Farm Equipment Accidents: Country Boy

Farms remain the center of family life for many Americans all across the country. From California to upstate New York, from Texas to Wisconsin, farmers are the backbone of the country. This style of living, though nowhere near as common as it was fifty or a hundred years ago, is still beloved by many people. Because of the strong family focus that is often at the center of these farms, it isn’t uncommon for everyone to be at work in the fields. Even children can be put to work, and the children who are too young can still be carried out to the field to watch mom, dad, brother and sister work.

When young kids accompany their parents into the field, it is important that the same types of rules that are followed in the family home are followed on the farm. Safety must always come first. That means:

• Making sure someone always has an eye on the child
• Not allowing the child to get too near potentially dangerous livestock
• Not letting the child get too near machinery

Unfortunately, a father in Minneapolis might have forgotten these important rules. On October 27th, he let his three-year-old son ride on the tractor with him. Both child and father exited the vehicle at the same time, meaning no one had an eye on the child for a few precious seconds, just long enough for the child to approach a tiller and be pulled inside.

It is easy to blame the family in these situations, but even if the father had been more aware there is no guarantee things would have played out too differently. Tillers are notoriously dangerous, and if they catch even a small part of a person’s clothing they can yank the person into their murderous blades.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a farming accident, it is important that a full investigation take place to determine the cause of the injuries. Oftentimes there is a mechanical malfunction that leads to the accident, but people are too busy placing blame on the family to even look for the real cause. These investigations can be difficult to manage and understand. Contact a qualified attorney to guide you through the process.