Tractors pose serious threat to farmer safety in Illinois

 Posted on April 29, 2014 in Firm News

Farming is an important industry in Illinois and across the country, and it can also be one of the most dangerous. People who work in farming often operate heavy, complicated and powerful pieces of equipment that can cause catastrophic damage if something goes wrong.

Tractors in particular can prove to be deadly in a farm-related accident. Victims of tractor accidents can suffer broken bones, traumatic brain injuries or even death in the most serious incidences. Understanding what factors played a role in an accident can be crucial in getting victims and their families the help and compensation they may deserve. That is what two families may be struggling with now after two Illinois farmers were killed in separate tractor accidents recently.

Details on the tragedies are still scarce and there are likely investigations that need to be completed before families get the answers they need. 

However, what is known is that one man was killed after getting crushed between two different tractors on his farm. The second accident occurred when a tractor overturned, trapping an 81-year-old farmer. Overturned tractors are one of the most common farm-related accidents, accounting for about 44 percent of all fatal tractor accidents.

While these horrific accidents happened on different sites at different times, they serve as a grim reminder that tractor accidents are more common than many people may realize. In fact, they account for more fatalities on farms than any other type of accident.

Victims of tractor accidents in Illinois and their families have the right to seek answers in regards to what might have gone wrong. In some cases, tractors have a defective part or safety function that fails to work properly. Other accidents are caused by negligent operation. Still others may be caused by a third party, as may be the case in collisions with other vehicles.

Depending on the cause of an accident, it may be appropriate for injured people or their families to take legal action against a negligent party and pursue compensation. Money cannot undo the damage caused in these accidents, but it can give people affected by a farm-related accident the support and resources they need to cope and recover.

Source: The Associated Press, "2 farmers die in separate Ill. tractor accidents," April 25, 2014