Farming Accident Near Modesto Kills Teenager
A farming accident near Modesto on September 7 cost the life of a teenager as the ATV he was riding experienced a rollover in the orchard where he was working. He was ejected from the vehicle. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) reported that the accident happened near Keys Road and Hawkins Road at about 4:00 in the afternoon. Police officers and medics arrived at the scene to discover that the 16-year-old teen had passed away as a result of the accident.
Additional Information About the Accident
According to the Agriculture Department at Turlock High School, where the teen was a student, he was a member of the Future Farmers of America there. He was passionate about agriculture. He had participated in the Stanislaus County Fair last summer with an exhibit in a project for market hogs and looked forward to attending again this year. The teen was also interested in Ag Engineering and the Farm Power Team, which involves the operation of agricultural equipment. He was hoping to compete against other FFA chapter entrants in their event.
What an Attorney Can Do for You
Rollovers are one of the most common causes of injury or death in an ATV due to defective design. Other problems such as brake failure, tire blowouts, and poorly maintained trails can contribute. Brake, tire, and design failures are all due to manufacturer negligence. Because of this, product liability can be lodged against the manufacturer. If the trails are not maintained, the owner of private or commercial property or a government agency in charge of maintenance can be held responsible. Finally, employers are obligated to provide adequate safety training to workers. We dispatch our investigative team to the accident site to delve into why it happened. Once the data is accumulated, our lawyers build a strong case against a responsible party.
Grief After a Farming Accident
For parents, the grief they feel after losing a child is overwhelming. We understand that because most of us have children of our own. Dealing with grief is often a delicate balance of letting it take its course and doing something to alleviate some of the side effects. One of the significant things you need to watch out for is your health. Your strength is needed in a time like this to help others in your family deal with the loss. Eating right and overcoming sleeplessness are major obstacles. It is also essential to talk to each other, not just about the person you lost but about the accident. Finally, many parents and siblings feel anger that a young person was taken away too soon from them. Filing a wrongful death claim is a way to hold the negligent person accountable for the loss of a loved one. It may also help bring a sense of closure for the family. Talk to a personal injury lawyer in Turlock about whether you can file. He or she is there to help you through this challenging time.
Farming Accidents
California is the leader in crop production around the country, which provides America’s tables with fresh fruit, vegetables, and grains. However, the field of agriculture is one of the most dangerous. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 417 farm workers and farmers died in 2016 as a result of a farming accident. Incidents involving transportation, including overturned vehicles, were the main cause of these fatalities. In addition to overturned vehicles, some of the other most common types of farm accidents include:
- Falls from farm equipment such as hay mows, grain bins, and ladders
- Entanglement in a piece of equipment such as a PTO shaft or auger
- Suffocation fatalities where the worker may end up trapped in a silo or grain bin
- Animal injuries such as a kick from a cow or horse
Liability in a Farming Accident
Some farming accidents could be prevented if adequate safety measures were employed. In some cases involving farm equipment, the owner or manufacturer of the equipment may be held liable for the following negligence:
- Employees are not adequately trained to use the equipment.
- The owner, operator, or another employee has removed safety devices from the machinery.
- Lack of safety warnings on the product.
- The equipment being used is either defective or broken. In cases such as these, the manufacturer and others may be held liable through a product liability claim.
Wrongful Death Lawyers in Turlock
I’m Ed Smith, a Turlock Wrongful Death Lawyer. Losing a loved one is a heartbreaking experience. The unexpected loss may be even more challenging to come to terms with when it could have been prevented. If your loved one passed away due to negligence, you may be able to place a claim for fair compensation for that loss. Although it will not bring your loved one back, it can help financially. Please phone me at (209) 227-1931 in the Turlock area or through my toll-free line at (800) 404-5400 if calling from elsewhere in Northern California. You can also reach me online.
As an injury lawyer in California, I’m honored to be a member of:
- The Million Dollar Advocates is composed of only those lawyers who have won more than one million dollars for a client.
- The National Association of Distinguished Counsel represents lawyers who uphold the highest standards of excellence in the law.
Since 1982, I’ve helped many Turlock clients obtain the compensation they deserve from all types of car accidents, brain injuries, and other traumas.
Visit the following sites to look over my clients’ comments and reviews as well as some cases handled by my law firm:
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