Southaven Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
Southhaven, Mississippi is the state’s third-largest city and sits at its northern edge just south of Memphis, Tennessee. Southaven has about 56,000 people and tends to attract young families and working professionals who commute to Memphis for work.
This is an affordable midsize city with easy access to entertainment, dining, and shopping options in suburban Southhaven and the greater Memphis area. The median income here is just over $63,000 and the median home value is about $150,000, both of which are just below the national average.
Southaven Workers’ Compensation Claims
Hiring an experienced Southaven workers’ compensation lawyer is extremely important and not many law firms practice workers’ compensation as extensively as we do. Most workers’ compensation attorneys are personal injury lawyers who handle workers’ compensation cases that arise in other claims.
At Lunsford, Baskin, & Priebe, we specialize in workers’ compensation. We offer the level of knowledge, experience, and dedication it takes to fight cases where our clients are wrongfully denied or terminated at work. Navigating the workers’ compensation system alone can be very frustrating. That’s why we’re here to guide you through the process every step of the way. Let our professional team relieve your stress and help you focus on living your life.
Workers’ Compensation Injuries We Handle
Workers’ compensation covers any traumatic injury or occupational illness that occurs in the course of employment. Some of the most common and serious claims we take on include:
Back, Neck, and Spine Injuries
An injury to the back, neck, or spine can happen in an instant and change your life, leaving you unable to perform your work duties and live the same life you used to live. Severe injuries can also be the result of an occupational injury or disease that developed slowly over time.
However, employers don’t enjoy hearing about expensive injuries like these and may pressure injured workers to minimize their claims. Don’t allow an employer to push you into accepting poor medical care or try to convince you that your neck, back, or spinal injury isn’t work-related.
First Responder Illnesses
Our nation’s heroic first responders are sometimes left with debilitating injuries and illnesses. Cancer, heart disease, and lung disease can arise directly due to a first responder’s on-the-job duties in dangerous areas. They may be exposed to chemicals and airborne particles that put their health at risk.
First responders deal with crises, violent crimes, and physically demanding work that poses a risk of injury and disease. Reach out to us if you’re suffering from work-related hypertension, post-traumatic stress, hepatitis, hearing loss, or cancer.
Fractures
Do you have a bone fracture or stress fracture acquired in the course of your work? These injuries often occur in the feet, ankles, knees, and shoulders and require the care of an orthopedic doctor or surgeon.
Your employer may downplay a fracture, even though your injury could take plenty of time and money to heal. You may need surgery and rehabilitation to restore your health and range of motion.
Shoulder and Knee Injuries
A shoulder or knee injury can be extremely painful and require time off of work for surgery and physical therapy. A tissue tear in your shoulder or knee can call for replacement of tendons or ligaments, and perhaps even an artificial shoulder or knee replacement surgery.
Without early intervention and proper treatment, an injury like this can become much worse and threaten your mobility. Never allow an employer to brush off your concerns or cause a delay in diagnosis or treatment that may put your health at risk.
Southaven Workers’ Compensation Claims Process
If you’ve ever looked at the poster in your workplace that talks about workplace accidents, it might seem easy to notify your employer about an injury and claim workers’ compensation. That’s not always the case!
Reporting a workplace accident should be handled with care. It’s all too easy to do something or say something that puts your workers’ compensation claim at risk of being denied or underpaid. Consult a workers’ compensation lawyer before doing anything you might regret later.
Here’s how the process typically works:
Employer Notification
Notify your employer as soon as possible about your workplace injury or diagnosed occupational disease. In Mississippi, you’re required to report it within 30 days, but the sooner you make your report the sooner the process can start. Don’t wait too long, or you could miss your chance and have to face the cost and recovery from your injury or disease on your own.
Claim Filing
After notifying your employer, they should notify their insurance carrier and the state of Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission (WCC), along with its workers’ comp carrier. This is a key step in filing your claim.
Appeal to Agency
Hopefully, you’ll start to receive wage replacement benefits as soon as possible after your injury or diagnosis. This could cover your medical bills and help you survive the financial impact of being injured. However, you may have to file appeals to the Workforce Commission to secure coverage.
Appeal to Court
If you file an appeal, there will be an official hearing before an administrative law judge. In Mississippi, you can appeal the judge’s order by appealing to the Full Commission within 20 days and you’ll receive a reply to your appeal. If you’re still dissatisfied with the Full Commission result, you have 30 days to appeal to Circuit Court or the Mississippi Supreme Court.
Retaining a Lawyer – Don’t Wait!
Don’t wait until the end of the process to think about hiring a workers’ compensation lawyer. These are very complex claims that require legal expertise, and if you wait too long, you may lose your chance for compensation because deadlines have passed and decisions have been made.
Retaining a lawyer sooner may help you get your benefits quickly, and it will also cost less to resolve your claim without having to go to court. Our dedicated workers’ comp lawyers can help you keep the claim process running as smoothly as possible.
Dedicated, Professional Legal Help With Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Matters
When you hire our firm to represent you, we’ll protect your rights and fight for the maximum compensation possible under the law. We’ll conduct an independent investigation, gather all available evidence, speak with witnesses, and put the other party on notice that you’ve retained a lawyer to work on your behalf. After we have your medical records and billing, we’ll verify the extent of your injuries and what your future prognosis is. In serious injury cases, we may need to retain medical experts and vocational experts to weigh in on your future care.
Negotiating with insurance companies is one of the most stressful aspects of a claim, but you don’t have to handle it alone. We’re excellent negotiators and can get past any difficulties or stonewalling. And we aren’t afraid to back down from an aggressive court battle. Knowing what the law requires is one thing; standing up for your rights is another. Our professional, dedicated team has years of experience with workers’ compensation, traffic accidents, slip and fall injuries, and other personal injury cases. We have the experience it takes to help you pursue a successful outcome and secure the compensation you deserve.
