06 Jun, 2023/ by National Accident Helpline /News
Farming & agriculture accident compensation helps you get back on track
If you've had an agricultural work accident or suffered a farming injury, not only might you have experienced pain, but your work, life, and finances may have been damaged as a result. Recovering from an injury takes time and money that farmers often can't spare, but failing to heal fully before returning to work, or even every day life, can increase the risk of re-injury.
Read on to find out how you can claim compensation, which can help cover expenses for the rehabilitation services and equipment you need.
What are the most common farming injuries?
Accident types are varied within the agricultural industry. Farming injury causes range from slips, trips, and falls to machinery and equipment accidents. The main hazards that often cause accidents and injuries in agriculture are:
- Dust allergies and hypersensitivity (Farmer's Lung)
- Faulty Machinery
- Insufficient training on equipment usage
- Chemicals - burns, skin irritation, eye injury, internal damage
- Slip or trips
- Fall from height
Any of these accidents at work can cause injuries ranging from minor to life-changing. Getting the medical care that you need is the first step to recovery, and recommended treatment should not be ignored. Don't worry, we may be able to help you claim compensation to cover any necessary costs so you don't have to compromise your health.
How long does it take to heal from an injury?
Recovery duration depends on many factors including injury type, prior health conditions, personal circumstances, treatment, and any complications that may arise during the healing process. Some farming injuries and their impacts may unfortunately last a lifetime.
No matter your injury, early treatment and ongoing therapies will speed and maximise your recovery. There are various therapy types to aid recovery and promote rehabilitation including, physiotherapy, physical therapy, speech and language therapy, and more. It's crucial to utilise treatment and therapy options as much and as soon as possible. Studies show people who receive physiotherapy after two weeks of sustaining an injury often have faster recovery than those who wait or go without.
If you have suffered a recent farm injury, we recommend seeking professional medical advice on treatment and care to aid your recovery as soon as possible.
How do injuries affect your life?
Depending on the extent of your farm injury, various aspects of your life can suffer or change as a result of an accident at work.
You may be less physically capable and unable to do certain daily tasks that you used to - farming requires a lot of manual work and strength which are often depleted post-accident. You may be suffering cognitively and find you're more forgetful or struggle to do work-related problem-solving. You may find yourself unmotivated, stressing about money, suffering from anxiety, depression or PTSD, or struggling mentally.
Injuries drastically affect your physical, cognitive and mental health and can be challenging to cope with for you and your family/loved ones.
How can workplace injuries affect your family?
Each aspect of your life affected by a work injury may also affect your family. With an extensive injury, you may have taken time off of work and be financially unstable as a result. This can impact family life and sacrifices may have to be made from multiple family members. Your physical capabilities may require assistance from a spouse or loved one, which comes with mental challenges for all involved. Poor mental health can often make you distant, irritable, and disengaged and so your relationships could begin to break down at home if not nurtured properly.
Even the strongest families struggle when someone suffers an accident at work. If yours has been through any of these struggles, give us a call to talk through your accident and after effects - you may be owed compensation for psychological injuries as well as your accident.
What are the three types of injury rehabilitation?
There are multiple rehabilitation methods available for various types of injuries. The three main types of injury rehabilitation are:
Each therapy is more suitable for some injuries than others, but some people will require a mixture of therapy or special equipment to promote maximum recovery. Speak to your GP or medical professional about finding the right service for you.
How much does physiotherapy cost?
Physiotherapy is an excellent form of rehabilitation for bodily, muscular, or skeletal injuries. It helps flex and strengthen your body over time so you can get back to agricultural work, confident in your body's abilities.
You can get NHS physiotherapy referrals and be provided with a number of physio appointments (usually 2-6 in a course, but this varies) free of charge. As the NHS has been struggling for the last few years there are often longer wait times and fewer appointments available than before the pandemic.
Alternatively, you have the option to go private to a physiotherapist. According to Nuffield Health, physio appointments cost around £50-£60 and complete treatment courses range from £240 to £300.
Can you do physiotherapy on yourself?
Although you can find expert advice and physiotherapy exercises online, it's not tailored to your situation and you run the risk of making your injury worse from lacking knowledge and experience. You can do some physiotherapy to an extent on yourself at home provided you have done thorough research, and we recommend you have approval from your GP before starting.
What is injury rehabilitation equipment?
Injury rehabilitation equipments are machines and tools that can be used for exercises, physical support, and additional care functions. Equipment ranges within each therapy sector but can include walking sticks and canes, crutches, mobility walkers, mobility scooters, or even items as simple as a mat to stretch on. Prices vary drastically depending on the piece of equipment with mats costing £5-£10 and mobility equipment ranging in the thousands.
Rehabilitation equipment could be the difference between a successful recovery with less impact on your home life, and not fully healing and struggling in the process. Although it may be a large investment, you and your family deserve it. Plus we can help you claim against your employers' liability insurance to cover the costs in the long run.
Who pays compensation for accidents at work?
Employers' liability insurance is an essential business insurance which covers accidents at work resulting from employer negligence. By law, all employers (including agricultural employers) must have employers' liability insurance unless all employees are family members. If they fail to take out employers' liability insurance they can be fined up to £2,500 daily.
After making a successful claim, your compensation will be paid by the insurance company. Your employer will not be left out of pocket.
How to make a claim with National Accident Helpline
You can start your claim by calling us on or claiming online today. This is the first step in the claim process where we will discuss your accident, injuries, and any damages/losses/expenses you have incurred as a result. Our helpline advisors are friendly and knowledgeable; they'll give you the best start to your claim journey.
At the end of the discussion, we will be able to see if you're eligible to claim. If successful, we'll transfer you to our trusted panel of work injury solicitors who will continue to handle your claim with their expertise.
Last updated 06.06.23