Biloxi Longshoreman Injury Lawyer
Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe PLLC represents injured workers across Mississippi and Louisiana, and for people on the Gulf Coast that includes dockworkers, stevedores, and others who earn a living moving cargo and servicing vessels. If you need a Biloxi longshoreman injury lawyer, the first thing to know is that your claim may not belong in the Mississippi state comp system at all.
Longshore work sits at the border between state and federal law. A worker hurt on a vessel, on a pier, or while loading or unloading cargo along navigable water may fall under a federal compensation program rather than the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission. A worker hurt in a warehouse or yard away from the water, or doing work that is not tied to maritime activity, may be covered by the state system. Getting that classification wrong at the start can cost months and, in some cases, a claim.
Biloxi sits in Harrison County, on a coastline built around ports, shipyards, shrimping and seafood operations, casino construction, and marine fabrication. The injuries that come out of that economy are heavy-equipment crush injuries, falls from decks and ladders, back and shoulder damage from repetitive lifting, and burns and fractures from industrial accidents. We take these claims seriously, and we do it with an honest answer about which system applies to you.
Why Choose Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe for a Longshoreman Injury Claim
Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe PLLC is a workers’ compensation firm that serves injured workers in Harrison County and across the Mississippi Gulf Coast, along with Jackson, Madison, Hattiesburg, Southaven, the Delta, and communities throughout Mississippi and South Louisiana. The firm has recovered more than $100 million in settlements for its clients. Consultations are free, the firm advances the costs of the case, and you pay nothing unless 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.
The people behind that 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. 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 firm was also ranked by Best Law Firms for Workers’ Compensation Law, Claimants, in Jackson.
The results reflect the kind of injuries dock and industrial work produce. The firm secured $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 the same categories of back, burn, and heavy-trauma injuries that come through port and yard work. Clients consistently describe a team that listens, answers questions, and stays in the fight with the insurance company at every step.
Injuries and Claim Types We See From Gulf Coast Dock and Marine Work
- Back, Neck, and Spine Injuries: Lifting, rigging, and hours of heavy physical work wear down discs, and a single incident can herniate one. Carriers often blame degenerative disc disease; we answer that with medical evidence tying the injury to the job.
- Shoulder and Knee Injuries: Torn rotator cuffs, SLAP tears, and meniscus tears are common among workers who pull line, handle pipe, or climb and crouch on uneven surfaces. Employers sometimes call these old sports injuries.
- Fractures and Crush Injuries: Feet, ankles, hips, and legs are exposed to moving cargo, forklifts, and heavy equipment. These injuries often require specialists and complex surgical repair, with long recovery periods.
- Burns and Catastrophic Injuries: Industrial sites, fabrication yards, and vessel work involve welding, chemicals, and fuel. Severe burns and catastrophic injuries drive the largest claims and the longest disputes over future care.
- Struck-By and Fall Injuries: Falls from decks, gangways, and ladders, and being hit by swinging loads or moving vehicles, account for many serious dockside injuries.
- Third-Party Liability: When a contractor, equipment owner, or negligent driver other than your employer caused the injury, a separate injury claim may exist alongside your compensation benefits, and the two claims must be coordinated.
- Retaliation and Denied Benefits: Workers who report injuries sometimes face discipline or termination, and carriers sometimes deny, delay, or cut off payments without warning. Both states bar firing a worker for filing a comp claim.
What to Do After a Dock or Vessel Injury on the Mississippi Coast
Get medical care first, and tell the provider exactly how the injury happened and that it occurred at work. Vague histories get used against you later. Then report the injury to your employer in writing. Mississippi requires notice within 30 days of the accident, and sooner is far better; a written report with a date leaves no room for later argument about whether the employer knew.
Next, write down who saw it, what equipment was involved, where on the dock or vessel it happened, and what your job duties were that day. Keep photographs, text messages, and any incident report you are handed. If a supervisor tells you to call it a personal injury or to use your own health insurance, do not agree to that without talking to a lawyer.
The classification question deserves attention early. Where the injury occurred, what you were doing, and who employed you all bear on whether a state or federal compensation system governs. In Mississippi, claims that fall under the state system are heard by the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission, first before an Administrative Judge and then, on review, before the Full Commission, which examines the record rather than holding a new trial. A final Commission award can be appealed to the Mississippi Supreme Court within 30 days, and that court often assigns the case to the Court of Appeals. For third-party injury claims arising on the Coast, federal court for the Southern District of Mississippi, Southern Division, holds court in Gulfport and serves Harrison County, with appeals going to the Fifth Circuit.
Watch the filing deadline. Beyond the 30-day notice, you generally have two years from the date of injury, or from the last compensation payment, to file a Petition to Controvert with the Commission. If benefits were never paid, the right to them can be lost after two years unless a claim was filed. Do not sign recorded statements or settlement paperwork from the carrier before you understand what you are giving up, and do not return to work ahead of your doctor’s release because an adjuster pushes you to.
How Compensation Works When the State System Applies
Mississippi coverage begins on the first day of employment, with no waiting period. Benefits include reasonable and necessary medical treatment and wage replacement. Temporary and permanent total disability pay roughly two-thirds of your average weekly wage, up to a weekly maximum set by the Legislature and generally for no more than 450 weeks. Permanent partial disability payments in most cases are also capped at 450 weeks. The weekly maximum is adjusted over time, so the number that applies is the one in effect for your injury date.
Disputes tend to cluster around the same questions: whether the accident happened at work, whether a prior condition is to blame, when you are healthy enough to work, and how much permanent impairment remains. Each is answered with medical records, treating physician opinions, witness accounts, and your work history. Your own doctor’s findings carry real weight, and the carrier’s chosen examiner will often reach a different conclusion.
Workers who also have connections to Louisiana, such as those who work on vessels or terminals moving between the two states, should know that Louisiana has its own rules: a 30-day notice requirement and generally a one-year deadline to file a formal claim. Where you were hurt and who employed you determine which state’s rules govern, which is one more reason to get the facts reviewed early.
Questions Biloxi Longshoremen Ask About Injury Claims
Is a longshoreman injury covered by Mississippi workers’ compensation?
Sometimes. Work performed on or directly tied to navigable water, such as loading or unloading vessels, is often covered by a federal compensation program rather than the state system. Work away from the water or not connected to maritime activity may fall under Mississippi law. The answer depends on where you were hurt and what you were doing, so the facts need to be reviewed before any claim is filed.
How long do I have to report my injury?
Report it to your employer as soon as it happens and no later than 30 days after the accident. Do it in writing and keep a copy.
How long do I have to file a claim in Mississippi?
Generally two years from the date of injury or the date of the last compensation payment, by filing a Petition to Controvert with the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission. If no benefits were ever paid, missing that window can bar the claim.
What does the insurance company usually argue?
The familiar arguments are that the accident did not happen at work, that a pre-existing condition caused the problem, that you can return to work before your doctor agrees, or that benefits should stop. Each can be answered with medical and witness evidence.
Do I pay anything to hire your firm?
No. Consultations are free, the firm advances the case costs, 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.
What if my injury was partly an old injury?
A prior condition does not automatically end a claim. If your work caused, worsened, or accelerated the condition, benefits may still be owed. Strong medical evidence separating the old problem from the work-related change is the key.
Can I be fired for filing a claim?
No. Mississippi and Louisiana both prohibit retaliation for filing a compensation claim. If you were disciplined or let go after reporting an injury, tell us during your consultation.
Can I also sue someone other than my employer?
Possibly. If a negligent driver, equipment owner, or outside contractor contributed to your injury, you may have a separate injury claim in addition to compensation benefits. In Mississippi, fault shared by the injured person reduces a recovery rather than barring it, and general negligence claims commonly carry a three-year limit, though shorter periods apply to claims against government bodies.
How long will my case take?
It depends on how serious the injury is, whether benefits are being paid, and whether the insurer contests the claim. A worker still in treatment often cannot settle until doctors know the permanent effects. Cases that go to a hearing before an Administrative Judge take longer than those resolved by agreement.
Will my health insurance cover treatment while my claim is pending?
Health insurers generally resist paying for work injuries, and using your own coverage can create reimbursement problems later. If the compensation carrier denies treatment, talk to us about how to keep care going without jeopardizing the claim.
Do you represent 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 Longshoremen and Dock Workers Across the Gulf Coast
For Biloxi and the rest of Harrison County, our work reaches the communities that make up the Mississippi Gulf Coast, from Biloxi and Gulfport to Long Beach, Pass Christian, D’Iberville, and Diamondhead. We also serve injured workers in neighboring coastal and nearby communities across the Gulf Coast region, and in Hattiesburg, Jackson, Madison, Southaven, the Delta, and north Mississippi.
Across the state line, we represent workers in South Louisiana, including New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, and Lake Charles, as well as Shreveport and north Louisiana. Whether you are hurt on a pier, in a yard, or on a job site tied to the port economy, we can review where your claim belongs and what benefits you may be owed.
Talk to a Biloxi Longshoreman Injury Attorney Today
If you were hurt working the docks or around vessels, a Biloxi longshoreman injury attorney can tell you which system governs your claim, what deadlines are running, and what the insurance company is likely to argue next. Our phones are answered 24 hours a day, consultations are free, and you owe no fee unless we recover benefits for you. Call Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe PLLC today and get your questions answered before the deadlines pass.
