Olive Branch Back & Spine Injury Lawyer
A herniated disc from lifting freight at a distribution center, or a spinal injury from a fall on a job site off Goodman Road, can end a paycheck overnight and leave you waiting on an insurance adjuster to decide whether your pain “counts.” Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe PLLC is a workers’ compensation law firm that represents injured workers in Olive Branch, DeSoto County, and communities across Mississippi and Louisiana.
If you are looking for an Olive Branch back and spine injury lawyer, the first thing to know is how these claims usually get fought. Spine injuries are expensive to treat and slow to resolve, so insurers push back hard. Olive Branch sits in the middle of one of the busiest warehouse and trucking corridors in the Mid-South, which means lifting, loading, repetitive bending, and long hours behind the wheel are everyday causes of lumbar and cervical injuries. The carrier’s most common response is to point at your age, your X-rays, or “degenerative changes” and say the job had nothing to do with it.
That argument is beatable, and it is one this firm has answered many times. Mississippi law covers you from your first day on the job, and a pre-existing condition does not automatically end a claim when work caused, worsened, or accelerated it.
Spine Injuries That Come Out of Olive Branch Workplaces
The range of back and neck injuries we see tracks the kinds of jobs DeSoto County workers actually do. Each of the categories below has its own medical proof problems and its own insurer playbook.
- Lumbar Disc Herniations: Lifting pallets, unloading trailers, and pulling product off high racks in distribution centers are classic causes. Insurers often argue the disc was already bulging; the answer is medical testimony tying the herniation or its aggravation to a specific work event or years of physical demand.
- Cervical Spine and Neck Injuries: Overhead work, falling objects, and sudden jolts from forklift or truck incidents can injure the neck and send pain or numbness into the arms. These cases frequently involve MRI findings, injections, and surgical recommendations the carrier will try to delay.
- Degenerative Disc Disease Aggravation: Many manual laborers have some wear in their spine by middle age. That does not bar a claim. If your job made a manageable condition disabling, the aggravation is compensable, and this is among the most contested issues in spine cases.
- Truck Driver and Delivery Driver Back Injuries: Loading, unloading, and tarping freight, along with wrecks on I-55, I-269, and Highway 78, produce serious lumbar injuries. If another driver caused a wreck while you were working, you may also have a separate injury claim against that driver.
- Falls From Ladders, Scaffolds, and Loading Docks: Construction and warehouse falls can cause compression fractures, spinal cord injuries, and nerve damage that require specialists and long recoveries.
- Repetitive Strain and Gradual-Onset Back Injuries: Not every spine injury has a single dramatic moment. Years of bending, twisting, and heavy lifting can produce a disabling injury, and the date you first learned it was work-related matters for deadlines.
- Spinal Surgery and Post-Surgical Complications: Fusions, discectomies, and failed-back-surgery situations raise questions about who authorizes surgery, who picks the surgeon, and whether you can return to heavy work afterward.
Why Choose Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe for a Spine Injury Claim
Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe PLLC is a workers’ compensation firm serving injured workers in Olive Branch and throughout DeSoto County, across Mississippi, and in Louisiana. The firm has recovered more than $100 million in settlements for its clients, and it works on a no recovery, no fee basis. Consultations are free, the firm advances the costs of the case, and phones are answered 24 hours a day. Spanish-speaking clients can work with the team in their own language, since hablamos español.
Spine cases are where that focus shows up in the numbers. The firm obtained a $685,000 settlement for a surgical tech with a lower back injury and $600,000 for a construction worker with a complex back injury. Other results include $385,000 for a project manager with back injuries after being struck in his work vehicle, plus settlements for a delivery driver with a lumbar injury, a truck driver who hurt his lower back in a work wreck, and a retail supervisor with a back injury.
Rob Lunsford, Founding Partner, has spent his entire legal career representing injured workers. Partners Brad Baskin and Jennifer Priebe 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 regularly appears before the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission. Keaton Belk and Erin Heimlicher round out the attorney team. Clients consistently describe being listened to, kept informed, and backed up when the insurance company pushed back.
What to Do After a Back or Spine Injury at Work in Olive Branch
Start with the deadline most people miss: Mississippi requires you to report the injury to your employer within 30 days of the accident. Do it in writing if you can, and keep a copy. If your injury developed gradually, report it as soon as you or a doctor connect it to your work. Waiting because you hoped the pain would fade is one of the most common ways a good claim gets complicated.
Get medical care and be specific with the provider. Tell the doctor exactly what you do at work and exactly what happened, because the first chart note becomes the foundation of the claim. If you say “my back just hurts” without mentioning the lift, the fall, or the repetitive duties, the insurer will later say the work connection was never reported. Follow every restriction and keep every appointment, and do not return to full duty before your doctor clears you just because a supervisor or adjuster pressures you.
Mississippi workers’ compensation claims are heard by the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission, not a regular court. If benefits are denied or stop, 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 Commission. Claims go before an Administrative Judge at an evidentiary hearing, and a party unhappy with the result can seek review by the Full Commission, which reviews the record made before the judge rather than holding a new trial. From there, a final Commission award can be appealed within 30 days, and the appeal is decided on the record, so what gets built into the file at the hearing level matters enormously.
A few practical habits help. Keep a log of symptoms, missed shifts, and out-of-pocket costs. Save every letter from the insurer. Be careful with recorded statements to the adjuster, who is gathering material to support a denial. Do not sign medical releases broader than what the claim needs, and do not assume a light-duty offer is harmless; if it exceeds your restrictions, talk to a lawyer before accepting it.
How Insurers Fight Spine Claims and How They Get Answered
The pre-existing condition argument is the centerpiece. An adjuster hires or leans on a records reviewer who notes disc degeneration on an MRI and declares the injury age-related. The response is medical evidence: treating physician opinions, comparison of imaging before and after the incident where available, and the work history showing years of physical demand. Mississippi law does not require a perfectly healthy spine; it asks whether the job caused, worsened, or sped up the condition.
The second tactic is disputing the event itself. Without a witness, the carrier may claim the injury happened at home or over the weekend. Coworker statements, incident reports, timely notice, and consistent histories to providers are the countermeasure. The third is cutting off benefits early by pointing to a released-to-work note, a functional capacity evaluation, or a doctor’s opinion that you have reached maximum medical improvement while you are still in pain.
Wage-loss benefits for temporary or permanent total disability run at two-thirds of your average weekly wage, subject to a statutory weekly maximum that is adjusted periodically, and total disability benefits are capped at 450 weeks. Permanent partial disability in other cases is also limited to 450 weeks. Medical care for the injury, including surgery, therapy, medication, and mileage, is part of the claim. Disputes over which specialist you see, whether a surgery is authorized, and how a permanent impairment is rated are where these claims are often won or lost.
When a Spine Injury Also Involves Someone Other Than Your Employer
Workers’ compensation generally keeps you from suing your employer, but it does not stop a claim against a negligent outside party. A driver who rear-ends your work truck on Goodman Road or I-55, a property owner whose unsafe premises caused a fall, or a contractor who created a hazard on a shared site can all be separate defendants. These third-party claims can reach damages comp does not, such as pain and suffering. Mississippi follows pure comparative negligence, so partial fault on your part reduces a recovery rather than eliminating it, and most negligence claims carry a three-year deadline. Because the comp claim and the injury claim affect each other, including through the insurer’s reimbursement rights, they should be handled together.
Frequently Asked Questions About Olive Branch Back and Spine Injury Claims
Do I need a lawyer for a back injury workers’ comp claim?
Not every claim requires one, but a spine injury is expensive and usually disputed. If benefits are denied, delayed, reduced, or cut off, or you face surgery or a long absence from work, having an attorney matters because the insurer already has adjusters and lawyers on its side.
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 comp cases are also limited and approved under state law.
How long do I have to report a back injury to my employer in Mississippi?
Thirty days from the accident. Report in writing and keep a copy. For a gradual injury, report promptly once you know work is the cause.
How long do I have to file a claim with the Commission?
Generally two years from the date of injury or the date of the last compensation payment. Exceptions can apply when benefits have been paid, so do not rely on a rule of thumb; talk to an attorney early.
Can I still get benefits if I had back problems before the injury?
Yes. A pre-existing condition does not automatically defeat a claim. If your work caused, worsened, or accelerated the condition, you may still qualify for benefits. Strong medical evidence is what answers the insurer’s argument.
What benefits can I receive for a spine injury?
Reasonable and necessary medical treatment, wage replacement while you cannot work, and additional benefits for permanent disability. Wage replacement is two-thirds of your average weekly wage up to a statutory maximum, and total disability benefits cannot exceed 450 weeks.
Can I choose my own surgeon or spine specialist?
Choice of doctor is often disputed. The rules on changing physicians and getting a second opinion are specific, and a wrong move can cost you coverage for treatment, so ask before switching or scheduling anything on your own.
What if the insurance company says I can go back to work but my doctor disagrees?
Do not return to duties beyond your doctor’s restrictions. A conflict between a treating physician and an insurer-selected examiner is a common dispute, and the Commission resolves it on medical evidence. Document everything and get legal advice before acting.
I live in Olive Branch but was hurt on a job site across the state line in Tennessee. Which state’s comp applies?
That depends on where you were hired, where the work is based, and the employer’s coverage, and it can change which benefits and deadlines apply. Given how close Olive Branch is to the state line, this comes up in the Mid-South. Bring your hiring paperwork and details of where you worked to a consultation so the right state can be identified before any deadline passes.
Can I be fired for filing a comp claim for my back?
Mississippi protects workers from retaliation for filing a comp claim. If you were let go or punished after reporting an injury, tell the firm so your options can be reviewed.
Will my health insurance cover treatment while my comp claim is pending?
Comp is supposed to pay for work-related treatment, but denials leave people stuck. Some use health insurance in the meantime, which can raise reimbursement questions later. Discuss this with your attorney before relying on it so the bills do not create problems down the road.
Is a settlement better than continuing to receive benefits?
It depends on your medical outlook, future surgery needs, and ability to return to your trade. A settlement can close out future medical care, so the decision deserves careful review of long-term costs before you agree.
Serving Back and Spine Injury Clients Across DeSoto County and Beyond
We represent injured workers in Olive Branch and throughout DeSoto County, including those who work in and commute through Southaven, Horn Lake, Hernando, Walls, Nesbit, Lewisburg, and the surrounding communities of north Mississippi. Our clients include warehouse and logistics employees, drivers, construction crews, and tradespeople who earn their living on the same corridors that connect Olive Branch to the wider Mid-South.
The firm’s reach extends across Mississippi, from Jackson and Madison to Hattiesburg, the Gulf Coast, and the Delta, and into Louisiana, including New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Shreveport, and the rest of south and north Louisiana. Whether the injury happened on a dock in DeSoto County or on a job site hundreds of miles away, the attorney team handles back, neck, and spine claims for workers throughout both states.
Talk With an Olive Branch Back and Spine Injury Attorney Today
If your back or neck was hurt at work and the insurance company is questioning the claim, a conversation with an Olive Branch back and spine injury attorney at Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe PLLC costs nothing and puts the facts in front of people who handle these claims every day. You pay no fee unless benefits or a settlement are recovered. Call today to schedule a free consultation; phones are answered around the clock, and Spanish-speaking clients are welcome.
