Mississippi Truck Driver Injury Lawyer
In Mississippi, truck drivers can suffer injuries while doing long-haul truck driving involving semi-trucks or 18-wheelers, as well as in delivery driver work involving making local or regional deliveries. Whether you were injured while driving a tractor-trailer or doing local delivery work in Mississippi, you may be eligible to seek workers’ compensation coverage for your losses or to file a third-party lawsuit against a negligent motorist who caused your injuries. While the Mississippi workers’ compensation system is typically an exclusive remedy for work-related injuries, it is important to recognize that truck drivers are frequently injured because of third-party negligence, in which case a personal injury lawsuit may be possible. Contact our experienced Mississippi truck driver injury lawyer today to find out more about your options for seeking financial compensation.
Learning More About Truck Driver Job Duties and Injuries in Mississippi
Heavy truck and tractor-trailer drivers share many work tasks with delivery truck drivers, although these types of work also have distinctions between them. Generally speaking, both long-haul and delivery truck drivers frequently perform some or all of the following work-related tasks identified by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), which can expose those truck drivers to injury risks:
- Driving distances to deliver goods or cargo, including high-speed driving on highways and local driving on neighborhood roads;
- Complying with all traffic laws and regulations;
- Inspecting the truck for any mechanical issues;
- Securing packages or cargo;
- Maintaining a log of work hours;
- Loading and unloading cargo;
- Handling various types of paperwork and payments;
- Communicating with customers; and
- Reporting mechanical issues promptly to an employer to prevent an accident.
These job duties can result in various types of traffic accidents and injuries on the job for truck drivers, as well as injuries resulting from cargo and package work, such as:
- Head trauma;
- Back and neck injuries;
- Repetitive motion injuries;
- Amputation injuries;
- Contusions;
- Internal bleeding and organ damage
- Bone fractures.
Steps to Take After a Truck Driver Work injury in Mississippi
The BLS reports that there are more than 2.7 million truck drivers currently working in the U.S., and about 45 percent of them perform heavy or tractor-trailer driving, while about 22 percent provide delivery services. In total, more than 900 truck drivers sustain fatal injuries on the job each year, and thousands suffer nonfatal injuries that result in missed days from work. What should a truck driver do after a work-related injury in Mississippi? It is important to do the following:
- Document the accident scene, and obtain contact information for any witnesses;
- Seek medical attention as soon as possible;
- Report the injury to your employer within 30 days; and
- Hire a workers’ compensation lawyer in Mississippi who can help you to determine your eligibility for workers’ compensation benefits as well as your eligibility for filing a personal injury lawsuit against a negligent third party.
Contact Lunsford Baskin & Prieve, PLLC Today
Do not hesitate to get in touch with an attorney at Lunsford Baskin & Prieve, PLLC to find out more about filing a truck injury claim. Contact our experienced Mississippi truck driver injury lawyer today.
