A new Injuries Resolution Board report on personal injury claims arising from farm accidents has revealed some sobering realities about the risks faced by those working on or visiting farms in Ireland. Between 2019 and 2024, the Board handled 709 claims, and nearly one in four involved serious injuries, a significantly higher proportion of severe harm than in other workplaces. Over this period, awards totalled around €7.7 million, and in 2024 alone the median compensation for farm injuries was €34,802, more than double that of typical workplace injuries, underscoring both the severity of these incidents and the long-lasting impact they can have on victims and their families.
Animal-related incidents, especially involving cattle, made up a notable portion of claims, alongside a range of other common injuries such as back, ankle, wrist, and even psychological trauma. Most claimants were male, and a significant share were older workers, reflecting demographic patterns on Irish farms. While the total number of claims might seem relatively low compared to the hundreds of thousands employed in agriculture, the tragic inclusion of 11 fatalities in the report highlights the very real human cost behind the statistics. As a personal injury lawyer might emphasise, these findings not only underline the importance of robust safety measures on farms but also the need for those injured through no fault of their own to understand their legal rights and the compensation they may be entitled to pursue.
