If you’re a California farmworker, you belong to a community comprised of one million men, women, and children who work on the state’s ranches and farms. You help grow and harvest the fruit, nuts, vegetables, grains, and meat in our supermarkets and kitchens.
It’s a tough job. Farm work is not only physically demanding, but it can also be dangerous. Farmworkers are five times more likely to be injured on the job compared to employees in other industries.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a Sacramento farming accident, you are not alone. Workers’ compensation may cover your injuries if the accident was caused by your employer or a coworker. But if another party caused the accident, they may be legally responsible. A free consultation with a Demas Law Group, P.C., a farm accident attorney can help ensure you receive just compensation for your injuries.
Farm Safety Accidents in Sacramento
There are more than 3 million farmworkers In the United States and one-third of them work the farms and ranches of California. Often, coworkers are family members, fathers, mothers, sons and daughters. Children under 18 account for nearly one-third of the workforce. Thanks to their efforts, we enjoy one of the most diverse agricultural markets in the world.
As mentioned, it’s hard and sometimes dangerous work. More than 100,000 farm workers are injured on the job annually, including 1000 fatalities. The leading causes of injury include tractors and other moving farm equipment, exposure to toxic chemicals and pesticides, and poorly designed or constructed structures such as grain bins and silos.
In all of these cases, a third party may have caused the accident. For example, a tractor rollover may be caused by faulty product design or inadequate safety equipment. The tractor’s manufacturer may be legally at fault. If a sub-contractor sprays the wrong pesticide on a field, making workers sick, the company may be legally required to compensate workers for their injuries. If a grain silo explodes or collapses, the company that constructed it or its owner might be at fault.
If your injury occurred on the job in Sacramento and was caused by your employer or a coworker, workers’ compensation may pay some of your medical expenses and lost wages, but not all of them. That’s one reason it’s important to determine whether a third party may bear some fault for the accident. If so, you may have a legal claim against them, which can lead to a financial settlement that will fully compensate you for your injuries.
Demas Law Group, P.C., does not handle workers’ compensation cases, but we can refer you to local attorneys who are recognized experts in that branch of law. We come into the picture when a third-party is at fault for your accident. Whether it’s an individual, a small company or a large corporation, we have the legal knowledge and the resources to pursue your case, to court if necessary. We’re on your side.
Demas Law Group, P.C., Can Help With Sacramento Farm Accidents
If you, a family member or a loved one have been injured in a farm accident caused by a third-party’s negligence, we understand the challenges you are facing. You’re wondering when and if you’re going back to work, and how you’re going to pay for your injuries and recover – both physically and emotionally. You’ve got enough to deal with. If you want to receive full compensation for your farm accident, you need an experienced law firm like Demas Law Group, P.C., to handle the legal issues.
For more than 20 years, we’ve been successfully representing clients in personal injury lawsuits, including farm accidents. Our personal injury attorneys have experience across a wide number of practice areas, from defective product cases to wrongful death lawsuits. These various areas can come into play in any personal injury claim, including farm accidents. The multi-million dollar settlements we’ve won are among the highest in northern California.
Our expertise isn’t the only thing that makes Demas Law Group, P.C., stand out. We pride ourselves on being accessible to our clients. After you call and schedule a free consultation, you will meet with one of our personal injury attorneys, not a paralegal or an assistant. You can conduct your consultation over the phone or in person. If you have a winnable case, your attorney will be in your corner throughout, from settlement conferences to the courtroom.
We care about you. Please make sure you obtain all the medical treatment you need as soon as possible. Then call Demas Law Group, P.C., and schedule a free consultation with one of our Sacramento attorneys.
This literature may be considered attorney advertising or an offer of professional services, according to rule 1-400 Rules of Professional Conduct by the State Bar of California. The information does not constitute a guarantee, warranty or prediction regarding the outcome of your potential legal matter.
What are some common causes of farm accidents?
Accidents involving tractors and other types of moving farm machinery are the leading cause of farm accidents. One-fifth of all farm accidents involve such machinery. Other farm vehicles such as trucks and ATVs account for another one-fifth of farm accidents. According to the Centers for Disease Control, exposure to toxic pesticides and other chemicals are a common cause of farm injuries and fatalities. Exposure can result in poisoning, respiratory problems, and severe skin damage.
Farm structures such as grain storage bins and silos pose a number of risks. Gases may build up, causing explosions or asphyxiating workers. Workers may become trapped when a structure fails.
In California, about one-fifth of all farm accidents occur in fruit and nut orchards. These generally involve falling accidents as well as exposure to pesticides and chemicals.
Improperly penned farm animals can also cause accidents.
Who may be liable for a farm accident injury?
When an employer or a co-employee causes an accident, the claim is generally handled by workers’ compensation. Third-parties who may be liable include:
- Manufacturers of tractors and other farm equipment
- Construction firms that build grain bins, silos and other farm structures
- Sub-contractors that provide services such as trucking and pesticide management
- Property owners
- Animal owners
What should I do if I’ve been injured in a farm accident?
If you have been injured as a result of farm accident, there are a number of things you can do to protect yourself and your legal rights:
- Get medical attention for your injuries.
- Report the injury to your employer as soon as possible.
- Get the names and contact information of anyone who may have witnessed the accident.
- If possible, try to preserve any evidence related to your injury by taking photographs of the area where you were injured, taking photographs of the injuries themselves) or keeping the equipment or tool that was involved in your injury.
- Consult an attorney as soon as possible to help you evaluate any potential claims and discuss your state’s workers’ compensation laws.
What makes farm accidents different than other personal injury accidents?
Nearly half of all farm accidents are caused by tractors, other farm machinery and vehicles such as trucks and ATVs. Often, these farm vehicles are operated by sub-contractors or other companies, who have insurance companies that will fight settlements. The manufacturers of farm vehicles and machinery have even larger insurance companies as well as legal resources at their disposal. When a third-party has caused a farm accident, Demas Law Group, P.C., has the experience and the resources to help you fight back, no matter who the defendant is.
What type of lawyer do I need to file a case in a farm accident?
If you were hurt on the job and the injury was caused by your employer or a coworker, workers’ compensation should cover the claim. If you have a problem with the benefit you receive, you need an attorney who specializes in workers’ compensation law. Demas Law Group, P.C., does not specialize in workers’ compensation, but we can refer to you an attorney who does. If your accident was caused by a third party, then you need a personal injury attorney from Demas Law Group, P.C., that specializes in farm accidents. It’s important to consult with an attorney as soon as possible after a farm accident. Call us today to schedule your free consultation.
Can I file a lawsuit even if I’m collecting workers’ compensation benefits?
If a third party is legally at fault for your accident, then you may pursue a legal case against them. If they are found negligent, they will have to provide fair compensation for your injuries, which is almost always more than workers’ compensation. However, in some cases that settle, workers’ compensation requires that some of the original benefit be paid back to workers’ compensation.
What can I be compensated for in a farm accident?
If your accident was caused by your employer or a coworker, then you are limited to the benefits awarded by workers’ compensation. If your accident was caused by a third party’s negligence, you are entitled to be fully compensated for your injuries. In legal language, you are entitled to “be made whole,” meaning to be put back in the same position after the settlement as you were in immediately before the accident. Part of the process of making you “whole” is easily calculated and agreed upon by both parties, while other aspects are more difficult. Compensation for your injuries depends on several factors, including physical and emotional pain and suffering, economic hardship or financial loss, decreased earning potential and physical impairment. Depending on the type and extent of your personal injuries, you may be eligible for compensatory damages, which may include the following:
- Property damage
- Medical bills
- Lost wages, including overtime
- Out of pocket expenses (transportation charges, etc.)
- Pain and suffering
- Physical disability
- Disfigurement
- Permanent scars
- Emotional trauma
- Mental anguish
- Loss of enjoyment
- Loss of love and affection
- Embarrassment
- Mental disability
There is usually little argument over the compensation for time missed from work and lost wages, doctor and hospital bills, rehabilitation costs, transportation to and from the doctor and therapists. The controversy arises when you attempt to put a dollar value on the more intangible injuries you have suffered, such as loss of consortium (the loss of love or affection), loss of sexual capacity or desire, emotional distress, pain and suffering, loss of future earnings and loss of future enjoyment of life.
Estimating and demanding an acceptable amount for your pain and suffering requires experience with many similar cases, as pain and suffering awards are necessarily subjective. The personal injury attorneys at Demas Law Group, P.C., have the knowledge and experience to ensure you will be fairly compensated for your injuries, including your pain and suffering.
How much does it cost to hire a Demas Law Group, P.C., farm accident attorney?
Our attorneys are hired on a contingency fee. You will not pay any legal costs until there is a settlement or a winning verdict at trial. Your attorney will receive a percentage fee of the total case recovery, in addition to case costs. If there is no settlement or winning verdict, you won’t be charged any legal costs.
I’m not an American citizen. Am I still eligible for compensation?
Your nationality, work status and state of residence do not prohibit you from obtaining benefits if you’ve been injured in a farm accident. Demas Law Group, P.C., stands ready to help you receive fair compensation. Please contact us for a free consultation with an experienced farm accident attorney.
Am I going to lose my job if I file a claim?
Employers who fire or retaliate against an employee who files a workers’ compensation claim or a lawsuit are breaking the law. Your right to pursue compensation after being injured on the job is unquestionable.
