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Agricultural and Farming Accident Compensation Claims in Scotland

Farming is one of the most dangerous industries in Scotland. If you have been injured in an agricultural accident that was not your fault, you may be entitled to significant compensation. Call Lawford Kidd on 0131 225 5214 or complete our online contact form for a free initial discussion, and one of our personal injury solicitors will tell you whether you have a claim worth pursuing.

Anyone who works in farming knows the risks. Livestock can behave unpredictably, heavy machinery such as combine harvesters and crop sprayers can cause devastating injuries, and farm buildings frequently present hazards of their own, from fragile roofs to stored chemicals and asbestos. Farms sit far from hospitals in many cases, which makes serious injuries all the more dangerous. At Lawford Kidd, we have particular experience in handling compensation claims arising from farming and agricultural accidents across Scotland, and you receive 100% of the compensation awarded with no success fee.

What Your Employer Must Do to Keep You Safe

If you are employed on a farm, Scots law places your employer under a duty to take reasonable care for your safety. This duty is an implied term of your employment contract and applies whether or not it is written down. In practice, it requires your employer to do several things.

Put Good Working Practices in Place

Farm operators must account for the nature of the work their staff carry out. You should be properly trained in handling animals and in operating equipment such as harvesters, sprayers, quad bikes and telehandlers. Regular health and safety inspections should take place, and you should be shown how to identify and avoid dangers, from isolating faulty machinery to flagging concerns about livestock behaviour. Where construction work happens on the farm, proper precautions must be taken, particularly for work at height on farm building roofs, which are built to keep weather out rather than bear a person's weight.

Provide a Safe Working Environment

Agricultural work frequently brings employees into contact with hazardous substances: chemical feed additives, fertilisers, pesticides and, in older buildings, asbestos. Your employer is not expected to remove every danger, but they must take steps to reduce the risk. That includes supplying protective equipment such as overalls, gloves and respiratory protection, and training you to use it properly.

Employ Competent Workers

Farming is highly specialised work. Operators must employ people who can do their jobs without putting colleagues at risk. You should never have to work in fear that a colleague's carelessness will injure you. Where an employee's negligence harms a co-worker, the employer can be held responsible.

If your employer has fallen short in any of these areas and you have been injured, you can raise a claim for compensation.

What You Need to Prove

The law does not demand that farmers prevent every possible harm. It asks that they take reasonable care for your safety. In deciding what was reasonable, a court looks at the circumstances of your accident and at standard practice in the farming industry: how animals of that type are ordinarily handled, and what would normally be done about equipment known to be faulty or dangerous. Your solicitor gathers the evidence needed to show your employer fell below that standard, including accident reports, witness statements, training records, maintenance logs and medical evidence.

What Compensation Can You Claim?

Compensation aims to put you back, so far as money can, in the position you would have been in had the accident never happened. In Scotland your claim can include:

  • Pain and suffering

    Known as solatium, this reflects the severity of your injuries, the discomfort you have endured and any pain or limitation you will face in the future.

  • Financial losses

    Lost wages form the core of this element, covering both earnings already lost and future losses if your injury stops you working. The calculation can include the cost of long-term medical care, rehabilitation, travel expenses and help provided by family members.

Time limits apply. In Scotland you have three years from the date of your accident, or from when you first became aware of your injury, to raise court proceedings. Courts are reluctant to extend this limit, so acting quickly protects your right to claim.

How to Make Your Farming Accident Claim: Step by Step

  1. Speak to Our Solicitors

    Call 0131 225 5214 or complete our online contact form. We will discuss your accident, answer your questions and tell you whether you have a claim.

  2. Free Assessment of Your Claim

    One of our personal injury solicitors reviews how your accident happened, explains your legal options and sets out the next steps in plain language.

  3. We Gather the Evidence

    We collect the material that builds a strong case, including medical records, an independent medical report, witness statements, accident reports, training and maintenance records, and proof of lost earnings.

  4. We Value Your Compensation

    Your solicitor assesses your claim under Scots law, covering your injuries, your financial losses and the longer-term impact on your working life.

  5. We Negotiate Your Settlement

    Most farming accident claims in Scotland settle through negotiation without a court hearing. Should court proceedings become necessary, your solicitor represents you at every stage.

  6. You Receive Your Compensation

    Once your claim resolves successfully, you receive 100% of the compensation awarded with no success fee.

No Win No Fee Farming Accident Claims

At Lawford Kidd, we act on a no win no fee basis. You pay no upfront legal fees, and you pay nothing if your claim does not succeed. When your claim succeeds, you receive 100% of the compensation awarded with no success fee. Many firms deduct a percentage of your award when a claim settles. We do not. If you have been awarded compensation for your injuries, that money belongs to you.

Meet Your Personal Injury Solicitors

Derek Carrigan

Partner and Personal Injury Solicitor

Rated 5 stars from more than 50 client reviews on ReviewSolicitors, Derek Carrigan has many years of experience helping people pursue personal injury claims throughout Scotland. He is committed to helping clients recover 100% of the compensation awarded with no success fee.

Bethany Roby

Personal Injury Solicitor

Rated 5 stars from more than 25 client reviews on ReviewSolicitors, Bethany Roby has many years of experience advising clients on personal injury claims across Scotland. She provides practical legal advice and helps clients recover 100% of the compensation awarded with no success fee.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, if your employer failed to take reasonable care, such as providing faulty equipment or inadequate training. Your solicitor will assess the circumstances.

You are legally protected from dismissal or mistreatment for making a genuine claim. Most claims are paid by your employer's insurance, not the farm itself.

Yes. Injuries caused by cattle, bulls or other animals can lead to a claim where safe handling practices were not followed or risks were not managed.

You usually have three years from the date of the accident, or from when you first became aware of your injury, to raise court proceedings in Scotland.

You may still have a claim. Farm operators owe duties to contractors, casual staff and visitors, not just permanent employees. Ask us about your situation.

Contact Our Farming Accident Lawyers in Edinburgh

If you have been injured in an agricultural or farming accident that was not your fault, Lawford Kidd can help. Our solicitors act for clients across rural Scotland and will guide you from first enquiry through to final settlement. You keep 100% of the compensation awarded with no success fee.

Call 0131 225 5214 today or complete our online contact form to arrange your free initial consultation.

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