The state of Georgia has a thriving agricultural industry, with many hardworking women and men operating on or around tractors and other farm equipment on a daily basis. Unfortunately, injuries involving these pieces of equipment do occur. If you or somebody you care about sustains an injury while operating a tractor or another piece of farm equipment in Georgia, you need to know what steps to take to help ensure that you recover compensation for your injuries and lost wages.
Most Common Agricultural Injuries Caused by Equipment?
Injuries caused by heavy equipment in an agricultural setting are not uncommon. Tractors, in particular, are particularly dangerous because they are so heavy and are often operated by those who do not have the training necessary to do so properly.
The biggest risk of injury comes from a tractor overturning onto workers. When this occurs, individuals can sustain major crush injuries, including broken bones, significant bleeding, and damage to internal organs. Tractor overturn victims can also experience compartment syndrome, which is when pressure rises inside of damaged tissue. Without immediate medical assistance, muscles, nerves, and vessels in these areas will begin to die.
Another major risk caused by heavy equipment in an agricultural setting is entanglements and amputations. The moving parts of heavy machinery can cause severe damage to the human body, and these injuries often happen unexpectedly and to individuals cannot get to an emergency shutoff button quickly. Arms, hands, fingers, and other parts of the body can become entangled or amputated by getting crushed, trapped, or caught in running machinery.
Take These Steps Immediately
If you or a loved one sustained an injury at a farm or agricultural facility in Georgia, there are various steps you can take to help ensure that you recover compensation for your losses. Often, agricultural employees are not covered by workers’ compensation. In fact, Georgia law does not require workers’ comp for those in agricultural settings. However, many employers voluntarily participate in the state’s workers’ compensation system.
- Medical care. The number one priority after sustaining an injury is seeking medical care. Even if you do not feel much pain right away after an injury occurs, you need to go to the doctor and let them conduct a complete evaluation.
- Reporting the injury. Regardless of whether or not an employer has workers’ compensation, you need to report the injury to a supervisor immediately. This will typically trigger an incident report, and this report will be necessary when it comes to recovering compensation through an insurance settlement or a personal injury lawsuit.
- Contacting a skilled lawyer. You need to contact a skilled work injury lawyer in Georgia who has experience handling agricultural setting claims. These cases can become complicated, but an attorney will use their resources to handle every aspect of the claim on your behalf.
- Continuing all medical treatment. Please continue all medical treatment until after a doctor says you have reached maximum medical improvement. Failing to do so could jeopardize your claim.
There are various routes towards recovering compensation after an agricultural injury occurs in Georgia. The experienced team of lawyers at Kam, Ebersbach & Lewis, P.C. will be able to offer a free evaluation and guide you towards the best path for recovering compensation. Contact us today.