Illinois is a leading producer of soybeans, corn, and swine, with the state’s climate and varied soil types allowing other agricultural commodities to thrive, like cattle, wheat, oats, sorghum, hay, sheep, poultry, fruits, vegetables, and several specialty crops. While Illinois’ economy benefits from the agricultural industry, feeding locals and beyond can come at a cost for the hard-working men and women who have devoted their careers to agriculture.
Farming isn’t just physical, the work can also be hazardous. Farms require large pieces of machinery and vehicles to complete the jobs, and with a lot of moving people onsite, the risk of serious injury increases.
Whether it’s a small family farm or a large commercial operation, farming is one of the most dangerous occupations in Illinois due to a combination of hazardous working conditions and limited regulatory oversight.
If you have suffered from an agricultural work-related injury in Illinois, contact our farming injury attorneys at Spiros Law. Our team recognizes the demanding and hazardous conditions Illinois farmers face on the job, and we are prepared to fight for you.
Let’s take a closer look at why farming remains one of the most dangerous jobs in Illinois.
Common Types of Farming Injuries
1. Machinery and Equipment Hazards
Modern farming relies heavily on large, powerful equipment to get the job done, including tractors, combines, augers, and balers. While these machines can increase productivity, they also pose serious risks, such as:
- Tractor rollovers: The leading cause of fatalities in the agricultural industry nationwide.
- Farm equipment entanglement: Crush injuries and getting caught in machinery are common, especially during harvest season.
- Defective farm equipment: Can also cause severe injuries or fatalities.
Other serious injurues can occur during maintenance, refueling, or while operating in poor visibility.
2. Grain Bin Injuries
Illinois is one of the top grain-producing states, so many farmers find themselves working with and around grain bins. Grain bins are known to be extremely dangerous – entrapment can happen in seconds and can result in suffocation. The risk of serious injury or death increases when working alone or without a proper harness system. Plus, under the right conditions, the dust inside the bins can be explosive, with something as simple as a spark from a grain elevator igniting the dust cloud.
3. Environmental Exposures:
Working in the agriculture industry means workers are frequently exposed to extreme weather, both hot and cold. In the summer, sun exposure can lead to heat-related illnesses and dehydration. High levels of dust, pollen, and mold can lead to respiratory issues and allergies. In the winter, farmers can risk getting hypothermia and frostbite when working outside in low temperatures.
4. Chemical Exposures:
The agricultural use of pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals pose the risk of poisoning and chronic respiratory issues from prolonged or mishandled exposure.
5. Physical Demands and Long Hours:
Farming isn’t a 9-to-5 job. Planting and harvesting seasons can have Illinois farmers working 12 to 16 hour days, seven days a week. A grueling schedule such as this can lead to:
- Physical exhaustion and fatigue, reducing mental alertness and increasing the likelihood of a serious injury.
- Repetitive labor injury: Repetitive motions, physically demanding tasks, and heavy lifting can lead to musculoskeletal injuries, such as severe back pain.
6. Livestock Injury:
Working with livestock poses unique and unpredictable risks. Livestock handlers can face serious injuries from kicks, bites, charges, or being pinned. These animals are often large and can be unpredictable, with the potential to charge and trample if they feel provoked or frightened. Workers who regularly interact with livestock should have extensive training in proper handling and how to react in emergency situations.
7. Slips, Trips, and Falls
Whether it’s a result of hazardous conditions, improperly stowed equipment, or fatigue from being overworked, the risk of slip and fall injury is high on a farm. Falls from ladders or great heights are also common and can result in serious injuries, such as sprains, fractures, and back and head injuries.
8. Isolation: Farming operations often occur in remote areas with limited access to emergency services or supervision, increasing the severity of on-the-job injuries.
Workers’ Compensation and Farming Injury Claims
If you’re an Illinois farmer who has been injured on the job, you deserve justice. Justice often comes in the form of financial compensation, and our team at Spiros Law is here to fight for what you deserve.
Our experienced farming injury attorneys understand the complexities of workers’ compensation law, including how it applies to you as a farmer. If your employer has more than 400 working days of labor in any quarter, then by Illinois law, they must carry workers’ compensation insurance – meaning you’re entitled to those benefits. In cases where that 400-day threshold is not met, then workers’ comp does not apply, but you may have grounds to file a personal injury claim against a third party. In either case, Spiros Law can help.
Determining liability for a farm-related injury depends on a variety of factors, including who or what caused the injury. Liability may not always fall on your employer, but can involve other third parties, such as
- The property owner
- The company managing/operating the farm (if different from the property owner)
- Equipment manufacturers, in the event you were injured by defective farm equipment
- The manufacturer of materials, such as pesticides
These cases require a thorough investigation by a trusted farming injury attorney who can skillfully identify who is at fault and hold them responsible for damages.
If you’ve been injured, compensation may be awarded for a variety of reasons, including pain and suffering, medical and rehabilitation costs, lost wages, and psychiatric and counseling costs that resulted from your injury.
Our experienced attorneys have represented farm workers from all over Illinois who have suffered serious injuries on the job. We handle various farming injury claims, including:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Neck and back injuries
- Partial or total paralysis
- Internal organ damage or bleeding
- Grain bin injuries
- Broken bones
- Torn ligaments
- Amputation of limbs
Trust Spiros Law with Your Illinois Farming Injury Case
Any workplace can result in serious injury, but the agricultural industry comes with great risk. At Spiros Law, our team of qualified and compassionate attorneys have decades of combined experience and success in personal injury law to lend to your farming injury case.
If you were injured in a grain bin incident, are suffering from a tractor rollover injury, or any other type of farming-related injury, let our team of personal injury attorneys fight for you. We understand the risks and challenges that come with farming in Illinois, and we’re here to advocate for your rights.
We proudly serve clients throughout Illinois, with offices conveniently located in Champaign, Kankakee, and Danville. We don’t want to just win your case, we want to make sure you get the care, compensation, and justice you deserve.
