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Tractors, balers, plows, and other agricultural vehicles may not have the speed of typical cars, but they’re still dangerous due to their size, weight, and extra parts that can snag people’s clothing, hair, or bodies. Unfortunately, many North Mississippi residents underestimate the dangers of accidents with agricultural vehicles. These collisions can have catastrophic consequences, but knowing what to watch for makes accidents less likely and prepares crash victims to defend their rights.
Examples of Agricultural Vehicles
Some agricultural vehicles you might find on or near Mississippi farms or rural areas include:
- Tractors
- Combine harvesters
- Cotton pickers
- Hay balers
- Forage harvesters
- Sprayers
- Seed drills
- Grain carts
- Manure spreaders
- Silage choppers
- Planters
- Plows, which can be self-propelled or pulled by tractors
- Skid loaders
- Irrigation rigs
Causes and Types of Agricultural Vehicle Accidents
Agricultural vehicle accidents come in many forms and stem from a wide range of causes, including:
- Collisions with passenger vehicles: Agricultural equipment often travels at slower speeds than regular traffic, which can lead to rear-end crashes or side impacts when drivers misjudge stopping distances or attempt to pass unsafely.
- Rollover accidents: Tractors and other tall equipment have high centers of gravity, which makes them prone to tipping over on uneven ground, steep inclines, or during sharp turns.
- Equipment entanglement: Moving parts such as balers, augers, or power take-off shafts can catch clothing or limbs, leading to severe injuries when operators or bystanders come into contact with them.
- Runovers: Agricultural vehicles can cause severe injuries to farmers, workers, or children when operators fail to see them near large machines. These incidents often happen when operators are backing up or moving in tight spaces, or when a farm vehicle has enormous tires that create blind spots for the operator all around the machine.
- Collisions at intersections: Operators sometimes must drive agricultural vehicles on or across public roads. Other drivers may not anticipate these vehicles’ slower speeds or wide turns, which can cause intersection crashes.
- Mechanical failures: Worn brakes, faulty steering, or tire blowouts on heavy machinery can cause operators to suddenly lose control and crash.
- Improper lighting or visibility: Many agricultural vehicles don’t have lights or reflective markings, which makes accidents more likely, particularly at dawn, dusk, or nighttime.
Who’s Liable for an Agricultural Vehicle Accident?
You can’t recover compensation for an agricultural vehicle accident until you identify who caused it. The potentially liable people and organizations in these cases can include:
- Farm owners or operators: Individuals or businesses who own or operate farms may be liable for an accident if they failed to maintain equipment properly, allowed unsafe practices, put untrained workers on the road with large machinery, or were careless in some other way.
- Equipment operators: Agricultural vehicle operators can be liable for accidents if they were driving recklessly, ignored traffic laws, or failed to pay attention to what was happening around them.
- Employers: If an agricultural worker caused a crash while they were on the job, their employer could also be liable for the accident.
- Manufacturers: Defective machinery parts, such as faulty brakes, steering systems, or safety features, can make the company that built or designed the equipment liable for an accident.
What To Do After a Mississippi Agricultural Vehicle Accident
Make sure you seek medical care after an accident and tell your doctor about all your injuries. Follow your doctor’s instructions, and keep detailed records of every appointment, prescription, and bill. It’s also smart to save copies of your insurance paperwork, accident reports, and any communication from the other party or their insurer.
Avoid speaking with insurance adjusters before you understand your rights, as they may push you into an unfair settlement. Finally, keep a journal of your recovery, including your daily pain levels and any limits on your activities.
Contact Our Hernando, MS, Injury Lawyers Now
At Chatham Gilder Howell Pittman PLLC, we understand the toll agricultural vehicle accidents can have on your life and your post-accident needs. We can handle all the legal work and fight to hold the responsible party accountable while you focus on healing. Call now or complete our contact form for a free consultation.
