Broken Bones and Fractures from Farm Accidents in Kern County
A broken bone from a farm accident generally entitles an agricultural worker to workers’ compensation benefits, but in some cases, the worker can pursue more than that. When a defective ladder, defective machine, or another company’s negligence played a role in your injury, or if an employer illegally failed to carry workers’ compensation insurance, a personal injury claim may also be available. Knowing which of those situations applies can make the difference between partial wage replacement and full compensation for the injury.
Chain | Cohn | Clark has served Kern County since 1934 and handles agricultural injury cases in both English and Spanish. Workers’ compensation and personal injury protections in California apply regardless of immigration status.
How Farm Falls and Equipment Cause Bone Fractures
Most farm fractures are caused by a fall, a strike from equipment or materials, or a vehicle accident. In each case, the question that shapes the claim is what made the accident possible: a damaged ladder, untrained workers, unsafe ground, or a defective machine.
Ladder Falls
Harvesting and pruning almonds, citrus, and other tree crops means climbing ladders all day, often on soft or sloped ground while carrying a picking bag. California requires employers to inspect ladders, remove damaged ones from service, and train workers on safe setup and use before they climb. A ladder that was cracked, missing a foot, or set up without training points to the employer’s safety obligations, while a ladder that failed despite proper use can point to the manufacturer.
Slips and Falls on Uneven Ground
Irrigation ditches, muddy rows, loose soil, and debris in pathways make footing unreliable, especially in the low light of early-morning harvests. Fatigue and heat make a misstep more likely, which is why California’s heat illness rules require shade, water, and rest breaks for outdoor workers.
Equipment and Vehicles
Workers can be struck by bins, loaders, or moving machinery, or hurt climbing on and off tractors, harvesters, and trailers. Farm labor vehicles that carry crews between fields add another source of injury, and a crash caused by another driver can support a claim against that driver.
Common Fractures in Agricultural Accidents and How They Affect a Claim
The type and location of a fracture matter legally because they determine how long a worker is off the job, whether they can return to the same work, and how permanent disability is rated.
Wrist, Hand, and Arm Fractures
Catching a fall with an outstretched arm is one of the most common ways to break a wrist. For a picker or pruner, even a well-healed wrist fracture can reduce grip strength enough to limit the work they can return to.
Spinal Compression Fractures
A fall from a ladder onto the feet or buttocks can compress the vertebrae. These injuries can cause lasting lifting restrictions, which in farm work can mean a permanent change in the jobs a worker can perform.
Rib Fractures
Strikes from equipment, bins, or falls against hard edges commonly fracture ribs. Most heal with time, but the recovery period can keep a worker from performing physical labor for weeks.
Leg, Ankle, and Hip Fractures
A fall from height or a misstep into a ditch can fracture the ankle, leg, or hip. Fractures that require surgery and hardware often involve a long recovery and can affect a worker’s ability to stand and walk on uneven ground for full shifts.
Workers’ Compensation vs. Third-Party Claims for Farm Fractures
Workers’ compensation pays for medical treatment and a portion of lost wages regardless of who caused the accident, and it provides permanent disability benefits when a fracture leaves lasting limitations. It generally bars a lawsuit against the employer, and it does not pay for pain and suffering or the full value of lost earnings.
A personal injury claim can recover those losses when someone other than the employer is responsible. Depending on the accident, that can include the following parties:
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- Ladder and equipment manufacturers. A ladder or machine that failed because of a design or manufacturing defect can support a product liability claim. California applies strict liability to defective products, so the worker does not need to prove the manufacturer was careless.
- Other drivers and companies. A driver who caused a crash involving a farm labor vehicle, or another business whose crew created the hazard, can be held responsible for the injuries that resulted.
- An uninsured employer. California requires every employer to carry workers’ compensation insurance. An employer that illegally fails to do so loses the protection of the workers’ compensation system and can potentially be sued directly.
$22.1
million
Pedestrian Accident
$15
million
Products Liability Explosion
$11
million
Premises Liability
$10
million
Oilfield Accident
$10
million
Motorcycle Accident
$9
million
Industrial Accident
$8.8
million
Police Misconduct
$8
million
Pedestrian Accident
Frequently Asked Questions About Farm Accident Fractures
Possibly. You generally cannot sue your employer, but you may have a personal injury claim against a ladder or equipment manufacturer, a negligent driver, or another company that contributed to your injury. If your employer did not carry workers’ compensation insurance, you may be able to sue the employer directly.
Your employer may be partly right: workers’ compensation is usually the only claim you can bring against the employer itself. That does not prevent you from pursuing a claim against anyone else who caused or contributed to the accident, and an employer that lacks insurance or knowingly violated safety rules may owe more than standard benefits. An attorney can review what happened and identify every option available to you.
You can still receive workers’ compensation benefits through a state fund that covers workers whose employers were illegally uninsured. You may also be able to file a lawsuit against the employer, where the law presumes the employer was negligent. If a farm labor contractor hired you, the grower that used the contractor’s workers may share responsibility for the missing coverage.
Talk to a Kern County Farm Accident Lawyer Today
If you broke a bone in a farm accident, workers’ compensation may not be the only source of compensation available to you. Chain | Cohn | Clark can investigate the accident, confirm your employer’s insurance, identify every responsible party, and explain your options in English or Spanish. Contact Chain | Cohn | Clark today for a free consultation with a Kern County farm accident lawyer.
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