If a serious farm accident has injured you or killed a loved one, you may be entitled to financial compensation. A Wisconsin farm accident lawyer from our personal injury law firm can help you understand your legal options and fight for the settlement you deserve. Fair compensation from a personal injury case can help cover your medical bills, lost income, and other damages from the accident. Call our legal team for a free case evaluation.
In this Article
Do I Need a Lawyer After a Farm Accident in Wisconsin?
Common Types of Farming Accidents in Wisconsin
Wisconsin’s agricultural industry is a cornerstone of our state’s economy and identity. However, the work is not without danger. Agricultural workers across Wisconsin face significant risks when operating heavy machinery, working with large animals, handling hazardous chemicals, and using powerful tools.
Common causes of severe or fatal injuries on Wisconsin farms involve tractor overturns and machinery entanglements. Other major hazards include falls from heights (like silos or ladders), incidents involving livestock, entrapment in grain bins, exposure to pesticides, and accidents caused by defective equipment.
Injuries from Common Farm Accidents
A person hurt in a farm accident often suffers from severe, life-altering injuries. These can include broken bones, amputations, traumatic brain injuries, or catastrophic spinal cord injuries. Victims may also experience severe burns or develop respiratory problems from chemical exposure.
The consequences of these injuries can affect your ability to work and perform daily activities. Most farm accidents require both immediate medical treatment and long-term care, creating a significant financial strain on you and your family.
Who Can Be Held Liable in Farm Accident Cases?
Determining liability for a farm accident in Wisconsin can be complex. Depending on the situation, the at-fault party can be an equipment manufacturer, the farm owner, the agricultural property owner, or another third party. An experienced farm accident lawyer can conduct a thorough investigation to identify if negligence played a role. This might include a failure to follow safety regulations, not providing the proper safety equipment, or neglecting to maintain machinery.
Are Wisconsin Farm Workers Covered by Workers’ Compensation?
Most employers in Wisconsin are required to provide workers’ compensation insurance for their employees. However, Wisconsin’s workers’ compensation law has specific rules for agricultural work, per Wisconsin Statutes § 102.04(3). Here are the farm-related specifics in a simple bulleted list:
Farmers need workers’ compensation if they have 6+ employees working on the same day for 20 days in a calendar year.
There is no wage threshold; only the number of employees matters.
Employees can be full-time, part-time, or at multiple locations.
Certain relatives (e.g., parents, children, siblings, or in-laws) don’t count toward the 6-employee threshold.
Farmers have 10 days to get insurance after reaching the 20-day mark.
If your employer has workers’ compensation, you can file a claim to cover medical expenses, wage replacement, disability benefits, or funeral expenses. If your employer is not required to have coverage, or if a third party’s negligence—such as manufacturing a defective product or defective farm equipment—caused your injury, you might be able to file a personal injury lawsuit. A personal injury attorney can review your case and determine the best path forward.
Recovering Compensation for Your Farming Injury
Based on the details of your case, you may be able to seek compensation for various damages. These can include:
Payment for all medical treatment and rehabilitation costs
Lost wages and loss of future earning capacity
Compensation for permanent disability, disfigurement, pain, and suffering
Surviving family members can seek compensation for damages after a fatal accident by filing a wrongful death claim.
What to Do After a Wisconsin Farm Accident
If you are involved in a farming accident, seek immediate medical attention, then:
Document the accident scene (such as photos of an equipment defect).
Collect contact information from any witnesses.
Report the incident to your employer as soon as you can.
Preserve any evidence, like the faulty equipment involved.
Contact a Wisconsin personal injury lawyer to discover whether you have grounds for a lawsuit.
How a Wisconsin Farm Accident Attorney Can Help
If you or a loved one was injured or killed in a farming accident, our law firm is here to provide the legal support you need. We will investigate your case, gather evidence (such as witness statements), identify the responsible party, and manage your case to meet Wisconsin’s three-year statute of limitations (Wisconsin Statutes § 893.54). We handle all negotiations with insurance companies and are prepared to take your case to court if a favorable outcome cannot be reached.
Schedule a Free Consultation
Most people find it useful to speak with an experienced attorney who can explain the legal process to seek justice and answer questions. Our firm works on a contingency fee basis, meaning clients have no upfront costs and pay no legal fees unless we achieve favorable results in your case.
A Wisconsin farm accident lawyer can help you understand your legal options and fight for the settlement you deserve.
$7.5 Million
Recovery for a construction worker injured when a support wall fell and struck him. (Highest award on record for a construction injury in DuPage County at the time).
$3.2 Million
Recovery for a construction worker injured when he fell in an uncovered foundation trench, ranking as the highest award on record for a construction injury in McHenry County at the time.
$3 Million
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$2.2 Million
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$2 Million
Recovery for a man struck by a speeding vehicle as he waited for the CTA bus.
$1.5 Million
Recovery for a truck driver that was struck by another car on the expressway while his vehicle was disabled.
$1.4 Million
Recovery for a computer programmer that slipped and fell in the washroom at work.
Recovery for a pedestrian struck by a vehicle in a parking lot. At the time, this was the second-highest recovery on record in DuPage County for a similar injury.
$800,000
Recovered for a disputed wrongful death claim against a trucking company. The company denied they were involved in the collision.
$660,000
Recovery for a truck driver that was injured while unloading his trailer.
$550,000
Recovery for a person who slipped and fell in a grocery store.
$550,000
Recovery for a woman who injured her neck in a motor vehicle collision.
$500,000
Recovery for a pedestrian that was struck by a vehicle while standing on the sidewalk.
$460,000
Recovery for a truck driver that tripped and fell in the parking lot while making a delivery.
$450,000
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$425,000
Recovery for a union worker struck by a speeding vehicle.
$425,000
Recovery for a passenger in a vehicle struck by an inexperienced driver.
$415,000
Recovered for a woman that required neck surgery after aggravating an existing neck injury in a truck accident.
$400,000
Recovery for a lab technician injured while transporting equipment.
$370,000
Recovery for a construction worker injured on faulty equipment at a construction site.
$315,000
Recovery for a motorist struck by a falling utility pole.
$310,000
Recovery for a person injured in a motor vehicle collision.
$300,000
Recovery for a bicyclist struck by a vehicle.
$250,000
Recovery for a young woman struck by another vehicle.
$250,000
Recovered for a woman who sustained a partial finger amputation and other injuries in a rollover car accident. (Policy Limits)
$250,000
Recovered for a man injured in a motor vehicle collision.
$250,000
Recovered for a 60-year-old woman involved in a car accident. (Policy Limits)
$250,000
Recovered for a man hit by a semi-truck while operating a go-cart.
$240,000
Recovery for the injured party struck by another vehicle.
$235,000
Recovery for a person injured in a motor vehicle collision.
$235,000
Recovery for an inventory clerk injured when shelving toppled onto her.
$219,000
Recovery for a restaurant patron that slipped and fell in the bathroom.
$200,000
Recovered for an airline employee struck on the runway at O’Hare International Airport.
$190,000
Recovery for a person injured in a motor vehicle collision.
$175,000
Recovered for a child injured by fireworks at a fourth of July celebration.
$170,000
Recovered for a person injured when she slipped and fell exiting a major retail store.
$150,000
Recovered for a woman who fractured her leg when she was struck by a vehicle.
Latisha S.
Great service. They helped me get my money, and everyone was very pleasant even though the health insurance took a while. Everything was on point on Kryder’s side.
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