Canton Head & Brain Injury Lawyer
A head or brain injury claim comes down to a few things: getting every treatment the neurologist orders approved, keeping wage benefits flowing while you recover, and making sure a “mild” diagnosis in the first emergency room visit does not become the insurer’s excuse to shrink the claim. Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe PLLC is a workers’ compensation firm that represents injured workers in Canton and across Madison County, and throughout Mississippi and Louisiana, including people whose brain injuries came from falls, struck-by accidents, vehicle wrecks, or equipment failures on the job.
If you are searching for a Canton head and brain injury lawyer, you are probably dealing with something more complicated than a broken bone. Concussions and traumatic brain injuries often do not show up cleanly on a CT scan. Headaches, memory gaps, dizziness, light sensitivity, trouble concentrating, and mood changes can appear days later and linger for months. Insurers know this, and they tend to treat symptoms they cannot see on a film as symptoms they do not have to pay for. How the claim is documented in the first few weeks matters a great deal.
Why Canton Workers Choose Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe for Brain and Head Injury Claims
Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe PLLC serves injured workers in Canton, Madison, Ridgeland, Flora, Jackson, and communities throughout Mississippi, along with South Louisiana and the rest of that state. The firm has recovered more than $100 million in settlements for clients, works on a no recovery, no fee basis, offers free consultations, advances the costs of the case, answers its phones 24 hours a day, and speaks Spanish with clients who prefer it.
That focus matters for brain injury cases because they are won on medical evidence and persistence. Rob Lunsford, the firm’s Founding Partner, has spent his entire legal career representing injured workers. Brad Baskin and Jennifer Priebe, 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 successfully tried dozens of jury and bench trials to verdict, and the team also includes Keaton Belk and Erin Heimlicher. Clients describe attorneys who listen, stay responsive, and push back on the insurance company at every step.
The results reflect serious injury work: $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 after being struck in his work vehicle, and $221,000 for a land-based oil rig worker with severe burns. Each outcome is specific to its facts and does not promise a result in your case, but they show what the firm does when an insurer undervalues an injury.
Common Ways Workers Suffer Head and Brain Injuries
- Falls from ladders, scaffolds, and roofs: Construction and maintenance crews in Madison County and the Jackson metro area often work at height, and a fall onto concrete or steel can cause skull fractures, bleeding on the brain, or a concussion even with a hard hat.
- Struck-by incidents: Falling tools, swinging loads, and moving equipment on job sites, in warehouses, and in manufacturing and distribution facilities are a frequent source of blunt head trauma.
- Work vehicle collisions: Delivery drivers, truck drivers, and employees driving for their jobs on Highway 51, Interstate 55, and Highway 43 can suffer whiplash-type brain injuries even when the head never strikes anything.
- Slips and trips: Wet floors, loose cables, uneven loading docks, and poor lighting cause a surprising number of head strikes, and employers sometimes argue the worker simply lost their balance.
- Industrial and equipment accidents: Plant and oil field work can involve explosions, pressure releases, and crush hazards that cause both traumatic brain injury and other catastrophic injuries.
- Post-concussion syndrome: Lingering headaches, fatigue, dizziness, and cognitive problems after an apparently minor blow are real and compensable, but they are the symptoms insurers most often question.
- Occupational exposure and first responder claims: Chemical exposure and job-related conditions affecting the brain can be harder to trace, and firefighters and first responders face their own set of job-tied illness claims.
What to Do After a Head Injury at Work in Canton
Get medical attention the same day, even if you feel “mostly fine.” Tell the provider exactly how the injury happened and list every symptom, including the small ones like ringing in the ears, trouble finding words, or sensitivity to light. A gap between the accident and the first medical record is one of the easiest things for an insurer to exploit. If you hit your head and were told to go home with instructions, follow them, and go back if symptoms worsen.
Report the injury to your employer as soon as you can. In Mississippi, you must report it within 30 days of the accident, and Louisiana uses the same 30-day notice rule. Put the report in writing if possible and keep a copy. Missing that window can put the whole claim at risk, and brain injury symptoms sometimes emerge slowly, so do not wait to see whether things clear up.
The filing deadlines are separate from the reporting deadline. In Mississippi, if no disability benefits have been paid, the right to benefits is generally barred unless a claim is filed with the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission within two years of the date of injury. The usual filing is a Petition to Controvert, and the clock can also run from the date of the last compensation payment. In Louisiana, a formal claim generally must be filed within one year of the injury, though that period can extend to three years from the last payment if benefits were paid. The statutory deadlines have exceptions, so talking to an attorney early is safer than relying on a calendar count.
In Mississippi, workers’ compensation claims are heard by the Commission, not a court. An Administrative Judge hears the evidence, and the Full Commission can review that decision on the existing record rather than starting over. A final award can be appealed to the Mississippi Supreme Court within 30 days, and that court may assign the case to the Mississippi Court of Appeals. Madison County sits in the Southern District of Mississippi’s Northern Division for federal purposes, but a comp claim is not a federal matter; the Commission is the forum.
Several mistakes cost brain injury clients the most. Do not give a recorded statement to the adjuster without understanding what it will be used for. Do not downplay symptoms to doctors or on forms. Do not skip appointments, because insurers treat gaps in care as proof you recovered. Do not return to full duty because a company doctor says you can if your own neurologist disagrees. And keep a simple daily symptom log; memory problems make it hard to reconstruct things later, and a written record of bad days, missed work, and trouble with ordinary tasks carries real weight.
How Brain Injury Benefits Work Under Workers’ Compensation
Workers’ compensation in Mississippi covers reasonable and necessary medical care, including emergency treatment, neurology, imaging, therapy, and prescriptions, along with wage replacement while you cannot work. Coverage begins on your first day of employment, with no waiting period or minimum earnings requirement. Temporary and permanent total disability benefits are generally two-thirds of your average weekly wage, subject to a statutory weekly maximum, and generally cannot run longer than 450 weeks. Permanent partial disability in other cases is subject to the same 450-week ceiling.
Brain injuries create a particular problem in valuing permanent loss. Cognitive and behavioral changes do not fit neatly into a rating for a single body part, and employers often argue that a worker who can still do some tasks has no real wage loss. The strength of your claim usually depends on a treating physician who documents functional limits, neuropsychological testing where appropriate, and testimony from you and the people who see you every day about what changed. When the insurer relies on a doctor it chose, a second opinion from a specialist you trust can change the outcome.
In Louisiana, benefits include medical care, temporary wage replacement, and supplemental earnings benefits if you return to work at reduced pay. Supplemental earnings benefits are tied to the gap between your pre-injury wages and what you can earn, and they can continue until you are released to full duty, are earning your old wages again, or reach a 520-week maximum, with temporary total disability weeks counted toward that limit. If a treatment request is denied, a utilization review dispute must be filed within 15 calendar days of the denial notice, so those deadlines move fast.
Sometimes a head injury involves someone besides your employer, such as a negligent driver who struck your work vehicle or a contractor who left a hazard on the site. In those cases you may also have a personal injury claim, which is not capped the way comp benefits are. In Mississippi, many negligence claims must be filed within three years under the general statute, and fault is shared proportionally. Louisiana generally allows two years for injuries on or after July 1, 2024, and bars recovery for a claimant found 51 percent or more at fault for causes of action arising on or after January 1, 2026. The firm coordinates comp and injury claims so one does not undercut the other.
Canton Head Injury and Brain Trauma FAQ
Do I need a lawyer for a workers’ compensation brain injury claim?
Not every claim requires one, but brain injuries are different from most. If your benefits have been denied, delayed, reduced, or cut off, or if you expect to be out of work a long time, an attorney can make a major difference. The insurer has adjusters and lawyers protecting its interests, and brain injury claims turn on medical evidence that is easy to mishandle.
How much does it cost to hire the firm?
Nothing up front. Consultations are free, the firm advances the costs of the case, and fees are collected only if benefits or a settlement are recovered. Attorney fees in workers’ compensation cases are also limited and approved under state law.
How long do I have to report a head injury at work?
You must tell your employer within 30 days of the accident in both Mississippi and Louisiana, and sooner is better. Report it right away in writing, even if you think the symptoms are minor.
How long do I have to file the claim in Mississippi?
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 within two years of the injury and no claim was filed, the right to benefits is generally barred.
What if my symptoms did not show up until days after the accident?
That is common with concussions and brain injuries. Get evaluated as soon as symptoms appear, tell the provider about the earlier incident, and notify your employer promptly. Delayed symptoms do not end a claim, but the longer the gap, the more the insurer will argue the injury is unrelated.
The CT scan was normal. Can I still have a brain injury claim?
Yes. Standard imaging often misses concussions and diffuse injuries. Claims in these cases rely on neurological exams, symptom history, neuropsychological testing, and treating physician opinions rather than a single scan result.
Can the insurance company send me to its own doctor?
Insurers often arrange independent medical examinations, and the examiner’s opinion can differ sharply from your treating doctor’s. These exams are brief, and the report can be used against you. Talk with an attorney before attending, and make sure your own specialist’s records are complete.
What if I had headaches or a prior head injury before this accident?
A pre-existing condition does not automatically end your claim. If the work incident caused, worsened, or accelerated the condition, you may still be entitled to benefits. Strong medical evidence comparing your function before and after the injury is the key.
Can I be fired for filing a claim after a head injury?
Mississippi and Louisiana both protect workers from retaliation for filing a comp claim. If you were let go or disciplined after reporting a head injury, raise it during your consultation so your options can be reviewed.
Will my health insurance pay while my comp claim is pending?
Sometimes, but treatment for a work injury is supposed to be paid by the comp carrier, and health insurers may seek reimbursement. Do not stop treatment because of a billing dispute; ask an attorney how to keep care going while the carrier’s responsibility is sorted out.
Is a car wreck on the job a comp claim or an injury claim?
Often both. Your employer’s comp coverage pays medical and wage benefits regardless of fault, while a claim against the at-fault driver can recover additional damages. The two must be coordinated so settlements do not conflict.
Can a family member bring a claim if a head injury at work was fatal?
Death benefits are available under workers’ compensation for qualifying dependents. Separate wrongful death claims against third parties may also exist, with their own deadlines: in Mississippi, generally three years for negligence, and in Louisiana, one year from death or two years from the injury, whichever is longer.
Serving Canton and Madison County Brain Injury Clients
The firm represents injured workers in Canton and throughout Madison County, including Madison, Ridgeland, Flora, and Gluckstadt, and workers who commute from or work in neighboring Hinds County and Rankin County communities such as Jackson, Clinton, Byram, Terry, Brandon, and Pearl. Across Mississippi, the team handles claims from Hattiesburg and the Gulf Coast to Southaven, north Mississippi, and the Delta.
The firm also represents injured workers in Louisiana, from New Orleans and South Louisiana to Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Shreveport, and north Louisiana. Whether the injury happened at a distribution center on the edge of Canton, a construction site along the interstate, or a plant far from home, the same attention to medical documentation and benefit rights applies.
Talk With a Canton Brain Injury Attorney Today
A head injury can change how you work, think, and function, and the first decisions after it shape everything that follows. If you need a Canton head and brain injury attorney who handles these claims every day, call Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe PLLC. Phones are answered 24 hours a day, consultations are free, and you pay no fee unless the firm recovers benefits for you. Call now, and let the team deal with the insurer while you focus on getting better.
