Southaven Truck Accident Lawyer
Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe PLLC represents injured workers and accident victims in Southaven, throughout DeSoto County, and across Mississippi and Louisiana, and a large share of the people who call us after a truck wreck were on the clock when it happened. Delivery drivers, project managers, and tradesmen who spend their days on the road are hit by tractor-trailers and box trucks, and the collision creates two claims at once: a workers’ compensation claim against the employer’s insurer and a Southaven truck accident lawyer level injury claim against the driver or company that caused the crash.
Southaven sits where Interstate 55, Interstate 69, and Goodman Road meet the Memphis freight corridor, and that traffic pattern matters. Warehouses and distribution centers in north DeSoto County send heavy trucks onto these roads around the clock. Trucks coming off the interstate, merging near the state line, or turning into industrial drives are common settings for serious wrecks. Because so many of these trucks belong to large carriers with their own insurers and rapid-response teams, the evidence in your case may start disappearing within days.
Why Choose Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe for a Southaven Truck Wreck Claim
Workers’ compensation is the center of our practice, and our attorneys bring over 75 years of combined experience to injured-worker claims. We have recovered more than $100 million in settlements for clients. 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.
Several of our results involve people hurt in vehicles on the job. We obtained $385,000 for a project manager who suffered back injuries after being struck in his work vehicle, and $190,000 for a truck driver who injured his lower back in a wreck while working. Our larger back injury results include $685,000 for a surgical tech and $600,000 for a construction worker. Past results do not guarantee a future outcome, but they show we take spine and orthopedic injuries seriously and see them through.
Andrew Rueff has successfully tried dozens of jury and bench trials to verdict and has argued personal injury and insurance cases before Mississippi’s appellate courts. Keaton Belk and Erin Heimlicher round out the attorneys working these cases alongside our partners. Clients tell us they were listened to, that the process was explained, and that the firm stood up to the insurance company for them. We work on a no recovery, no fee basis, consultations are free, we advance the costs of the case, our phones are answered 24 hours a day, and we speak Spanish (hablamos español).
Situations We See After Truck Collisions Near Southaven
- Tractor-Trailer Crashes on the Interstate Corridors: Wrecks on I-55 and I-69 often involve long-haul drivers who exceeded their hours, missed a lane change, or followed too closely. Federal safety rules for commercial drivers create records, such as logbooks and electronic data, that can prove what went wrong.
- Work Vehicle Struck by a Commercial Truck: A worker driving a company pickup or van to a job site who is hit by a truck usually has a workers’ compensation claim plus a separate injury claim against the at-fault driver and their employer.
- Delivery and Warehouse Fleet Accidents: Distribution traffic around Southaven puts box trucks and delivery vans in constant contact with commuters and with each other, and drivers are often on tight delivery schedules.
- Trucker Injured on the Job: A driver hurt in a wreck while working is generally covered by workers’ compensation, and may also have a claim against another motorist or a company that loaded or maintained the truck improperly.
- Back, Neck, and Spine Injuries: Lumbar and cervical disc herniations are among the most common injuries after a truck impact, and insurers frequently try to blame degenerative disc disease instead of the crash.
- Shoulder, Knee, and Fracture Injuries: Torn rotator cuffs, meniscus tears, and broken bones in the feet, ankles, and hips can require specialists and surgery, with long recoveries that keep workers off the job.
- Burns and Catastrophic Injuries: Fuel fires and rollovers involving commercial trucks can produce severe burns and lifelong disability.
- Wrongful Death: When a truck wreck takes a life, the family may have a wrongful death claim, and if the victim was working, workers’ compensation death benefits may also be available.
What to Do After a Truck Accident in Southaven
Get medical attention first, even if you feel mostly fine. Adrenaline hides injuries, and herniated discs and shoulder tears often show up days later. Southaven police or the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office will typically respond, so make sure a report is made and ask how to get a copy. If you can do so safely, photograph the vehicles, the road, the skid marks, the truck’s company name and DOT number, and any visible injuries. Get names and numbers from witnesses.
If you were working when the crash happened, tell your employer right away. In Mississippi you must report a work injury to your employer within 30 days of the accident, and the law does not require a waiting period; coverage begins from the first day of employment. Do not let a supervisor talk you out of reporting because the other driver’s insurance will “take care of it.” Workers’ compensation and the injury claim run on different tracks, and missing the comp notice deadline can hurt you.
The filing deadlines differ by type of claim. For workers’ compensation in Mississippi, if no disability benefits have been paid within two years of the injury, you must file a claim with the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission within that two-year period or the right to benefits is generally barred. For a lawsuit against a negligent driver or trucking company, Mississippi’s general limitation period is three years, though claims against a county or government agency have a one-year limit and special notice requirements. Because Louisiana carriers and drivers sometimes pass through Southaven, a crash involving a Louisiana-based truck can raise questions about which state’s rules apply, which is one more reason to call early.
Be careful with the trucking company’s insurance adjuster. Recorded statements, quick settlement offers, and requests to sign medical releases are all common first moves. You are not required to give a recorded statement, and a fast check usually reflects the insurer’s calculation of its own risk, not your long-term medical needs. Keep treating with your doctors, follow their instructions, and do not post about the crash online.
How Workers’ Compensation and a Truck Accident Claim Fit Together
When the injured person was on the job, two systems can apply. Workers’ compensation pays medical treatment and wage replacement regardless of who caused the wreck. In Mississippi, temporary and permanent total disability benefits are generally two-thirds of your average weekly wage, up to a statutory weekly maximum and not beyond 450 weeks. Those benefits do not require you to prove fault, but they do not pay for pain and suffering.
The claim against the at-fault driver and trucking company is different. It is built on negligence, and it can recover losses workers’ compensation does not, including pain, suffering, and the full value of lost earning capacity. Mississippi follows pure comparative negligence, so if you are found partly at fault your recovery is reduced by your share rather than eliminated. Noneconomic damages in most wrongful death cases are capped in Mississippi, though the cap does not limit economic damages such as medical bills and lost income.
The two claims must be coordinated. The workers’ compensation carrier may have a right to be reimbursed from a third-party recovery, and a settlement in one case can affect the other. Our personal injury lawyers and workers’ compensation attorneys work these claims together so that one does not undercut the other.
Common Questions About Southaven Truck Accidents
Do I need a lawyer after a truck accident?
Not every minor collision requires one, but truck cases are different from ordinary car wrecks. Commercial carriers have insurers and investigators who start building a defense immediately. If you were seriously hurt, missed work, or the other side is disputing fault, having a lawyer matters.
How much does it cost to hire your firm?
Nothing up front. Consultations are free, we advance the costs of the case, 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.
I was hurt in a truck wreck while driving for work. Do I file workers’ compensation or sue the truck driver?
Often both. Workers’ compensation covers your medical care and a portion of lost wages without proving fault, and a separate negligence claim against the at-fault driver or company can recover additional damages. The two need to be handled carefully together.
How long do I have to report a work-related truck accident?
In Mississippi you should report the injury to your employer right away and within 30 days at the latest. Louisiana also uses a 30-day reporting rule for workers’ compensation.
How long do I have to file a lawsuit against the trucking company?
Mississippi’s general deadline for a negligence lawsuit is three years from when the claim accrues. Claims against a government entity, such as a county vehicle, carry a one-year limit and notice requirements. Do not wait; evidence from trucking companies is often lost sooner.
What if I was partly at fault for the crash?
Mississippi uses pure comparative negligence. Your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault but not barred. If the wreck involves a Louisiana-based claim, the rules differ, and a claimant found 51 percent or more at fault for causes of action arising on or after January 1, 2026 can recover nothing under Louisiana law.
Will the trucking company’s insurer try to blame my pre-existing condition?
Very often. Insurers point to degenerative disc disease or an old sports injury to avoid paying for a back, neck, or knee injury. A pre-existing condition does not automatically end your claim if the crash caused, worsened, or accelerated it, and strong medical evidence is how that argument is answered.
What evidence matters most in a truck accident case?
The driver’s hours-of-service records, the truck’s electronic data, inspection and maintenance history, dispatch communications, and the carrier’s hiring file can all show what happened. These records can be overwritten or discarded, so a prompt demand that the company preserve them is important.
Can I be fired for filing a workers’ compensation claim after a work-related wreck?
Mississippi and Louisiana both protect workers from retaliation for filing a comp claim. If you were let go or punished after reporting your injury, tell us so we can review your options.
Will health insurance pay for my treatment while the claim is pending?
Sometimes, but if the crash happened at work, workers’ compensation is supposed to cover reasonable and necessary medical treatment. If the comp carrier denies or delays care, you may need a lawyer to push for it so that bills do not pile up while you wait.
What if the truck driver was from Louisiana or another state?
The wreck may still be heard under Mississippi law if it happened in Southaven, but the carrier’s home state, its insurer, and where it can be sued can complicate things. Our firm handles injury and compensation matters in both Mississippi and Louisiana.
Serving Truck Accident Clients Across Southaven and DeSoto County
We represent truck accident and work injury clients in Southaven and throughout DeSoto County, including Horn Lake, Olive Branch, Hernando, Walls, Nesbit, and Lake Cormorant. Our reach extends to neighboring communities in north Mississippi such as Byhalia, Senatobia, and Holly Springs, along with the corridors where I-55, I-69, and the state line carry freight from Memphis into Mississippi. We also help injured workers and accident victims across the rest of the state, including Jackson, Madison, Hattiesburg, the Gulf Coast, and the Delta, and across Louisiana in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Shreveport, and south and north Louisiana.
Talk With a Southaven Truck Accident Attorney Today
If a truck wreck has left you hurt, out of work, or dealing with an insurer that stopped returning your calls, a Southaven truck accident attorney at Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe can review what happened, explain how your workers’ compensation and injury claims fit together, and start protecting the evidence. Call us any time, day or night. Consultations are free and you pay no fee unless we recover for you.
