Clarke County Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
A workers’ compensation claim in Clarke County is not decided by a judge in a courtroom, and it is not decided locally at all. It is an administrative proceeding run by a state commission in Jackson, with its own deadlines, forms, and rules of evidence that look nothing like a typical lawsuit. Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe PLLC is a workers’ compensation law firm that represents injured workers across Mississippi and Louisiana, and as a Clarke County workers’ compensation lawyer serving Quitman, Enterprise, Pachuta, Shubuta, and the rest of the county, we handle claims that have been denied, delayed, or cut off before they should have been.
Clarke County sits in east Mississippi, where timber, wood products, trucking, oil and gas work, and plant labor put people into physically demanding jobs every day. Those jobs produce the injuries that insurers fight hardest: herniated discs from repetitive lifting, torn shoulders from pulling and hauling, knee injuries from uneven ground, and crush or fracture injuries around heavy equipment. Insurers tend to answer those claims the same way, by calling the injury a pre-existing condition or by questioning whether it happened at work at all.
Why Choose Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe for a Clarke County Work Injury Claim
Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe PLLC represents injured workers throughout Mississippi, including Clarke County and the surrounding east Mississippi communities, as well as across Louisiana. Workers’ compensation is the center of the firm’s practice, not a side matter taken when it happens to walk in the door. The firm’s attorneys bring over 75 combined years of experience to these claims, and the firm has recovered more than $100 million in settlements for its clients. Clients are never charged 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. Phones are answered 24 hours a day, and Spanish-speaking clients can work with the team in their own language from the first call to the end of the case, which matters in a region where many laborers work in timber, poultry, and construction.
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, 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 routinely appears before the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission. Keaton Belk and Erin Heimlicher round out the attorney team.
The results reflect the kinds of injuries Clarke County workers suffer: a $685,000 settlement 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 with back injuries after being struck in his work vehicle, and $221,000 for a land-based oil rig worker with severe burns. Clients consistently describe a team that listens, communicates, and fights the insurance company at every step.
Injuries and Claims We Handle for Clarke County Workers
- Back, Neck, and Spine Injuries: Lumbar and cervical disc herniations are among the most common serious claims from lifting, hauling, and driving jobs. Insurers often blame degenerative disc disease, and the answer is medical evidence showing that years of physical work or a single incident caused or worsened the condition.
- Shoulder and Knee Injuries: Torn rotator cuffs, SLAP tears, ACL tears, and meniscus tears occur on timber crews, loading docks, and drilling sites. Employers frequently call them old sports injuries, so the timing of symptoms and the work history matter.
- Fractures: Broken feet, ankles, hips, and other bones from falls, equipment, and vehicle incidents can require specialists and complex surgical repair, with long stretches away from work.
- Burns and Catastrophic Injuries: Oil field work, plants, and industrial sites expose workers to fire, chemicals, and heavy machinery. These claims involve extended treatment and permanent limitations.
- Truck Driver and Delivery Injuries: Drivers hurt in wrecks or while loading and unloading often have both a comp claim and a claim against a negligent third party.
- 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.
- Denied, Delayed, or Terminated Benefits: Claims denied outright, checks that stop without warning, and workers pushed back to duty before a doctor clears them all call for a challenge before the Commission.
- Wrongful Death: When a workplace accident takes a life, surviving family members may be entitled to death benefits and may have additional claims against third parties.
What to Do After a Work Injury in Clarke County
Report the injury to your employer in writing as soon as it happens. Mississippi law requires notice to the employer within 30 days of the accident, and that deadline is separate from the time limit for filing a claim. Do not wait to see whether the pain goes away. If you were hurt in a fall or an equipment accident, tell the supervisor who was present, ask that it be documented, and keep a copy of anything you submit.
Get medical treatment and be specific with every provider about how the injury happened and that it happened at work. Vague histories are what insurers later use to argue the injury came from somewhere else. Follow the restrictions your doctor gives you, even when a supervisor pressures you to return early, because working outside your restrictions can be used against you and can make the injury worse.
Mississippi workers are covered from the first day on the job, with no waiting period. If benefits are denied or never begin, the worker generally has two years from the date of injury, or from the last compensation payment, to file a Petition to Controvert with the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission. Missing that window can bar the claim entirely, which is why it is risky to rely on an adjuster’s assurances that a claim is being handled. Wage-loss benefits are generally two-thirds of your average weekly wage, subject to a statutory weekly maximum, and for total disability they are capped at 450 weeks.
Your claim will not be heard in Clarke County courts. The Commission, which sits in Jackson, administers the system. Cases are heard at an evidentiary hearing before an Administrative Judge, and either side can seek review from the Full Commission, which reviews the record already made rather than holding a new trial. A final Commission award can be appealed to the Mississippi Supreme Court within 30 days, and the appeal is decided on the existing record, which is why building that record carefully from the start matters so much. The Supreme Court may assign the case to the Mississippi Court of Appeals.
Avoid giving a recorded statement to the insurance adjuster without understanding what it will be used for, and do not sign medical releases broader than necessary. Be cautious about social media, since photographs and posts are routinely used to dispute the severity of an injury. Keep a running record of missed work, mileage to appointments, out-of-pocket costs, and every conversation with the employer or insurer.
Pre-Existing Conditions and Other Ways Insurers Fight Mississippi Claims
Insurance carriers follow a familiar playbook: the accident did not happen at work, the injury was already there, the worker can return to duty, or benefits simply stop. A pre-existing condition does not end a claim. If your job caused, worsened, or accelerated the condition, you may still be entitled to benefits. In physical trades, nearly every worker over a certain age has some degeneration on imaging, and the legal question is whether work aggravated it into a disabling injury.
Answering that argument takes treating-physician opinions, objective imaging, a consistent timeline, and testimony from coworkers or supervisors who saw what happened. We build each case with the medical evidence, witness accounts, and work history needed to meet the carrier’s position, and when a claim has to be tried, our attorneys take it before the Administrative Judge and beyond.
When Someone Other Than Your Employer Caused the Injury
Workers’ compensation is generally the exclusive remedy against your employer, but it does not shield everyone else. A negligent driver who hits your work truck, a contractor whose unsafe site causes a fall, or a manufacturer of defective equipment may be liable in a separate personal injury claim. Mississippi follows pure comparative negligence, so your recovery is reduced by your share of fault rather than barred outright. Most third-party claims without a more specific deadline must be brought within three years, but claims against a county or other governmental entity carry a one-year limit and a notice requirement. Our personal injury practice, including car and truck accidents, premises liability, and wrongful death, allows the comp claim and the injury claim to work together rather than against each other.
Frequently Asked Questions About Clarke County Workers’ Compensation
Do I need a lawyer for a workers’ compensation claim?
Not every claim requires one, but if benefits have been denied, delayed, reduced, or cut off, or if the injury will keep you out of work for a long time, an attorney can make a major difference. The insurer has adjusters and lawyers protecting its interests, and you should have someone protecting yours.
How much does it cost to hire Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe?
Nothing up front. Consultations are free, the firm advances the costs of the case, and fees are collected only if we recover benefits or a settlement. Attorney fees in workers’ compensation cases are limited and approved under state law.
How long do I have to report my injury?
You must give your employer notice within 30 days of the accident. Do it in writing right away, because a late report gives the insurer an easy argument against you.
How long do I have to file a claim in Mississippi?
Generally two years from the date of injury, or from the date of the last compensation payment, to file a Petition to Controvert with the Commission. If no disability benefits were ever paid, the two years run from the injury. Exceptions can apply, so speak with an attorney as early as possible.
Does Mississippi workers’ compensation cover me from my first day?
Yes. Coverage begins on the first day of employment, with no waiting period and no minimum earnings requirement.
What does workers’ compensation pay?
It covers reasonable and necessary medical treatment and wage replacement while you cannot work, generally up to two-thirds of your average weekly wage subject to a statutory maximum. Additional benefits apply for permanent disability, and for death in fatal cases.
Can I be fired for filing a claim?
Mississippi protects workers from retaliation for filing a comp claim. If you were let go or punished after reporting an injury, tell us during your consultation so we can review your options.
Will the Commission hold my hearing in Clarke County?
Mississippi claims are heard by the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission, an administrative body, rather than by a county court. Hearings are before Administrative Judges, with Full Commission review taking place in Jackson, and our attorneys handle the travel and filings.
What if the insurer says my injury is just wear and tear from age?
That is one of the most common denial arguments, and it does not automatically defeat a claim. If your work caused, worsened, or sped up the condition, benefits may still be owed. Strong medical opinions tying the condition to your job duties are central to winning that dispute.
Can I still get benefits if my injury developed gradually rather than in one accident?
Yes. Repetitive-use injuries and occupational illnesses can be compensable. The practical challenge is proving the connection to work and pinning down when you knew or should have known the condition was job-related, which affects the notice and filing clock, so do not delay.
What happens if I appeal and lose before the Commission?
A final award can be appealed to the Mississippi Supreme Court within 30 days, and the appeal is decided on the record made before the Commission. You cannot introduce new evidence on appeal, which is why preparation at the hearing stage is critical.
Do I also have a personal injury claim if a third party caused my injury?
Possibly. If someone other than your employer caused the accident, you may have a separate claim in addition to workers’ compensation. We evaluate both together so the claims do not conflict.
Serving Clarke County Workers’ Compensation Clients Across East Mississippi and Beyond
We represent injured workers in Quitman, the county seat, and in Enterprise, Pachuta, Shubuta, and the smaller communities of Clarke County. We also serve workers in neighboring counties and cities across east and south Mississippi, including Meridian and the Lauderdale County area, Laurel and Jones County, and Hattiesburg and the surrounding Pine Belt communities. Our reach extends statewide, from the Gulf Coast and Jackson and Madison to Southaven, north Mississippi, and the Delta.
The firm also represents injured workers in Louisiana, including New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles, and Shreveport, and throughout south and north Louisiana. Whether you work in a timber operation, a plant, a trucking fleet, or an oil field, if you have been hurt on the job we can help.
Talk With a Clarke County Workers’ Compensation Attorney Today
If you were hurt at work, you do not have to fight the insurance company alone. A Clarke County workers’ compensation attorney at Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe can review what happened, explain the deadlines that apply to you, and take over dealing with your employer and its insurer. Our phones are answered 24 hours a day, consultations are free, and you pay no fee unless we recover benefits for you. Call us today to talk through your claim.
