A farm can be a very dangerous environment to work in, and your employer must take the appropriate steps to ensure your safety. Where they fail to do so, and you are injured as a result, you could be entitled to make a farming injury claim.
Many of our farm accident solicitors are considered leaders in the field with a significant amount of expertise in farm injury claims and farm accident compensation.
Farms can often be dangerous places to work. Large animals, heavy machinery and hazardous chemicals all contribute to a high level of risk, so it is important that your employer (whether the farm owner or a contractor) ensures the correct health and safety procedures are in place to keep you as safe as possible while you work.
Where procedures aren’t followed and employees are put at risk, the consequences can be dire. According to a report published by the Health and Safety Executive, farmers are nearly four times as likely to be injured at work than anyone else.
Importantly, it isn’t just employees that are at risk; visitors and guests at a farm, including children, can also be at risk if precautions aren’t taken.
Suffering an injury while working on a farm can have wide ranging implications, from dealing with pain and discomfort to needing to take time out of work to recover. If you’ve been injured in the course of your employment and it wasn’t your fault, you could be entitled to make a farm injury claim.
What are the most common causes of farm accidents?
While tractor accidents are the type of accident that usually make the headlines, there are many other hazards on most modern farms, making farming an extremely dangerous industry in Britain. These include:
Tractors, trailers and forklift trucks
Quad bikes
Cattle and other livestock
Falls from barns and haystacks
Falling objects in stores and barns
Dangerous chemicals
Falling into grain silos and slurry pits
There are many more hazards, which require proper health and safety procedures to be followed to avoid injuries. If you or a loved one have been harmed while on a farm, talk to one of our farming industry specialists about making a farm injury claim.
Farms are often very busy environments; with so many different hazards to protect against, there are a variety of injuries that could be sustained if the proper care isn’t taken. Some of the most common injuries claimed for include:
Burns and scalds
Neck or back injuries
Fractured or broken bones
Soft tissue injuries
Asbestos-related illnesses (such as asbestosis or mesothelioma)
Farmer’s lung (a type of hypersensitivity pneumonitis caused by the inhalation of dust from mouldy hay or straw)
This list is by no means exhaustive, and if you or a loved one has suffered an injury or illness on a farm due to someone else’s negligence, you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation, regardless of what type of injury or illness you’ve suffered from.
To establish your full legal position, contact our solicitors to discuss your farm accident claim. Call our team on 0330 041 5869 or get in touch online.
How can a farm accident claim support my recovery?
Suffering an injury on a farm can have serious ramifications, not only physically, but financially, emotionally and psychologically, for you and your loved ones. These factors will be taken into consideration when the amount of compensation due is determined.
While compensation cannot undo what has happened, it will help in meeting the costs of:
Any financial losses (including time needed out of work to recover, travel expenses, etc)
The cost of any medical treatment required (including therapy or counselling)
Any accommodation costs or adaptations required to your home
Other expenses incurred as a result of your injury
What evidence do I need to make a farm accident claim?
Evidence helps show what happened, who was responsible and how the injury has affected you. For farm accident claims, this often includes accident book entries, maintenance records for machinery, risk assessments and training records.
Medical records also play a key role, as these will provide important details about how your injuries were caused and their impact on your day-to-day life. This will be used to assess the level of farm injury compensation you may be entitled to. Photographs of the accident scene, equipment involved or visible injuries can also be valuable, as can statements from colleagues or witnesses.
You don’t need to gather all this evidence yourself. Our experienced farm accident solicitors will handle this on your behalf, taking the pressure off you while ensuring nothing is missed.
We understand the physical, emotional and financial strain that follows a farm accident, not just for the injured person but for their family too. If you have been injured and are unsure whether you can claim, we’re here to help you understand your options and take the next step towards recovery and financial security.
To start your farm injury claim, call us on 0330 041 5869 or get in touch online to speak to a member of the team about the details of your case.
We’ll assess your case and, if we think you have a claim, we’ll talk you through the process and your funding options (most of our accident at work claims are pursued on a No Win No Fee basis).
To support your claim, we’ll help you gather all the relevant evidence, including accessing your medical records (with your permission) and arranging for you to have a medical examination with an independent expert who specialises in providing medical evidence to the court.
As part of your claim, we’ll ensure you have access to the best quality treatment, rehabilitation and physiotherapy, where appropriate, to maximise your chances of a full recovery and future independence.
Once we’ve collected all the information we need, we’ll submit a Letter of Claim to the responsible party. Your solicitor will keep you up to date with your claims progress and will handle all negotiations, working hard to secure the best possible result.
In most cases, negotiations will lead to a successful conclusion of a claim. However, there are occasions when a settlement cannot be reached, and the matter must go to court so a judge can rule on the case.
Why choose Slater and Gordon’s farm accident solicitors?
Employers have a moral and legal obligation to ensure the health and wellbeing of their employees and visitors to their premises to the best of their ability, particularly in incredibly hazardous environments such as farms. While it is nearly impossible to entirely remove the risk of injury, employers must take every reasonable step to prevent accidents from occurring. Where this obligation is not met, the consequences can be severely damaging, both physically and psychologically.
Our industry-leading farm accident solicitors have received high rankings from reputable independent legal guides, such as Chambers and Partners and The Legal 500
We’re accredited by The Law Society's Lexcel program, recognising that we adhere to the highest standards of professionalism and ensure our clients benefit from our expertise.
We pride ourselves on taking a holistic approach to every case that goes far behind legal support, why we work closely with medical professionals to determine the impact of your injuries in the long-term and identify any additional support and rehabilitation you may need.
We pursue farm accident claims on a No Win No Fee basis, which means there is no upfront cost and you won’t owe us a penny in legal fees if your case is unsuccessful.
Frequently asked questions about farm accident claims
Will I lose my job if I make a farm accident claim?
No. Under UK law, employers are not allowed to dismiss staff who make a personal injury claim against their business.
We know that many people can feel uncomfortable with the idea of making a claim against an employer, and often it is the thought of the added cost to the business (and the implications for their boss) that concerns them. It is important to remember that businesses in the UK are required to have liability insurance, which will cover the cost of any claim you make against your employer.
Can I make a farming injury claim if I am a self-employed farm worker?
Yes. Self-employed farm workers are often contracted by larger companies, who are responsible for ensuring that your working environment is as safe as possible. If they have failed to make the correct checks, or take appropriate measures to ensure your safety, they are responsible for any accident that occurs, and you may be entitled to make a claim.
How much compensation could I receive for an accident on a farm?
Every farm injury claim is different, and the final figure for compensation depends upon the seriousness of the injury, as well as how much it might affect your ability to work in the future, and how much any rehabilitation might cost.
However, we take most farming injury cases on a No Win No Fee basis and seek interim payments to help you avoid hardship if you are prevented from working by your injuries.
How long do I have to make a farm accident claim?
In the UK, you have three years from the date of the accident to make a farm accident claim. However, there are exceptions, such as if you're claiming on behalf of someone who has diminishing mental capacity, the accident happened abroad, or in the tragic circumstances where there is a death.
Yes, you may be able to make a farm injury claim if you were injured by farm machinery due to unsafe conditions, faulty equipment, or poor health and safety practices.
Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, employers and farm owners have a legal responsibility to keep their employees safe. This includes ensuring that all machinery, such as tractors, combine harvesters, and balers, is well maintained and safe to use, and that all employees have had appropriate training before operating any machinery.
If your employer has failed to meet these criteria and you have been injured as a result, you may be entitled to claim compensation to support your recovery, cover any income you have lost, and help you move forward.
Speak to one of our experienced farm accident solicitors to discuss your case. Call us on 0330 041 5869 or get in touch online to request a call back.
Can I make a claim on behalf of someone else?
In certain circumstances, it may be possible for you to make a farm accident claim on behalf of a loved one. For example, you may be able to claim on behalf of someone who lacks the mental capacity to manage their own legal affairs, or if you have lost a loved one after an accident on a farm.
These cases can be sensitive and complex. Our team approaches every claim with care and compassion, ensuring families are supported while their legal rights are protected. To learn more or to discuss your circumstances in more detail, call us on 0330 041 5869 or get in touch online.
Can I make a No Win No Fee farm accident claim?
Yes, you can. Most of the farm injury claims we pursue are funded by a Conditional Fee agreement, more commonly known as No Win No Fee. Under this agreement, there is no upfront cost to making a claim and you won’t pay any legal fees if your case is unsuccessful.
If your claim succeeds, a small success fee will be deducted from your compensation. This will be clearly explained from the outset, so you’ll never be faced with unexpected costs.
To learn more about making a No Win No Fee farm accident claim, speak to our team on 0330 041 5869 or get in touch online to request a call back.
How long will my farm accident claim take to settle?
The time it takes to resolve farm injury claims can vary depending on the complexity of the case, how serious the injury is and whether liability is admitted early on. Straightforward claims involving minor injuries may settle within several months, while more serious or disputed cases can take longer.
Where a farm accident has resulted in serious injury, it can take time before a full prognosis of your recovery can be determined. Understanding what your recovery is expected to look like is crucial to ensuring your compensation reflects the full impact of the injury. Rushing a settlement can risk leaving you under‑compensated if symptoms persist or worsen.
Our experienced farm accident solicitors work hard to progress every farming injury claim as efficiently as possible while ensuring the outcome truly meets your needs, both now and in the future.
Can I make a claim if I was injured by livestock?
Yes, injuries caused by livestock are a common reason for farm accident claims. Cattle, horses, sheep and pigs can behave unpredictably, particularly during lambing or calving season, or when protecting young.
Under the Animals Act 1971 and health and safety law, farmers and livestock handlers have a duty to manage animals safely and reduce known risks. If you were injured because animals were not properly supervised, contained or assessed for risk, you may be entitled to farm injury compensation.
Will I need to go to court as part of my claim?
Most farm accident claims are settled outside of court, meaning it’s very unlikely you’ll need to attend a court hearing as part of your claim. Claims are most commonly settled through negotiation with your employer’s insurer once liability has been established and the evidence can be assessed.
There are rare cases where court proceedings may be issued, usually because liability is disputed or we’re unable to reach an agreement on the amount of compensation owed. However, even after proceedings have been issued, we’ll continue to communicate and negotiate with the other party as it is often still possible to reach a settlement before the final hearing.
Where a court hearing is required, your dedicated farm accident solicitor will guide and support you throughout the process, ensuring you always know what to expect and feel prepared to move forward.
Can I make a farm accident claim if I was a visitor?
Farm owners owe a duty of care not only to workers but also to visitors under the Occupiers’ Liability Acts of 1957 and 1984. This includes customers, contractors, delivery drivers, school groups and members of the public. Even where risks are inherent, such as in open farm attractions, reasonable steps must still be taken to keep visitors safe.
If you were injured while visiting a farm because of unsafe surfaces, inadequately supervised animals, poorly maintained equipment or a lack of warning signs, you may be entitled to make a farm accident claim.
What if I’m a seasonal worker?
Yes. Seasonal and temporary workers have the same rights to safety and farm injury compensation as permanent employees. Employers must provide proper training, suitable equipment and a safe working environment regardless of how long you are employed.
Many farming injury claims arise during busy harvest or lambing periods when seasonal workers may be less familiar with equipment or procedures. If you were injured because you were not properly trained or supervised, or were pressured to work unsafely, you may be eligible to make a claim.
What if I caused the accident?
This will depend on the circumstances of the accident. If you were solely at fault for the accident, it’s unlikely you will be entitled to compensation. However, if fault is shared between you and your employer, you could be eligible to make a claim. This is known as contributory negligence.
If, for example, you made a mistake but were working with faulty equipment, inadequate training, or unrealistic deadlines, responsibility may be shared. Any compensation awarded may be reduced to reflect your contribution, but this does not automatically prevent a claim.
To learn more or to establish your full legal position, speak to our expert farm accident lawyers today on 0330 041 5869 or get in touch online.
Really helpful and always on the other side of the phone if needed. Quick and easy service. Ashley
Everything is moving along quickly and smoothly. Good professional service I'm glad I chose Slater and Gordon. Kenny Jackson