IOWA FARM INJURY LAWYERS
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FARM AND AGRICULTURAL INJURY LAWYER – IOWA
Farm accident injury in Iowa? We can help.
Corn, soybeans, hay, oats, wheat, hogs, cattle, broilers – these are but a few of the crops and animals farmed in the great state of Iowa. Much of the state’s economy, and that of the country, hinges on the ongoing success of Iowa agriculture. Iowa farms produce the most corn in the United States and, by way of example, produce three times the amount of corn produced in all of Mexico.
While it is indisputable that Iowa agriculture is essential for the state and country, it is equally indisputable that farming and other careers in agriculture are dangerous.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that Agriculture is one of the most hazardous occupations in which a person can engage. Farmers are at very high risk for all types of injuries up to, and including, death. Further, unlike virtually any other occupation, the risk of injury and death extends to the farmer’s family due to their proximity, and, often, involvement with the risk itself.
The CDC notes, in a recent year, there were nearly four hundred farm deaths and approximately one hundred and seventy injuries per day that are significant enough for the injured worker to miss time from work. Worse still, it is believed by some that these numbers are grossly under reported.
Evidence to gather and steps to take if you are injured:
If you have been injured on an Iowa farm, there are a few steps you should take immediately, or as soon as possible, to protect yourself, your family, and your rights:
• Seek medical attention immediately
• Get details of the piece of machinery that injured you.
(Details to gather include the type of machinery, make, model, and the like)
• Take photographs of where the injury occurred
• Take photographs of the machinery
• Names and contact information of witnesses
• Gather owner’s manuals if available
• Minimize access to the machine and site if possible
Leading causes of farm injury in Iowa:
As any farmer can likely tell you, the leading cause of farm injury deaths were tractor overturns or “rollovers”. This issue of tractor rollover deaths and injuries is so important that a program named Cost Effective Roll-Over Protective Structures or CROPS has been started which is designed to manufacture rollover protective structures for use on older tractors or on tractors for which commercial ROPS may be hard to find.
Tractor rollovers are far from the only cause of injury or death in the farming industry. Other major causes of farm injuries include:
• Injury from other farm machinery such as augers and power take off shafts
• crush injuries
• motor vehicle accidents such as skid steers
• ATV accidents
• suffocation in grain bin entrapments
• chemical exposure
• drowning
The sad reality is that the above list is nowhere near complete and it seems new types of injuries can be added to it everyday.
Why do injuries occur?
It is readily apparent that farmers and their families can be, and are, injured at a rate much higher than the rest of the workforce. In looking at this phenomenon one must ask, why? Just as the list of injuries is nearly endless, so is the list of reasons contributing to accidents and injuries. Some of the more common reasons include:
• Defective design of the equipment
• Dangerous design of the equipment
• Improper warnings
• Improper training
• Improper supervision
• Changing or removal of safety devices
• Negligent maintenance of the equipment
Contact an Iowa Farm Injury Lawyer:
If you or a loved one has been injured on a farm or other agricultural business, contact one of our experienced personal injury lawyers today for a free consultation. We can be reached at 515-493-4878 or viaEMAIL.
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