Lee County Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
A paycheck that stops after a fall at a Tupelo furniture plant or a back injury on a warehouse floor leaves a Lee County family with rent due and no clear answer from the insurance adjuster. Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe PLLC is a workers’ compensation law firm that represents injured workers across Mississippi and Louisiana, and we take on claims in Lee County that have been denied, delayed, or cut off.
If you are searching for a Lee County workers’ compensation lawyer, the first thing to know is that your claim will not be heard in the county courthouse. Mississippi comp disputes go before the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission, an administrative body, and only later reach the appellate courts. That difference shapes the deadlines, the evidence, and the strategy from day one.
It also separates a comp claim from a lawsuit. You do not need to prove your employer was careless. You need to show the injury arose from your work, and then keep the insurer from shrinking what you are owed.
Why Choose Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe for a Lee County Work Injury Claim
Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe PLLC represents injured workers in Lee County and throughout Mississippi and South Louisiana, including Tupelo-area workers and families from the Delta to the Gulf Coast. Workers’ compensation is the center of our practice, and our attorneys bring over 75 years of combined experience to claims that insurers have fought. We have recovered more than $100 million in settlements for clients. Consultations are free, we advance the costs of the case, and you pay no fee unless we recover benefits for you. Our phones are answered 24 hours a day, and we speak Spanish with clients from the first call to the end of the case.
Our people matter here. Founding Partner Rob Lunsford has spent his entire legal career representing injured workers. Partners Brad Baskin and Jennifer Priebe 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 successfully 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: $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. Clients who review us describe a team that listens, answers questions, and stands up to the insurance company at every step.
Injuries and Claim Types We Handle for Lee County Workers
- Back, Neck, and Spine Injuries: Lumbar and cervical disc herniations are among the most common claims from factory lines, loading docks, and trucking. When an insurer blames degenerative disc disease, we use medical evidence and work history to show how the job caused or worsened the condition.
- Shoulder and Knee Injuries: Torn rotator cuffs, SLAP tears, ACL tears, and meniscus tears often follow repetitive lifting, pulling, or a bad step. Employers sometimes call them old sports injuries, and we are prepared to answer that.
- Fractures: Broken feet, ankles, and hips from falls, forklift incidents, and struck-by accidents can require specialists and complex surgery, and they can keep a worker off the job for months.
- Burns and Catastrophic Injuries: Industrial plants and energy work produce severe burns and life-altering trauma that demand long-term medical care and careful benefit planning.
- Firefighter and First Responder Claims: Hypertension, heart and lung disease, hepatitis, hearing loss, posttraumatic stress, and cancer tied to the job are claims we pursue for those who serve the community.
- Driving and Vehicle Injuries: Delivery drivers and truck drivers hurt in a wreck on the clock may have both a comp claim and a separate injury claim against the at-fault driver.
- Denied, Cut-Off, and Disputed Benefits: Insurers argue the accident did not happen at work, blame a pre-existing condition, push you back to work before your doctor clears you, or stop paying without warning. Each argument has an answer.
What to Do After a Work Injury in Lee County
Report the injury to your employer right away, in writing if you can. Mississippi requires notice within 30 days of the accident, and waiting invites the insurer to question whether it happened at all. Get medical care, tell the provider the injury is work related, and keep every record, bill, and work-status note. Write down who saw the accident while memories are fresh.
Reporting the injury is not the same as filing a claim. The employer’s report to its insurer does not stop the clock on your rights. In Mississippi, if no disability benefits are paid within two years of the injury, the claim is barred unless a Petition to Controvert has been filed with the Commission within that window. Deadlines can also run from the last payment, so a short period of paid benefits does not mean you can stop watching the calendar. The notice and limitation rules sit in Mississippi Code section 71-3-35, and exceptions are narrow.
Be careful with recorded statements and with the doctor the insurer suggests. Adjusters ask questions designed to find a pre-existing condition or a gap in your story. Answer honestly, but speak with a lawyer before giving a recorded statement or signing anything. Do not return to work before your doctor releases you, and do not skip appointments, because missed treatment is a favorite reason to cut off benefits.
If benefits are denied, your case goes before an Administrative Judge at the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission for an evidentiary hearing. Either side may then seek review from the Full Commission, which examines the record already made rather than holding a new trial. That is why the evidence built at the first hearing matters so much. A final award can be appealed within 30 days, and the Mississippi Supreme Court may assign the case to the Mississippi Court of Appeals.
What Mississippi Comp Actually Pays
Coverage begins on a worker’s first day, with no waiting period and no minimum earnings requirement. Benefits include reasonable and necessary medical treatment and wage replacement. Temporary and permanent total disability pay two-thirds of your average weekly wage, up to a weekly maximum set by law and generally for no more than 450 weeks. Permanent partial disability benefits in most cases are also capped at 450 weeks.
Two things catch people off guard. The weekly maximum can be well below what a skilled, well-paid worker earned, so the check will often feel smaller than the paycheck it replaces. And a settlement is not automatic: whether and when to settle depends on your medical stage, your ability to return to your trade, and what future care will cost.
When Someone Besides Your Employer Is Responsible
Comp is the exclusive remedy against your own employer, but not against everyone. A negligent driver who hits your work truck or a contractor whose unsafe site causes a fall may be liable in a separate injury claim. Mississippi follows pure comparative negligence, so your own share of fault reduces a recovery rather than erasing it. Our personal injury team coordinates the two claims so that one does not undercut the other. If a worker dies from a job injury, we also handle wrongful death claims.
Lee County Workers’ Compensation Questions
Do I need a lawyer for a workers’ compensation claim?
Not every claim requires one. If your benefits have been denied, delayed, reduced, or cut off, or if you will be out of work for a long time, a lawyer can change the outcome. The insurer has adjusters and attorneys; you should have someone protecting your side.
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 comp cases are also limited and approved under state law.
How long do I have to report a work injury in Mississippi?
Report it to your employer within 30 days of the accident. Sooner is better, and in writing is best.
How long do I have to file a claim?
Generally two years from the date of injury, or from the last compensation payment, to file with the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission. If no disability benefits are paid and no claim is filed within two years, the right to benefits can be lost.
Can I be fired for filing a comp claim?
Mississippi protects workers from retaliation for filing a claim. If you were let go or punished after reporting an injury, tell us at your consultation so we can review your options.
What if my injury is blamed on a pre-existing condition?
A pre-existing condition does not automatically end a claim. If your job caused, worsened, or sped up the condition, you may still be entitled to benefits. Answering this argument with strong medical evidence is a core part of our work.
Does my employer have to carry comp coverage?
In Mississippi, employers with five or more employees must provide coverage. Very small employers may fall outside the requirement, which is worth checking early if you work for a small shop.
Does my case go to the Lee County courthouse?
No. Comp disputes are decided by the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission, not a county court. Appeals of a final award go to the Mississippi Supreme Court, which often assigns them to the Court of Appeals.
Will my health insurance pay while my comp claim is pending?
Comp is supposed to pay for work-related treatment. If the insurer denies the claim, some workers use health insurance to keep treating, but that can create reimbursement problems later. Tell us before you rely on it so we can plan around it.
What if I was hurt in Louisiana but live in Lee County?
The state where the injury occurred or where the job is based can control which system applies. Louisiana requires notice within 30 days and generally a claim within one year of the accident, which is shorter than Mississippi’s period. Call us quickly so we can sort out which rules govern.
Is it worth hiring a lawyer if I think my injury is minor?
A small injury can become a large one. Back and joint injuries often worsen, and a claim closed too early can leave you without future treatment. A free consultation costs nothing and tells you where you stand.
Do you help Spanish-speaking workers?
Yes. Hablamos espanol, 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 From Tupelo Across Lee County
Our team represents injured workers throughout Lee County, beginning in Tupelo and extending to Saltillo, Verona, Belden, Guntown, Shannon, Plantersville, Mooreville, Nettleton, and the rural communities in between. We also serve workers in neighboring counties such as Itawamba, Pontotoc, Prentiss, and Monroe, and across north Mississippi, including Southaven and the surrounding area.
Beyond this part of the state, we represent clients in Jackson, Madison, Hattiesburg, the Gulf Coast, and the Delta, as well as in Louisiana from New Orleans and Baton Rouge to Lafayette, Lake Charles, and Shreveport. Wherever the injury happened, the claim is built on the same foundation: medical proof, a clear work history, and a team that knows how insurers contest these cases.
Talk to a Lee County Workers’ Compensation Attorney Today
If you are hurt and unsure whether your claim will be paid, speak with a Lee County workers’ compensation attorney at Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe before the insurer shapes the story. Call us any hour of the day for a free consultation. You pay nothing unless we recover benefits for you, and we will tell you plainly where your claim stands and what to do next.
