Mississippi Workers’ Comp for Agricultural and Farm Workers

Workers’ comp can be a concern for agricultural workers. Farm and agriculture workers usually work in a dangerous environment where they are exposed to different types of risks such as toxic chemicals, unbearable heat, and dirty and unhygienic conditions. If you are a farmer and the requirement of your job is to work with bulky machinery and equipment, it could become the cause of serious injuries.

When a worker is injured or dies while working, the farm owner or the agricultural company owner is held responsible because of their negligence. We are there to protect the rights of any person injured during work and have them benefit from Mississippi workers’ comp.

There were 59 workplace fatalities in 2019 for Mississippi, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. It was noted by the regional commissioner that there is a decline in the number of work-related fatalities in Mississippi to 24% from 78% in 2018.

Not Being Entitled to Mississippi Workers’ Comp:

Even though working on a farm is hazardous, most farmers are unable to get their workers’ compensation, which is their right. This means workers who lose their lives in an accident that happened where they work cannot get their partial benefits from lost wages, their medical expenses, and even benefit for their loved ones after death.

Farmers are most often excused when they ask for workers’ compensation. Mississippi law does not require the company owner to provide workers’ compensation coverage but if some employer is willing to provide them compensation, they are permitted by all means.  

Farmers who suffered an injury because of an accident that occurred on their job and whose employers are not providing them with the workers’ compensation coverage are eligible to file a personal injury claim against the owner. Filing a complaint can be beneficial as their injury can be compensated along with their medical care expenses, pain, mental suffering, and lost wages. 

However, workers’ compensation covers a few jobs within the agricultural industry which include:

• Plant workers’ processing
• Production of machine and equipment
• Sales and marketing
• Construction work

Based on the nature of your work and your injury, you may be entitled to benefits.

Examples of Workplace Injuries and Accidents that Can Happen in the Farming and Agricultural Industry:

There are a few guidelines that should be followed as stated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for farm operations. The following list includes some of the main hazards that a farmworker faces on a daily routine: 

• Risk of the vehicle rollover
• Dangerous and faulty equipment 
• Musculoskeletal injuries
• Falls 
• Being exposed to pesticides and other toxic chemicals 
• Heat-related illnesses 
• Falling from a ladder 
• Silos and grain silos 
• Respiratory hazards 
• Infections infested through an animal 
• Loud noises 
• Electrical hazards

Third-Party Claims for Damages Caused by Defective Equipment: 

If a piece of defective equipment caused serious injuries to the farmworker, they are lawfully entitled to pursue legal actions against the company that manufactured the equipment. Moreover, any other trader in the trade chain between the manufacturer and the consumer who delivered the product can be held liable for delivering the equipment unchecked.

The allowance of the workers only offers partial wage replacements compensation. Even though, the law allows covering the damages for full wage replacement, emotional distress, and pain and sufferings.

Work with a Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Lawyer to Claim Compensation for Injuries:

Farming can be dangerous, therefore, to be able to protect their workers from an injury in the event of an accident, farmer-owners might choose to purchase liability insurance. It can save a lot of money and can be a cheaper option than leaving your workers who work hard unprotected and subsequently facing a lawsuit when your worker gets injured. 

Mississippi workers’ comp lawyers understand how hard it can be if involved in a lawsuit for compensation of workers injured while working on a farm. Every employer has to provide their employees with a safe and risk-free environment where they can work without the fear of getting injured.

In the agriculture sector, guaranteeing a safe environment might seem impossible as there can always be some kind of danger. But if any worker is injured, they can be held responsible for injury and other losses of the worker.

Call Our Mississippi Lawyers to Start the Workers’ Compensation Claim Process: 

If you are injured while working on a farm, make sure your employer’s insurance company does not get to exploit you. Get the Mississippi workers’ comp that you deserve. Call us today for a free consultation and we’ll be sure to look into your case.