South Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe PLLC represents injured workers across South Mississippi, from the Gulf Coast shipyards and casinos to the pine-belt job sites around Hattiesburg, handling denied, delayed, and cut-off workers’ compensation claims. If you need a South Mississippi workers’ compensation lawyer, the firm works exclusively on the injured worker’s side of the table.
The region’s economy produces its own kinds of injuries. Shipbuilders and welders along the Gulf, offshore and oil field crews, port and warehouse workers, hospitality and casino employees, paper mill and timber workers, linemen and storm-restoration crews, and truck drivers moving freight along the I-10, I-59, and US-49 corridors all file claims here. Hurricane rebuilding adds roofers, framers, and general laborers working fast on unstable structures.
Mississippi comp is a no-fault system, but that does not mean insurers pay without a fight. Adjusters question whether the accident happened at work, point to degenerative changes on an MRI, or push you back onto the job before your doctor releases you. Answering those moves takes medical proof, witness accounts, and a clear work history, and that is the work this firm does every day.
Why Choose Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe for a South Mississippi Comp Claim
Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe PLLC is a workers’ compensation firm representing injured workers throughout Mississippi and Louisiana, including Hattiesburg, the Gulf Coast, and communities across South Mississippi. Most lawyers who take comp cases are personal injury lawyers who handle a work injury only when one walks in. This firm was built the other way around.
Rob Lunsford, founding partner, 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 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.
The results reflect that focus. 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 his work vehicle was struck, and $221,000 for a land-based oil rig worker with severe burns. Clients describe a team that listens, stays professional, and fights the insurance company at every step.
There is no fee unless benefits or a settlement are recovered. Consultations are free, the firm advances case costs, and phones are answered 24 hours a day. Hablamos espanol.
Injuries and Claims We Handle for South Mississippi Workers
- Back, Neck, and Spine Injuries: Lumbar and cervical disc herniations are among the most contested claims. When an insurer blames degenerative disc disease, we tie the injury to a specific incident or to years of heavy physical work.
- Shoulder and Knee Injuries: Torn rotator cuffs, SLAP tears, ACL tears, and meniscus tears are common among pipefitters, mechanics, and drivers. Employers often label them old sports injuries, and we answer with medical records and work history.
- Fractures: Broken feet, ankles, and hips from falls off scaffolds, ladders, vessels, and loading docks often need specialists and complex surgical repair, with long gaps away from work.
- Burns and Catastrophic Injuries: Oil field, plant, and industrial job sites produce severe burns and crush injuries that call for lifelong medical care and careful valuation of permanent disability.
- 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, though they take thorough medical proof.
- Truck Driver and Delivery Crashes: Drivers hurt on the interstates and highways that feed the ports and distribution centers may have both a comp claim and a separate claim against the at-fault driver.
- Denied and Terminated Benefits: Claims denied outright, checks stopped without warning, and treatment refused by the carrier are all situations we take to the Commission.
- Third-Party and Wrongful Death Claims: A negligent contractor, an unsafe site owner, or a defective machine can open a second claim beyond comp, and fatal injuries can support death benefits for surviving family.
What to Do in the First Weeks After a Mississippi Job Injury
Report the injury to your employer in writing as soon as you can. Mississippi gives you 30 days from the accident, and waiting invites an argument about whether the injury was real or work-related. Keep a copy of what you submit, and note who you told and when.
Get medical care and be specific with the provider about how the injury happened at work. Insurers read those first records closely, and a vague history can be used against you later. Follow the treatment plan, keep every appointment, and never accept a release to full duty you do not believe you can handle.
The filing deadline is separate from the reporting deadline. If no disability benefits have been paid within two years of the date of injury, the right to benefits is barred unless a claim has been filed with the Commission in that time. Generally the worker has two years from the injury, or from the last compensation payment, to file a Petition to Controvert with the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission. Do not assume a carrier’s early checks stop the clock from mattering; speak with a lawyer early.
Mississippi comp claims are decided by the Commission, not a court. A case is heard first at an evidentiary hearing before an Administrative Judge. A party who disagrees can seek review by the Full Commission, which hears its cases in Jackson and reviews the record made before the Administrative Judge rather than holding a new trial. That makes the first hearing critical: the evidence, medical testimony, and witnesses you present there are largely the evidence you will have for the rest of the case. A final Commission award can be appealed to the Mississippi Supreme Court within 30 days of its filing and notification to the parties, and that court often assigns the appeal to the Mississippi Court of Appeals. Appellate review is confined to the record built before the Commission.
Common mistakes include giving a recorded statement to the adjuster without preparation, signing medical releases that are broader than needed, skipping the doctor because the pain seems manageable, and posting about activities on social media. If you are fired after reporting an injury, tell your lawyer right away, since retaliation for filing a claim is prohibited.
How Wage Benefits and Medical Care Work in Mississippi
Coverage begins on your first day of work. There is no waiting period and no minimum earnings requirement. Employers with five or more employees must carry coverage.
Temporary and permanent total disability benefits are paid at two-thirds of your average weekly wage, up to a weekly maximum set under the statute, and generally cannot run longer than 450 weeks. Permanent partial disability in the “other cases” category is also capped at 450 weeks. The maximum weekly amount is adjusted periodically, so high earners should expect their check to be limited by that ceiling rather than by the two-thirds formula alone.
Medical benefits cover reasonable and necessary treatment: doctor visits, surgery, therapy, prescriptions, and related care. Disputes over which doctor you see, whether a surgery is approved, or whether you have reached maximum medical improvement are where claims most often stall. Those disputes are fought with medical opinions, and a good attorney knows how to get the right ones into the record.
When a pre-existing condition is raised, the question is whether work caused, worsened, or accelerated it. If it did, benefits can still be owed. That argument comes up constantly with back, knee, and shoulder claims, and strong medical evidence is what resolves it.
Questions South Mississippi Workers Ask About Comp Claims
Do I need a lawyer for a workers’ compensation claim in South Mississippi?
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 stretch, a lawyer can change the outcome. The insurer has adjusters and attorneys working for it. You should have someone working for you.
How much does it cost to hire the firm?
Nothing up front. Consultations are free, the firm advances case costs, and you pay only if benefits or a settlement are recovered. Attorney fees in comp cases are limited and approved under state law.
How long do I have to report my injury?
You should report it to your employer right away, and within 30 days of the accident at the latest. Late notice gives the insurer an easy reason to deny.
How long do I have to file a claim?
Generally two years from the date of injury or from the last compensation payment, by filing a Petition to Controvert with the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission. If no disability benefits were paid within two years of the injury and no claim was filed, the right to benefits is barred.
Can my employer fire me for filing a claim?
Mississippi protects workers from being fired in retaliation for filing a comp claim. If you were let go or punished after reporting an injury, raise it in your consultation so the situation can be reviewed.
What if the insurer says my injury is just wear and tear?
A pre-existing or degenerative condition does not automatically end a claim. If your job caused, worsened, or sped up the condition, benefits may still be owed. The fight is usually won with treating-physician opinions and imaging comparisons.
I work for a small employer. Am I covered?
Employers with five or more employees must carry coverage from your first day. If your employer has fewer than five employees, coverage may not be mandatory, and you should have your situation reviewed promptly, since other claims may be available.
Can I pick my own doctor?
Choice of physician can be contested, and the rules around changing doctors matter. Before switching providers or accepting the carrier’s recommended doctor, talk with an attorney so your treatment path does not hurt your claim.
Can I also sue someone besides my employer?
Yes, if a third party caused the injury, such as a negligent driver who hit your work truck or a contractor whose unsafe site caused a fall. You can pursue that claim in addition to comp, and the firm coordinates the two so they do not undercut each other.
What happens if I’m hurt in Mississippi but my employer is based in Louisiana, or the reverse?
Cross-border jobs are common with offshore, trucking, and oilfield work, and which state’s law applies can affect your benefits and deadlines. The firm handles claims in both states and can sort out where your claim belongs. In Louisiana, for comparison, you generally must report within 30 days and file within one year of the accident.
Will the Commission hold a trial if my claim is denied?
You will get an evidentiary hearing before an Administrative Judge, which functions like a bench trial with testimony and medical evidence. Because later review is on the record, preparing for that hearing carefully is essential.
Do you help Spanish-speaking workers?
Yes. Hablamos espanol, and Spanish-speaking clients can work with the team in their own language from the first call through the end of the case.
Serving Workers’ Compensation Clients Across South Mississippi
Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe represents injured workers along the entire Mississippi Gulf Coast, including Gulfport, Biloxi, Ocean Springs, Pascagoula, Moss Point, Bay St. Louis, Waveland, Long Beach, Pass Christian, D’Iberville, and Gautier. Inland, the firm serves Hattiesburg, Laurel, Picayune, Poplarville, Wiggins, Lucedale, Purvis, Columbia, and Petal, along with the smaller communities of the pine belt that surround them.
Claims arise at shipyards, ports, casinos, refineries, hospitals, mills, and construction sites throughout the region, and the firm also serves workers in Madison, Jackson, the Delta, Southaven, and north Mississippi, as well as across South Louisiana and Louisiana communities such as New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles, and Shreveport. Wherever in the state you were hurt, you can call for a free consultation.
Talk With a South Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Attorney
If you were hurt on the job and the insurance company is dragging its feet, denying treatment, or telling you it was not work-related, a South Mississippi workers’ compensation attorney at Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe can take over the fight. The call is free, there is no fee unless we recover benefits for you, and our phones are answered 24 hours a day.
Call to schedule your consultation and tell us what happened. We will explain where your claim stands, what deadlines apply, and what comes next.
