Rankin County Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
A work injury claim from Rankin County does not go to the county courthouse in Brandon. Mississippi routes these cases to the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission, an administrative body that decides claims through evidentiary hearings before an Administrative Judge, with review available before the Full Commission. Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe PLLC handles workers’ compensation for injured workers throughout Rankin County and across Mississippi and Louisiana, and the firm’s practice is built around claims that have been denied, delayed, or cut off. If you are looking for a Rankin County workers’ compensation lawyer, the first thing worth knowing is that your case will be won or lost in a forum that works differently from an ordinary lawsuit.
That difference matters because the Commission decides cases on a record. Medical opinions, work history, and witness accounts are gathered before the hearing, and if the Administrative Judge’s decision is appealed, the Full Commission reviews what was already presented rather than starting over. Rankin County workers come from distribution centers, construction sites, healthcare settings, oilfield and industrial jobs, and trucking routes that run through the Jackson metro area. Whatever the job, the evidence that supports the claim has to be built early.
Why Choose Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe for a Rankin County Work Injury Claim
Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe PLLC represents injured workers in Rankin County, Brandon, Pearl, Flowood, Richland, and communities throughout Mississippi and South Louisiana. Most lawyers who accept comp cases are personal injury attorneys who take a work injury when one happens to walk in. Clients pay nothing up front, consultations are free, the firm advances case costs, and fees are collected only if benefits or a settlement are recovered. Phones are answered 24 hours a day, and Spanish-speaking clients can work with the team in their own language from the first call.
The track record is specific. The firm has recovered more than $100 million in settlements for clients, including $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 he was struck in his work vehicle, and $221,000 for a land-based oil rig worker with severe burns. Smaller results matter too: five- and six-figure recoveries for knee, shoulder, neck, and hip injuries reflect the kinds of claims that make up much of Mississippi comp practice.
The attorneys behind those results include Rob Lunsford, Founding Partner, who has spent his entire legal career representing injured workers; Brad Baskin, Partner, and Jennifer Priebe, Partner, both recognized by Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, and The National Trial Lawyers; and Andrew Rueff, who has tried dozens of jury and bench trials to verdict and regularly appears before the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission. The firm was also ranked by Best Law Firms in 2026 for Workers’ Compensation Law, Claimants, in Jackson. Clients consistently describe a team that listens, answers questions, and stays with the insurance company through every stage.
Injuries and Claim Types We See From Rankin County Workers
- Back, Neck, and Spine Injuries: Lumbar and cervical disc herniations are among the most common comp claims, and insurers often blame degenerative disc disease. Years of lifting, driving, or standing on the job can cause or aggravate these conditions, and medical evidence is what separates a covered injury from a denied one.
- Shoulder and Knee Injuries: Torn rotator cuffs, SLAP tears, ACL tears, and meniscus tears are routinely met with the argument that the injury is an old sports problem rather than a workplace event.
- Fractures: Broken feet, ankles, and hips from falls on job sites or loading docks often require specialists and complex surgical repair, which drives up both medical costs and time away from work.
- Burns and Catastrophic Injuries: Industrial plants, oil rigs, and other heavy-industry settings produce severe burns and crush injuries that call for long-term care and often permanent disability benefits.
- Truck Driver and Delivery Injuries: Drivers hurt in wrecks or while loading and unloading make up a steady share of claims, and many also have a third-party claim against the other driver.
- Firefighter and First Responder Claims: Hypertension, heart and lung disease, hepatitis, hearing loss, posttraumatic stress, and cancer tied to the job require careful medical proof of the link to the work.
- Pre-Existing Condition Disputes: A prior injury or degenerative finding does not end a claim if the job caused, worsened, or accelerated the condition.
- Retaliation and Wrongful Termination: Mississippi protects workers from being fired for filing a comp claim, and discipline following an injury report deserves a close look.
What to Do After a Work Injury in Rankin County
Get medical attention first, and tell the provider the injury happened at work so the records connect the condition to your job from the start. Then report the injury to your employer. Mississippi requires notice within 30 days of the accident, and doing it in writing, right away, removes any later argument about when your employer knew. Coverage begins on your first day of employment, with no waiting period, so a new hire is protected just as a veteran employee is.
The filing deadline is separate from the notice deadline and is the one that catches people. Generally you have two years from the date of injury, or from the last compensation payment, to file a Petition to Controvert with the Commission. If no disability benefits were ever paid and no claim was filed within those two years, the right to benefits can be lost. An employer’s promise to “take care of it” or an adjuster’s slow response does not stop that clock.
Keep every record: discharge papers, work restrictions, pay stubs, text messages with supervisors, and the names of coworkers who saw what happened. Do not give a recorded statement to the insurance adjuster before you understand your position, do not return to work ahead of your doctor’s clearance because someone pressured you, and do not assume a denial is final. Hearings take place before the Commission’s Administrative Judges, and Full Commission review is held in Jackson, which is a short drive from most of Rankin County. If a final award goes against you, an appeal must be filed within 30 days, and it goes up on the record made before the Commission, which is why the evidence must be strong at the first hearing.
How Mississippi Wage Benefits and Appeals Work
Wage replacement for temporary total or permanent total disability is two-thirds of your average weekly wage, up to a statutory weekly maximum, for no more than 450 weeks. Permanent partial disability benefits in most cases are also capped at 450 weeks. The weekly maximum is adjusted periodically, so the figure that applies to you depends on the date of your injury; an attorney can calculate your actual rate from your wage records. Medical treatment that is reasonable and necessary is covered in addition to wage benefits, and getting the right doctor and the right referrals approved is frequently where claims are fought.
Insurers use a familiar set of arguments: the accident did not happen at work, a pre-existing condition is the real cause, you can go back to work, or benefits simply stop without warning. When a claim is denied, the path runs from the Administrative Judge to the Full Commission, then to the Mississippi Supreme Court, which often assigns the case to the Mississippi Court of Appeals. Because each step is confined to the record already built, preparation at the front end determines how much leverage exists later.
Rankin County Workers’ Compensation Questions Answered
Do I need a lawyer for a workers’ compensation claim in Rankin County?
Not every claim needs one, but if benefits have been denied, delayed, reduced, or cut off, or your injury will keep you out of work for a long time, a lawyer can change the outcome. The insurer has adjusters and attorneys protecting its interests. You should have someone protecting yours.
How long do I have to report a work injury in Mississippi?
You must give your employer notice within 30 days of the accident. Report it right away and put it in writing so there is a record.
What is the deadline to file a 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. If no disability benefits were paid and no claim was filed in that window, the right to benefits can be barred.
How much will it cost to hire Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe?
Nothing up front. Consultations are free, the firm advances the costs of your case, and fees are paid only if benefits or a settlement are recovered. Attorney fees in comp cases are limited and approved under state law.
What wage benefits can I receive while I cannot work?
Temporary and permanent total disability pay two-thirds of your average weekly wage, up to the statutory weekly maximum and for no more than 450 weeks. Permanent partial disability benefits are generally capped at the same number of weeks.
Am I covered if I was hurt during my first week at a new job?
Yes. Mississippi coverage starts on the first day of employment with no waiting period and no minimum earnings requirement, provided the employer is subject to the law.
My insurer says my injury is just degenerative. Is my claim over?
No. If your work caused, aggravated, or accelerated the condition, you can still be entitled to benefits. Insurers raise this argument constantly, and answering it with treating-physician opinions and a detailed work history is a core part of the firm’s work.
Can I be fired for filing a claim?
Mississippi protects workers from retaliation for filing a comp claim. If you were let go, demoted, or disciplined after reporting an injury, tell your attorney during the consultation so the circumstances can be reviewed.
Will I have to go to court in Brandon?
Generally no. Comp claims are decided by the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission, not a county court. The case is heard by an Administrative Judge, reviewed by the Full Commission if appealed, and only afterward reaches the appellate courts.
What if a third party, like a negligent driver, caused my injury?
You may have a personal injury claim in addition to your comp benefits. Mississippi follows pure comparative negligence, so your recovery is reduced by your share of fault rather than barred. The firm handles both types of claims so they work together instead of against each other.
Can I still get help if I am a Spanish speaker?
Yes. Hablamos español, and Spanish-speaking clients can work with the team in their own language from the first call to the end of the case.
What happens if I return to work and my pain gets worse?
A return to work does not close the claim. Document the problem with your doctor right away and report it to your employer; benefits and treatment may still be available if the injury worsens or the work exceeds your restrictions.
Serving Rankin County Workers’ Compensation Clients Across the Region
The firm’s work for injured employees starts in Rankin County and extends across the Jackson metro area. That includes Brandon, the county seat, along with Pearl, Flowood, Richland, Florence, Pelahatchie, Puckett, Star, and Cleary, and the neighborhoods and rural communities between them. Workers in neighboring Hinds County, including Jackson, Clinton, Byram, and Raymond, and in Madison County, including Madison and Ridgeland, are represented as well. From there the firm serves injured workers across Mississippi, from Hattiesburg and the Gulf Coast to Southaven, north Mississippi, and the Delta, and across Louisiana in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Shreveport, and the rest of South Louisiana and north Louisiana.
Talk With a Rankin County Workers’ Compensation Attorney
If you were hurt on the job and the insurance company is questioning your claim, a Rankin County workers’ compensation attorney from Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe can review what happened, explain where your claim stands, and handle the insurer so you can concentrate on getting well. Call any time, day or night. Consultations are free, and you pay no fee unless the firm recovers benefits for you.
