Meridian Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
Hurt on the Job in Meridian, Mississippi?
If you were injured at work in Meridian, or anywhere else in Mississippi , Mississippi’s workers’ compensation system is supposed to pay your medical bills and replace part of your lost wages without your having to prove anyone was at fault. In practice, employers and their insurance carriers routinely delay treatment, dispute whether an injury is work-related, cut off benefits early, and push injured workers back to jobs they cannot do. The Hamilton Law Firm has represented injured people in Meridian since 1989, and we assist injured workers in workers’ compensation claims alongside our Meridian personal injury practice.
What Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Pays
Under the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Act, most employers with five or more employees must carry coverage. If your claim is accepted, benefits can include:
- Medical treatment reasonably related to the injury, including surgery, physical therapy, prescriptions and mileage to appointments.
- Temporary disability payments while you are unable to work, generally two-thirds of your average weekly wage, subject to a state maximum.
- Permanent disability benefits if you are left with a lasting impairment or loss of earning capacity.
- Death benefits for the dependents of a worker killed on the job.
Workers’ compensation does not pay for pain and suffering. That is one reason it matters whether someone other than your employer caused your injury (see below).
Deadlines That Can End Your Claim
Mississippi law requires you to report a work injury to your employer promptly – within thirty days in most cases – and to file a claim with the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission within two years of the injury if the employer or carrier does not pay. Missing either deadline can cost you the entire claim. If you are reading this after an injury, call us today.
Common Meridian Work Injuries We See
Our clients include workers hurt at manufacturing plants, warehouses and distribution centers along I-20 and Highway 45, in healthcare settings, on construction sites, in trucking and delivery jobs, and in retail and restaurant work. Typical injuries include back and neck injuries from lifting, falls from ladders and loading docks, crush and machinery injuries, repetitive-motion injuries, burns, and injuries from vehicle wrecks while driving for work.
When You May Have More Than a Workers’ Compensation Claim
If a person or company other than your employer caused your injury – a negligent driver who hit you while you were working, a subcontractor on a job site, a property owner, or the manufacturer of defective equipment – you may be able to bring a separate personal injury claim against that third party in addition to workers’ compensation. A third-party claim can recover damages that workers’ compensation does not, including full lost wages and pain and suffering. We evaluate every work injury for a possible third-party claim, and our results include substantial recoveries in cases that began as on-the-job injuries.
How The Hamilton Law Firm Helps
- Filing the claim correctly and on time with the Commission.
- Getting you to the right doctors and fighting denials of treatment.
- Making sure your average weekly wage – and therefore your benefit rate – is calculated correctly.
- Handling the carrier’s adjusters, nurse case managers and “independent” medical examinations.
- Negotiating a fair settlement or taking the case to a hearing before an Administrative Judge.
- Pursuing any third-party personal injury claim at the same time.
Every case is coordinated by R. Kevin Hamilton, and there is no fee unless we recover benefits for you, and attorney fees in workers’ compensation cases are regulated by the Commission.
Meridian Workers’ Compensation FAQs
Can I choose my own doctor?
Mississippi generally allows an injured worker to select a treating physician, with limits on changing doctors afterward. Choices made early can affect the whole claim, so talk to us before you switch.
Can my employer fire me and stop paying my Workers’ Compensation benefits?
Mississippi law requires that your employer continue to pay your benefits even should they choose to terminate you. These include your medical bills, your wages while under the care of a doctor, as well as temporary and/or permanent disability.
What if my claim was denied?
A denial is not the end. We can request a hearing before the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission and present medical evidence on your behalf.
What should I do first?
Report the injury to your supervisor in writing, get medical care, and keep copies of everything. Then contact us at (601) 693-5548 for a free consultation at our office at 911 26th Avenue in Meridian.
