DeSoto County Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
The goal in a work injury claim is simple: get the right doctor, get your medical bills paid, and keep a paycheck coming while you heal. Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe PLLC is a workers’ compensation law firm that represents injured workers across Mississippi and Louisiana, and a DeSoto County workers’ compensation lawyer from our team can take over the fight with your employer and its insurer from the first phone call.
DeSoto County sits at the top of Mississippi’s warehouse and freight corridor. Workers in Southaven, Olive Branch, Horn Lake, and Hernando load trucks, run forklifts, drive tractor-trailers, and build the subdivisions that keep spreading south from the Tennessee line. Those jobs are hard on backs, shoulders, and knees, and insurers know it. They also know that a worker who is hurting, behind on bills, and unsure of the rules is easier to pressure.
Your claim is not heard in a county courtroom. Mississippi workers’ compensation cases belong to the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission, and knowing how that system moves is the first advantage you can have.
Why Choose Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe for a DeSoto County Work Injury Claim
Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe PLLC handles injured-worker claims in Mississippi and Louisiana, including DeSoto County, Southaven, Olive Branch, and the rest of north Mississippi. Most lawyers who take comp cases are personal injury attorneys who see a work injury only when one walks in. Our practice is built the other way around: workers’ compensation sits at the center of what we do, and our attorneys bring over 75 years of combined experience to claims that have been denied, delayed, or cut off. The firm has recovered more than $100 million in settlements for clients, and the work is no recovery, no fee. Consultations are free, we advance the costs of the case, and our phones are answered 24 hours a day. Hablamos español.
The people doing the work matter. Rob Lunsford, Founding Partner, has spent his entire legal career representing injured workers. Brad Baskin and Jennifer Priebe, both Partners, have been recognized by Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, and The National Trial Lawyers, and the firm was ranked by Best Law Firms in 2026 for Workers’ Compensation Law, Claimants, in Jackson. Andrew Rueff has tried dozens of jury and bench trials to verdict and regularly appears before the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission. Keaton Belk and Erin Heimlicher round out the attorney team.
Results show what that focus produces. We recovered $685,000 for a surgical tech with a lower back injury, $600,000 for a construction worker with a complex back injury, $385,000 for a project manager injured when his work vehicle was struck, and $221,000 for a land-based oil rig worker with severe burns. Those are back, spine, and heavy-labor injuries, the same kinds of injuries that come out of distribution centers and job sites in DeSoto County. Clients tell us what they notice most: a team that listens, stays professional, and stands up to the insurance company at every step.
Injuries and Claims We See From North Mississippi Workplaces
- Warehouse and Distribution Center Injuries: Lifting, repetitive motion, and forklift or pallet-jack accidents at the large fulfillment and logistics facilities around Southaven and Olive Branch commonly produce herniated discs, hernias, and shoulder tears. Coverage in Mississippi begins on the first day of employment, so a new hire is protected too.
- Truck Driving Accidents: Drivers hauling freight through Interstate 55, Interstate 69, and Highway 78 can be hurt in wrecks, loading-dock falls, or while securing cargo. When another driver caused the crash, a separate personal injury claim may exist alongside the comp claim.
- Back, Neck, and Spine Injuries: Lumbar and cervical disc herniations are the injuries insurers fight hardest. When they blame degenerative disc disease, we use medical evidence and work history to show the job caused or worsened the condition.
- Shoulder and Knee Injuries: Torn rotator cuffs, SLAP tears, ACL tears, and meniscus tears are common in construction, stocking, and driving work, including cases where the employer labels the damage an old sports injury.
- Construction Site Injuries: Residential and commercial building across the county brings falls, crush injuries, fractures, and burns, often with complex surgical repair and long recoveries.
- Fractures: Broken feet, ankles, hips, and other bones frequently require specialists and extended time away from work, which makes wage benefits and medical authorization critical.
- Firefighter and First Responder Claims: Hypertension, heart and lung disease, hepatitis, hearing loss, posttraumatic stress, and cancer tied to the job can all support a claim.
- Third-Party Injury Claims: A negligent driver, contractor, or equipment owner outside your employer may owe you additional compensation beyond comp benefits.
What to Do After a Work Injury in DeSoto County
Report the injury to your employer right away, in writing if you can. Mississippi gives you 30 days from the accident to give notice, and missing that window hands the insurer an easy argument. Do not wait to see whether the pain fades.
Get medical care and tell every provider the injury happened at work. Describe how it happened, not just where it hurts. Records that say “back pain, unknown cause” are what insurers quote back to you later when they deny the claim. Keep copies of everything: discharge papers, work restrictions, pay stubs, and the names of anyone who saw the accident.
Then watch the calendar. Reporting to your employer does not file your claim. In Mississippi you generally have two years from the date of injury, or from the last compensation payment, to file a Petition to Controvert with the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission. If no disability benefits were paid within two years and no claim was filed, the right to benefits is barred. The notice and limitations rules appear in Miss. Code 71-3-35. Because DeSoto County work injuries are heard by the Commission and not a county court, your case goes to an Administrative Judge for an evidentiary hearing.
Expect the insurer to call you early. The adjuster may sound friendly and ask for a recorded statement. Be careful. Stick to facts, do not guess about prior injuries, and talk to a lawyer before giving a statement about anything contested. Do not return to work against your doctor’s restrictions because the employer or adjuster says light duty is available; get that offer in writing and have your doctor approve it.
If the Administrative Judge rules against you, the Full Commission can review the record made at the hearing. That review is not a new trial, which is why the evidence built at the first hearing matters so much. After a final award, a party may appeal within 30 days to the Mississippi Supreme Court, which often sends the case to the Mississippi Court of Appeals. The appeal is decided on the record, so there is no second chance to add witnesses.
How Mississippi Wage and Medical Benefits Work
Benefits fall into two buckets. The first is medical: all reasonable and necessary treatment for the work injury, including surgery, therapy, and prescriptions. The second is wage replacement. For temporary or permanent total disability, the weekly benefit is two-thirds of your average weekly wage, up to a statutory weekly maximum, for up to 450 weeks. Permanent partial disability payments in the “other cases” category also cannot run longer than 450 weeks. The weekly maximum is adjusted over time, so ask us what applies to your injury date.
Insurers use a familiar set of arguments to cut this off: the accident was not work-related, the condition was already there, you were released to work too early, or payments simply stop with no warning. We build each case with medical evidence, witness accounts, and work history so each of those arguments has an answer.
Frequently Asked Questions About DeSoto County Workers’ Compensation
Do I need a lawyer for a DeSoto County workers’ compensation claim?
Not every claim needs one, but if benefits have been denied, delayed, reduced, or cut off, or if your injury will keep you out of work for a long time, an attorney can change the outcome. The insurer has adjusters and lawyers protecting its interests. You should have someone protecting yours.
How much does it cost to hire your firm?
Nothing up front. Consultations are free, we advance the costs of your case, and we are paid only if we recover benefits or a settlement. Attorney fees in workers’ compensation cases are limited and approved under state law.
How long do I have to report my injury?
Mississippi requires you to notify your employer within 30 days of the accident. Report it immediately and in writing whenever possible so there is a clear record.
How long do I have to file my claim?
Generally two years from the date of injury or the last compensation payment, by filing a Petition to Controvert with the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission. Exceptions can apply when benefits have already been paid, so speak to an attorney early.
Does my employer have to carry workers’ compensation coverage?
In Mississippi, employers with five or more employees must provide coverage. Coverage begins on your first day on the job, with no waiting period and no minimum earnings requirement.
Can I be fired for filing a claim?
Mississippi protects workers from retaliation for filing a comp claim. If you were let go or punished after reporting an injury, tell us during your consultation so we can review your options.
What if my injury was caused by a pre-existing condition?
A pre-existing condition does not automatically end a claim. If your job caused, worsened, or accelerated the condition, you may still be entitled to benefits. Answering that argument with strong medical evidence is a core part of our work.
I live in DeSoto County but was hurt at a job in Louisiana. Which state’s rules apply?
It depends on where the job is based and where the injury happened. Louisiana generally requires notice to the employer within 30 days and a formal claim within one year of the injury, which is shorter than Mississippi’s period. Because we handle claims in both states, we can sort out which system applies before a deadline is lost.
Will my own health insurance cover treatment while the claim is pending?
Health insurers often refuse work-related injuries and expect the comp carrier to pay. If the carrier denies your claim, you can end up with bills in limbo. Tell your providers it is a work injury, keep records of every denial, and call us so we can push for authorized treatment.
My injury was caused by another driver while I was on the job. Can I recover more than comp benefits?
Possibly. Comp covers medical care and wage benefits regardless of fault, but a driver or contractor who caused the harm may owe you additional damages in a separate personal injury claim. We handle both so the two claims work together instead of against each other.
What happens if the insurer stops paying benefits without warning?
That is a common tactic, and it can be challenged. We can file to put the dispute before an Administrative Judge at the Commission and press for back payments and continued care.
Do you represent Spanish-speaking workers?
Yes. Hablamos español, and Spanish-speaking clients can work with our team in their own language from the first call through the end of the case.
Serving Injured Workers Across DeSoto County and North Mississippi
Our work for DeSoto County clients starts in Southaven, the county’s largest city, and runs through Olive Branch, Horn Lake, Hernando, Walls, and Nesbit. We also help workers in Lake Cormorant, Love, and the rural communities between Interstate 55 and the Tate and Marshall county lines. Those communities fill the distribution centers, construction crews, and trucking routes that generate many of the claims we handle.
Just beyond the county line, we serve workers in neighboring areas of north Mississippi, and across the state from the Delta to Jackson, Madison, Hattiesburg, and the Gulf Coast. In Louisiana, we represent injured workers in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Shreveport, and throughout south and north Louisiana. Wherever you were hurt, the same focus on workers’ compensation applies.
Talk to a DeSoto County Workers’ Compensation Attorney Today
If you were hurt on the job, you do not have to take on the insurance company by yourself. A DeSoto County workers’ compensation attorney at Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe can review what happened, explain your deadlines, and start pushing for the medical care and wage benefits the law gives you. Call us any hour, schedule your free consultation, and pay no fee unless we recover benefits for you.
