Hinds County Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
A work injury claim in Hinds County comes down to a few concrete results: medical care approved without a fight, wage checks that keep arriving while you recover, and a fair settlement when your condition becomes permanent. Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe PLLC is a workers’ compensation law firm that represents injured workers throughout Mississippi and Louisiana, and a Hinds County workers’ compensation lawyer from our team can take over the dealings with your employer and its insurer so you can focus on getting well.
Hinds County sits at the center of Mississippi’s workforce. Hospitals, state government, warehouses, distribution centers, construction sites, and trucking routes all feed claims into the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission, and the Commission is where your case will be decided, not a county courtroom. That distinction matters. The rules, the judges, and the deadlines are all different from what most people expect when they hear “lawsuit.”
Mississippi coverage starts on your first day of employment, with no waiting period and no minimum earnings. If a carrier has told you otherwise, or has simply stopped returning calls, the next sections lay out what you are entitled to and what decisions you will face along the way.
Why Choose Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe for a Hinds County Comp Claim
Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe PLLC represents injured workers in Hinds County and across Mississippi and South Louisiana, from Jackson, Clinton, Byram, Terry, and Raymond to the Gulf Coast, the Delta, and north Mississippi. Most lawyers who take comp cases are personal injury lawyers who handle one when it happens to walk in. We built the firm the other way around. Consultations are free, we advance the costs of your case, and you owe no fee unless we recover benefits for you. Our phones are answered 24 hours a day, and we speak Spanish (hablamos español).
Rob Lunsford, our 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 tried dozens of jury and bench trials to verdict and regularly appears before the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission.
The results reflect that focus. We have 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, and $385,000 for a project manager injured when his work vehicle was struck. We also obtained $221,000 for a land-based oil rig worker with severe burns. Clients tell us what stood out was being heard, having their calls answered, and watching their attorney push back on the insurance company at every step.
Injuries and Claim Types We Handle for Hinds County Workers
- Back, Neck, and Spine Injuries: Lumbar and cervical disc herniations are among the most common claims from warehouse, construction, healthcare, and trucking work. When the carrier blames degenerative disc disease, we build the medical record to show how repetitive labor or a single incident caused or worsened the condition.
- Shoulder and Knee Injuries: Torn rotator cuffs, SLAP tears, ACL tears, and meniscus tears often require surgery and long recovery. Employers sometimes call these old sports injuries, and we meet that argument with treating-physician opinions and work history.
- Fractures: Broken feet, ankles, hips, and other bones from falls, struck-by accidents, and equipment incidents can require specialists and complex repair, which means longer time away from work and larger benefit questions.
- Burns and Catastrophic Injuries: Industrial sites, plants, and oil field operations produce severe burns and life-altering trauma that call for lifelong medical planning, not a quick settlement offer.
- Firefighter and First Responder Claims: Hypertension, heart and lung disease, hepatitis, hearing loss, posttraumatic stress, and cancer tied to the job are claims carriers fight hard, and they require careful medical proof.
- Vehicle Accidents on the Job: Delivery drivers, truckers, and employees running errands along I-20, I-55, and I-220 may have both a comp claim and a separate claim against the negligent driver, and the two must be coordinated.
- Denied, Delayed, and Terminated Benefits: Claims that were accepted and then stopped, or never accepted at all, are a core part of our work, including appeals within the Commission and beyond.
Deadlines and Decisions in the First Weeks After a Hinds County Work Injury
Report the injury to your employer right away, and no later than 30 days after the accident. Do it in writing if you can, and keep a copy. Verbal notice to a supervisor is better than nothing, but a dated email or incident report is proof that cannot be disputed later. Missing this window gives the carrier an argument it will not hesitate to use.
The filing deadline is separate. In Mississippi 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 no disability benefits were ever paid and you let those two years pass without filing, the right to benefits can be barred entirely. Do not treat a carrier’s promises or slow-walking as a reason to wait. The notice and limitations rules come from Miss. Code § 71-3-35.
Your first real decision is medical. Tell the doctor exactly how the injury happened and that it happened at work, because the first records become the foundation of the claim. Describe every symptom, even ones that seem minor, and do not downplay pain to seem tough. Gaps and vague histories in early records are what insurers use to argue the injury came from somewhere else. Follow your treatment plan, attend every appointment, and keep copies of work restrictions.
The second decision is whether to talk to the adjuster. You will be asked for a recorded statement, often quickly. You are not required to give one without preparation, and anything you say about prior injuries, hobbies, or activities can be taken out of context. Speaking with an attorney first costs nothing. Third, think about going back to work. Returning before your doctor releases you, or accepting duties that violate your restrictions, can hurt both your recovery and your benefits.
If a dispute cannot be resolved informally, the case is heard by the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission, which is an administrative body, not a court. An evidentiary hearing takes place before an Administrative Judge. If either side appeals, the Full Commission reviews the record made before the judge. That review is not a new trial, so the evidence must be built correctly the first time. A final Commission award can be appealed to the Mississippi Supreme Court within 30 days, and the Supreme Court may assign the case to the Mississippi Court of Appeals. Appeals are decided on the existing record, which is why the hearing itself matters so much.
What Benefits Cover and How Insurers Push Back
Mississippi benefits include reasonable and necessary medical treatment and wage replacement. For temporary and permanent total disability, the wage benefit is two-thirds of your average weekly wage, subject to a statutory weekly maximum, and generally cannot run longer than 450 weeks. Permanent partial disability payments in most other cases are also capped at 450 weeks. The maximum weekly amount is adjusted periodically, which is one reason a case evaluation matters: your actual number depends on your wages and the facts of your injury.
Insurers have a familiar playbook. They argue the accident did not happen at work, point to a pre-existing condition, push you toward light duty before your doctor agrees, or stop paying without warning. A pre-existing condition does not end a claim. If work caused, worsened, or accelerated the condition, benefits may still be owed. Retaliation is also off limits: Mississippi protects workers from being fired for filing a comp claim, and if you were let go or punished after reporting an injury, tell us.
Some injuries involve someone other than your employer, such as a negligent driver who hits your work truck or a contractor whose unsafe site causes a fall. In those cases you may have a personal injury claim alongside your comp benefits. We handle car and truck accidents, premises liability, and wrongful death, and we make sure the two claims support each other rather than collide, since comp carriers often claim reimbursement from third-party recoveries.
Hinds County Workers’ Compensation Questions Answered
Do I need a lawyer for a workers’ compensation claim in Hinds County?
Not every claim requires one. But if benefits have been denied, delayed, reduced, or cut off, or if you will be out of work for a long time, an attorney can change the outcome. The insurer has adjusters and lawyers protecting its side.
How much does it cost to hire your firm?
Nothing up front. Consultations are free, we advance the costs, and we are paid 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 and file a claim?
Report to your employer within 30 days of the accident. You generally have two years from the date of injury, or the last compensation payment, to file a Petition to Controvert with the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission.
Does the Commission sit in a Hinds County courtroom?
No. Mississippi comp claims are decided by the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission, an administrative agency, with hearings before Administrative Judges and review by the Full Commission. Circuit court is not where these claims begin.
Am I covered if I was just hired?
Yes. Coverage begins on your first day of employment, with no waiting period and no minimum earnings requirement, provided your employer is subject to the Mississippi act.
What if my injury was caused by a pre-existing condition?
A prior condition does not automatically defeat your claim. If your job caused, worsened, or sped up the condition, you may still be entitled to benefits. Strong medical evidence is what answers this defense.
Can I choose my own doctor?
Medical care can become a point of contention, because insurers often steer workers toward physicians they favor. Do not assume you must accept whatever the carrier proposes. Talk with an attorney before treatment choices are locked in, since records from the wrong provider can hurt the claim.
What happens if the insurance company stops paying while I am still hurt?
A sudden stop in benefits is a common dispute and is often challengeable. We can file with the Commission to contest the termination and press for resumed payments, using your treating doctor’s restrictions and medical records.
Will a comp claim affect my chance to sue someone else?
It should not prevent a separate claim against a third party, such as a negligent driver or contractor. The two claims interact, so they need to be handled together to avoid problems with reimbursement to the comp carrier.
I was hurt working in Louisiana but live in Hinds County. What now?
Louisiana claims follow Louisiana rules: report within 30 days and generally file within one year of the accident, with benefits determined under Louisiana law. Our team handles claims in both states, so we can sort out which state’s law applies to your situation.
Is it worth hiring a lawyer for a smaller injury?
Often yes, because small injuries can become permanent, and early missteps in reporting or medical records are hard to undo. A free consultation lets you find out whether you need representation before committing to anything.
How long does a Commission case take?
Timelines vary with the severity of the injury, whether the carrier accepts the claim, and whether a hearing is needed. Cases that settle can resolve sooner, while contested claims requiring a hearing and appeal take longer. We can give you a realistic picture after reviewing your records.
Serving Injured Workers Across Hinds County and Beyond
Hinds County is divided into two judicial districts, and our work reaches injured workers throughout both. In the First District we represent clients in Jackson, Clinton, Byram, and Terry, from the downtown and medical corridors to the neighborhoods spread across the metro. In the Second District we serve workers in Raymond, Bolton, Utica, and Edwards, along with the smaller communities and rural areas between.
Next door, we serve workers in Madison County, including Madison, Ridgeland, and Canton, and in Rankin County, including Brandon, Pearl, and Flowood. We also represent clients across Mississippi, from the Gulf Coast and Hattiesburg to Southaven, north Mississippi, and the Delta. Our Louisiana practice covers New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Shreveport, and communities across South Louisiana and north Louisiana. Whether you work a plant floor, a hospital ward, a job site, or a truck route, we handle your comp claim the same way: with the medical evidence and work history needed to answer the insurer’s arguments.
Talk With a Hinds County Workers’ Compensation Attorney Today
If you were hurt on the job, you do not have to fight the insurance company by yourself. A Hinds County workers’ compensation attorney at Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe can review your situation, explain your deadlines, and take over the dealings with the carrier. Consultations are free, you pay no fee unless we recover benefits for you, and our phones are answered 24 hours a day. Call us or send your case details and let us start working on your claim. We help injured workers. That is all we do.
