Long Beach Personal Injury Lawyer
A personal injury claim from Long Beach, Mississippi usually lands in Harrison County, where the connected jurisdictions, insurers, and deadlines decide how much leverage an injured person actually has. Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe PLLC is a workers’ compensation and injury law firm that represents injured people across Mississippi and Louisiana, including Long Beach, the Gulf Coast, and the surrounding communities, and the firm brings that same focus on injured people to car and truck accidents, premises liability, and wrongful death cases.
The first thing a Long Beach resident should sort out is whether the injury happened at work. A crash in a work truck on Highway 90, a fall on a contractor’s unsafe site, or an accident on a delivery route can support two separate claims at once: workers’ compensation against the employer’s insurer, and a personal injury claim against whoever caused the harm. The comp claim pays medical care and part of your lost wages regardless of fault. The injury claim, built on negligence, can reach damages that comp never touches. Handling them in the wrong order, or letting one undercut the other, is one of the more costly mistakes injured workers make.
Mississippi follows pure comparative negligence, which matters more than most people realize. If an insurer says you were partly to blame, your recovery shrinks by your percentage of fault rather than disappearing. That is why the early evidence, such as the scene, the vehicles, the witnesses, and the medical records, shapes the whole case, and why a Long Beach injury attorney should be involved before you give a recorded statement to anyone’s adjuster.
Why Choose Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe for a Gulf Coast Injury Claim
Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe PLLC represents injured workers and accident victims throughout Mississippi and Louisiana, including Long Beach, Gulfport, Biloxi, and the rest of the coast. The firm’s attorneys bring over 75 years of combined experience, and the firm has recovered more than $100 million in settlements for its clients. Most lawyers who take workers’ compensation cases are general injury lawyers who handle a work injury when one happens to walk in.
The people behind the 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, and the firm was ranked by Best Law Firms for Workers’ Compensation Law, Claimants, in Jackson. Andrew Rueff has successfully tried dozens of jury and bench trials to verdict and has argued personal injury and insurance cases before state appellate courts.
The results reflect the kind of injuries these cases involve: 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 injured 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, answers questions, and stays with them through the insurance fight. Consultations are free, the firm advances the costs of the case, there is no fee 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.
Injury Claims That Come Out of the Gulf Coast Economy
- Car and Truck Accidents: Highway 90 along the beachfront, Interstate 10, and Highway 49 carry commuters, tourists, casino traffic, and commercial trucks through the Long Beach area. When a negligent driver hits someone who is on the clock, both a comp claim and a liability claim may exist.
- Workplace Injuries With a Third Party: Shipyards, industrial sites, and construction projects bring in subcontractors, equipment makers, and property owners other than your employer. If one of them caused the harm, you may have a claim beyond comp.
- Premises Liability: Falls in stores, restaurants, hotels, and rental properties turn on whether the owner knew or should have known about a hazard and failed to fix or warn about it. Hurricane-damaged or poorly repaired buildings can add to the risk.
- Back, Neck, and Spine Injuries: Herniated discs and cervical injuries are among the most common serious injuries in both crashes and heavy labor, and insurers often point to degenerative changes to shrink the claim.
- Shoulder and Knee Injuries: Rotator cuff and SLAP tears, ACL tears, and meniscus tears frequently need surgery, and employers sometimes call them old sports injuries.
- Burns and Catastrophic Injuries: Industrial and offshore-related work can produce severe burns and life-altering injuries that require long-term medical planning.
- Wrongful Death: When a fatal accident is caused by someone’s negligence, families may have a claim for losses beyond the workers’ compensation death benefits.
What to Do After an Injury in Long Beach
Get medical care first and tell the provider exactly how the injury happened, including whether it was at work. Gaps in treatment and vague descriptions are what insurers use later to argue the injury was something else. Keep every record, bill, and discharge instruction, and photograph the scene, vehicles, and your injuries while they are still visible. For a crash, a police report from the responding agency is a key piece of evidence, so make sure one is made. Get names and numbers of witnesses before they scatter.
If the injury is work related, tell your employer promptly. In Mississippi you must report the injury within 30 days of the accident, and if no disability benefits have been paid, the claim is barred unless a petition is filed with the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission within two years of the injury. Comp coverage begins on a worker’s first day, with no waiting period. Claims are heard by the Commission and its administrative judges, not an ordinary court, and a final award can be appealed to the Mississippi Supreme Court within 30 days of filing, which may assign the case to the Court of Appeals.
The injury claim runs on a separate clock. Mississippi’s general three-year period for negligence claims applies to most car accident and premises cases, but claims against a county or other government body require notice and carry a one-year limit under the Mississippi Tort Claims Act. Do not assume you have the longer period. If a federal court is involved, Long Beach sits in Harrison County, which falls in the Southern Division of the Southern District of Mississippi, with court held in Gulfport.
Be careful with the insurance company. Adjusters will ask for a recorded statement early, and a casual comment about feeling “fine” or a guess about speed can be quoted back for months. You can decline until you have spoken with a lawyer. Avoid posting about the accident or your activities on social media, and do not sign a medical release broader than the injury at issue.
How a Work Injury and an Injury Claim Fit Together
When someone other than your employer caused a work injury, the two claims interact. Workers’ compensation pays medical bills and a portion of lost wages without regard to fault, but it does not pay for pain and suffering. A third-party claim can. The comp insurer often has a right to be repaid from a third-party recovery, so how a settlement is structured and timed affects what you actually keep. That coordination is a large part of why having one firm handle both matters.
Mississippi caps noneconomic damages in certain case types, including most wrongful death cases and medical malpractice, but the caps do not apply to economic losses such as medical bills and lost income. Pure comparative negligence also means a finding that you were partly at fault lowers your award rather than ending the case. Preparing for those arguments from the start, with medical evidence and a clear account of the accident, is what keeps an insurer from using them as leverage.
Common Questions About Long Beach Injury Claims
Do I need a lawyer for a personal injury claim in Long Beach?
Not every minor claim requires one, but if you have significant injuries, if fault is disputed, or if an insurer has denied, delayed, or lowballed your claim, a lawyer can change the outcome. The insurer has adjusters and attorneys protecting its interests, and you should have someone protecting yours.
How much does it cost to hire the firm?
Nothing up front. Consultations are free, the firm advances the costs of the case, and you owe a fee only if benefits or a settlement are recovered.
How long do I have to file a personal injury lawsuit in Mississippi?
Most negligence claims, including car accidents and premises cases, must be filed within three years after the cause of action accrues. In a latent injury or disease, the clock may start when you discovered, or reasonably should have discovered, the injury. Claims against a county or government agency have a one-year limit and require notice.
What if I was partly at fault for the accident?
Mississippi uses pure comparative negligence. You can still recover, but your award is reduced by your share of fault. Do not accept an insurer’s fault assessment without having it reviewed.
Can I have both a workers’ compensation claim and a personal injury claim?
Yes, when someone other than your employer, such as a negligent driver or a contractor, contributed to the injury. The two claims run separately, and the comp insurer may have a right to be repaid from the third-party recovery.
How long do I have to report a work injury in Mississippi?
You must give your employer notice within 30 days of the accident. A claim generally must be filed with the Commission within two years of the injury if no benefits have been paid.
Will my health insurance cover treatment while my claim is pending?
Often yes, though the insurer may later seek reimbursement from a settlement. For a work injury, the comp carrier should pay authorized treatment, so you should not simply bill your health plan without understanding which coverage applies.
Can I be fired for filing a workers’ compensation claim?
Mississippi and Louisiana both protect workers from retaliation for filing a comp claim. If you were let go or punished after reporting an injury, tell your attorney right away.
What if the insurer says a pre-existing condition caused my injury?
That does not automatically end a claim. If the accident or your job caused, worsened, or accelerated the condition, you may still be entitled to benefits or damages. Strong medical evidence is how that argument is answered.
Is it worth hiring a lawyer for a smaller injury?
It depends on the medical picture. Injuries that seem minor early on, such as back and neck pain, can turn into long treatment and time away from work. A free consultation lets you find out whether the claim is worth pursuing before you accept a quick settlement.
What happens if a family member died in an accident?
Mississippi allows a wrongful death claim, generally within three years for negligence and one year for intentional torts. Louisiana has its own rules if the death occurred there. A lawyer can explain which deadline governs your situation.
Do you handle cases outside Long Beach?
Yes. The firm represents injured people statewide in Mississippi and Louisiana, and Spanish-speaking clients can work with the team in their own language.
Serving Long Beach and Harrison County Injury Clients
The firm represents injured people from Long Beach and across Harrison County, including Gulfport, Biloxi, D’Iberville, Pass Christian, and Diamondhead in neighboring Hancock County. Coastal clients also come from Ocean Springs and Gautier in neighboring Jackson County, and from Picayune and Poplarville in Pearl River County. Inland, the team serves Hattiesburg and the Pine Belt, and Jackson, Madison, and the Delta, along with Southaven and north Mississippi. Across the state line, the firm represents clients in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles, and Shreveport, and throughout south and north Louisiana. Whether the injury happened on a coastal highway, a job site, or a hotel property, the firm brings the same attention to both the comp benefits and the injury claim.
Talk to a Long Beach Personal Injury Attorney Today
If you were hurt in a crash, a fall, or an accident at work, you do not have to deal with the insurance company alone. A Long Beach personal injury attorney at Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe can review what happened, explain how the deadlines apply to you, and coordinate any workers’ compensation claim alongside the injury claim. Phones are answered 24 hours a day, consultations are free, and you pay no fee unless we recover for you. Call today to talk through your case.
