Purvis Personal Injury Lawyer
The goal in an injury case is simple to say and hard to reach: get your medical care paid for, replace the income you lost, and hold the right party responsible for the rest. Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe PLLC handles workers’ compensation and personal injury claims for injured people throughout Mississippi and Louisiana, and a Purvis personal injury lawyer from our team can help you work toward that result whether you were hurt on a Lamar County road, at a job site, or on someone else’s property.
Purvis sits in Lamar County, in the part of south Mississippi anchored by Hattiesburg and Interstate 59. That corridor carries a steady flow of log trucks, delivery vehicles, and commuters, and the area’s work is physical: timber, construction, distribution, and healthcare. A good number of local injuries do not fit neatly into one box. A driver hurt in a wreck while on the clock may have a workers’ compensation claim and a separate claim against the at-fault driver. A laborer hurt on a site run by a subcontractor may have both as well. Sorting out which claims you have, and making sure they do not undercut each other, is where most of the real work happens.
Where Purvis Injury Claims Come From
The injuries that bring people to us tend to follow the way people in this area earn a living and get around. The categories below are the ones we see most often, along with the legal points that matter for each.
- Car and Truck Crashes: Interstate 59 and the highways around Purvis and Hattiesburg mix commuter traffic with heavy trucking. A claim against a negligent driver or a trucking company runs under Mississippi’s general three-year limit for negligence cases, and any fault assigned to you reduces your recovery rather than ending it.
- Work Vehicle Wrecks: When you are hurt driving for your employer, you can often collect workers’ compensation and also pursue the other driver. We have recovered $385,000 for a project manager struck in his work vehicle, and cases like that depend on keeping both claims in step.
- Job Site Injuries and Third-Party Liability: Comp generally bars suing your own employer, but a negligent contractor, equipment maker, or property owner on the same site may still be liable in a separate personal injury case.
- Premises Liability: Falls, unsafe stairs, poor lighting, and hazards in stores, apartment complexes, and commercial lots can create owner liability. These cases turn on what the owner knew or should have known and what evidence was preserved.
- Back, Neck, and Spine Injuries: Herniated discs from a collision or a lifting incident often mean long treatment and surgery decisions. Insurers frequently point to degenerative changes, so the medical records carry the case.
- Shoulder, Knee, and Fracture Injuries: Rotator cuff and meniscus tears, and broken ankles, hips, and feet, can require specialists and extended time away from work.
- Burns and Catastrophic Injuries: Industrial and oilfield burns and other life-changing injuries call for early evidence work and a realistic look at future care and lost earning capacity.
- Wrongful Death: When a family loses someone to another party’s negligence, Mississippi gives three years for negligence-based claims and one year for intentional torts.
Why Choose Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe for a Purvis Injury Case
Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe PLLC represents injured workers and accident victims across Mississippi and Louisiana, including Lamar County, Hattiesburg, Jackson, the Gulf Coast, the Delta, and south Louisiana. Most lawyers who take comp cases are personal injury lawyers who see one now and then; we built the firm the other way around. Our attorneys bring over 75 years of combined experience, and we have recovered more than $100 million in settlements for clients. We do not charge up front, consultations are free, we advance the costs of the case, and you pay nothing unless we recover for you. Our phones are answered around the clock, and Spanish-speaking clients can work with us in their own language. Hablamos espanol.
The results reflect the kinds of injuries people in this region suffer: $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 struck in his work vehicle, and $221,000 for a land-based oil rig worker with severe burns. 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 tried dozens of jury and bench trials to verdict, and our team also includes Keaton Belk and Erin Heimlicher. Clients who have written about us consistently mention that we listened, explained things clearly, and stood up to the insurance company at every step.
What to Do After an Injury in Lamar County
Start with medical care, and do it the same day if you can. Gaps between the injury and the first treatment are what insurers point to when they argue you were not really hurt. Tell every provider how the injury happened and describe all of your symptoms, not just the worst one. If you are at the scene of a crash, call the police so a report exists, photograph the vehicles, the road, and any visible injuries, and get names and contact information from witnesses. Keep your phone’s photos and your medical paperwork together from day one.
If you were hurt on the job, the first deadline is the notice deadline. In Mississippi you must report the injury to your employer within 30 days of the accident, and putting it in writing is wise. Your workers’ compensation claim belongs before the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission, not a court, and you generally have two years from the date of injury, or from the last compensation payment, to file a petition to controvert. Coverage starts on your first day of employment, with no waiting period. Hearings are held before an Administrative Judge, and an appeal to the Full Commission is a review of the existing record, not a new trial. A final Commission award can be appealed to the Mississippi Supreme Court within 30 days, and that court often sends such cases to the Mississippi Court of Appeals.
For a separate injury claim against a negligent third party, the general limit in Mississippi is three years from when the cause of action accrued, and the discovery rule can delay that start for injuries that were not immediately apparent. Claims against a county or other government body are different: they carry a one-year limit and require notice under the Mississippi Tort Claims Act. Federal court cases from this region go through the Southern District of Mississippi, with court held in Hattiesburg for the Eastern Division that includes Lamar County. Most claims settle before anyone files suit, but knowing which clock applies to your situation keeps your options open.
The mistakes we see most often are easy to avoid. Do not give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurer before you have talked to a lawyer. Do not sign a medical release that reaches back years. Do not post about your injury or activities on social media. And do not accept a quick settlement before you know the full extent of your treatment, because a release usually closes the claim for good.
How Comp and Injury Claims Fit Together
Workers’ compensation pays regardless of who was at fault, but the benefits are limited. In Mississippi, wage replacement for total disability is two-thirds of your average weekly wage, up to a statutory weekly maximum, and generally cannot run longer than 450 weeks. Comp does not pay anything for pain and suffering. A third-party claim can, because it seeks the full range of damages a negligent party owes you. That difference is why a work injury caused by someone other than your employer deserves a second look.
The two claims interact. The comp carrier often has a right to be repaid from your third-party recovery, and how a settlement is structured can affect that. Mississippi’s pure comparative fault rule reduces a personal injury recovery by your share of fault without barring it, but comp benefits do not depend on fault at all. Handling both claims under one roof means the strategy in one does not accidentally damage the other.
Questions People Ask About Injury Claims Near Purvis
Do I need a lawyer for a car accident claim, or can I handle it myself?
A minor property-damage claim with no injuries may not need one. Once you have medical treatment, missed work, or an insurer disputing fault, representation usually pays off. The adjuster works for the company, and having a lawyer changes how seriously the claim is valued.
How much does it cost to hire your firm?
Nothing up front. Consultations are free, we advance case costs, and we are paid only if we recover benefits or a settlement for you. In workers’ compensation cases, attorney fees are limited and approved under state law.
How long do I have to file an injury lawsuit in Mississippi?
For most negligence claims, three years from when the claim accrued. Claims against a county or government agency have a one-year limit and require notice. Wrongful death based on negligence has three years, and intentional torts have one.
What is the deadline to report a work injury?
Thirty days from the accident to notify your employer in Mississippi. After that, you generally have two years to file with the Workers’ Compensation Commission. Exceptions can apply when benefits have already been paid, so do not guess at the date.
Can I get workers’ comp and sue someone else for the same injury?
Yes, when someone other than your employer caused it, such as a negligent driver, a contractor on the site, or a product manufacturer. You cannot generally sue your own employer, but the outside party can be held responsible in a separate case.
What if I was partly at fault for the accident?
Mississippi uses pure comparative negligence, so your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault instead of being cut off. Being 30 percent responsible, for example, means a 30 percent reduction. This does not apply to workers’ compensation, which pays without regard to fault.
Can I be fired for filing a workers’ comp claim?
Mississippi protects workers from retaliation for filing a claim. If you were let go or punished after reporting an injury, tell us at your consultation so we can look at your options.
Will my own health insurance cover treatment while my claim is pending?
Often yes, but with a catch. Health insurers can seek repayment from a settlement, and for a work injury the comp carrier is supposed to pay for treatment. We help you sort out who pays what so bills do not pile up while the claim moves.
What if the insurer says my injury was pre-existing?
A pre-existing condition does not automatically end your claim. If the accident or your work caused, worsened, or sped up the condition, you may still recover. Clear medical evidence tying the change to the incident is what answers this argument.
Is there a cap on what I can recover in Mississippi?
Mississippi limits noneconomic damages in most wrongful death cases to $1,000,000 and in medical malpractice cases to $500,000. Those caps do not apply to economic damages like medical bills and lost wages.
How long will my case take?
It depends on how long you treat and how hard the insurer pushes back. We generally want to know the full extent of your medical picture before settling, because a settlement closes the claim. Cases that go before the Commission or a jury take longer than those resolved in negotiation.
Do you handle cases in Louisiana too?
Yes. We represent injured workers and accident victims in both states. Louisiana has its own rules, including a two-year limit for most injuries on or after July 1, 2024, and a rule that bars recovery for someone found 51 percent or more at fault in claims arising on or after January 1, 2026.
Serving Injury Clients Across Lamar County and South Mississippi
Our work for Purvis injury clients extends across Lamar County, including Purvis, Lumberton, Sumrall, and the rural communities in between. Just to the north, we serve people in Hattiesburg and Petal, and in neighboring Forrest County and Jones County, where Laurel and Ellisville sit. We represent clients from Columbia and Marion County, Poplarville and Picayune in Pearl River County, and down to the Gulf Coast communities of Gulfport, Biloxi, Ocean Springs, and Bay St. Louis. Our reach continues through Jackson, Madison, and the rest of the metro area, up to Southaven in north Mississippi, and across the Delta. In Louisiana, we handle cases in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Shreveport, and throughout south and north Louisiana.
Talk With a Purvis Personal Injury Attorney Today
If you were hurt in a crash, on a job site, or because someone failed to keep a property safe, a Purvis personal injury attorney from Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe can tell you which claims you have and which deadlines apply. Our phones are answered 24 hours a day, consultations are free, and you pay no fee unless we recover for you. Call us to talk through what happened and what comes next.
