their family and livelihood.

When an injury such as this is associated with someone else’s negligent actions or lack of action, you may have the basis for a personal injury claim. A settlement from the liable party can help you regain some of your old life, repay medical bills, compensate for lost income during any time you were unable to work, and even help with future recovery.

Make sure that you do not miss out on your opportunity to get the compensation you rightfully deserve. Reach out to Bye, Goff & Rohde today to discuss your farm accident with proven Wisconsin trial attorneys.

Liability for Wrongful Death Cases in Farm Accident Cases

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, fatal work injuries in Wisconsin are common in agricultural fields such as cattle ranching and farming. Transportation incidents often cause these fatalities, followed closely by contact with heavy machinery, falls, slips, and other injuries sustained due to animals.

A Focus on Accountability After the Loss of a Loved One

After tragic accidents like these, a family member or close personal representative may be able to bring a wrongful death case against a liable party to help with end-of-life expenses and future support for those who were left behind.

Wrongful death claims hold negligent parties accountable for tragedies on a farm. If a worker dies due to a lack of training or the wrong type of personal protective equipment, the employer could be liable for their choices or lack of action. If a farmer dies after an extended injury due to a lack of proper warning labels on hazardous material or dangerous equipment, the manufacturer may be liable for ignoring the duty of care they had to warn anyone using their product of the dangers.

At Bye Goff & Rohde, our Wisconsin farm accident attorneys are ready to discuss your case and see if we can help you pursue justice after your loved one’s untimely death.

The Value of a Farm Accident Injury Claim

A farm accident is more than just a momentary injury. It can put your entire family’s future in jeopardy. Devastating injuries caused by farm accidents, like amputations, spinal injuries, and brain trauma, can cause lifelong challenges. The physical and emotional pain, on top of piles of financial burdens, can be crushing.

At Bye, Goff & Rohde, we understand how much is at stake. We believe you should be able to focus on your recovery without worrying about the costs. Our farm accident attorneys in Eau Claire, River Falls, and La Crosse work tirelessly to recover compensation for all the ways your life has been affected, including:

• Lost Paychecks: When you are unable to work due to an injury, farm work, and bills keep coming. We fight to get you compensation for the pay that you have lost. If your injuries keep you from working or reduce your abilities, we will work to get you compensation reflecting that, too.
• Medical Expenses: The costs of emergency care, surgeries, physical therapy, and long-term medical treatments can pile up quickly. We will make sure to calculate the funds you need to cover your past medical expenses, as well as anything you could encounter down the road to recovery.
• Pain and Suffering: Sustaining an injury in a farming accident can take a toll on your mind and spirit as well. We work to seek compensation for the physical pain and emotional distress you have endured.
• Disfigurement and Scarring: Serious injuries can leave permanent scars or disfigurement, which can be difficult to live with physically and emotionally. We will make sure the lasting impact of your injury is taken into account as well. 

You can count on our farm accident injury attorneys to handle your case with tenacity and compassion. We will work hard to ensure that your injury does not negatively impact your farm and your family’s future.

Punitive Damages in Farm Accidents

Some cases of liability are so extreme that punitive damages may be awarded to the plaintiff in their personal injury case. These situations occur when there is clear evidence that the defendant acted with a deliberate, willful disregard for the safety of others’ rights and safety. Instead of compensatory damages like those that cover out-of-pocket expenses and trauma, these damages are awarded to punish the responsible party in an attempt to discourage this behavior from occurring again in the future.

Wisconsin allows punitive damages, but they are awarded sparingly, dependent on the exact situation. If you are curious to know whether your farm accident case could be considered for punitive damages, consulting with a personal injury lawyer can help get your questions answered. 

Contact Our Wisconsin Farm Accident Lawyer Today

At Bye, Goff & Rohde, we get results. When we take on your case, we agree to fight for you like you were our own family, striving to get you the most compensation possible to assist in your recovery for years to come. We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you do not have to pay us any lawyer fees unless we win your case. This helps struggling farmers get the justice they deserve. For a free consultation with our farm accident lawyers in Eau Claire, River Falls, and La Crosse, WI, contact our law firm today.