If another person’s actions caused your injuries or you believe another party is responsible for your accident, a Mississippi personal injury attorney may be able to help you better understand your case and determine your next steps. You may be able to recover compensation for your treatment, losses, and more. At the Morris Bart law firm, we represent injured victims of personal injury accidents in Mississippi.
Our attorneys provide a free consultation for individuals or their families after a personal injury in Mississippi. We will discuss what happened, talk about their injuries, and assess the basic facts of the case to better understand how we may be able to help. It may be possible to get money damages through an insurance claim or civil lawsuit and jury trial.
You May Be Eligible to Recover Compensation for Your Injuries and Expenses
When a person is hurt because of another party, Mississippi law allows the victim to hold the other person or organization legally responsible when they can prove the at-fault party was negligent. This includes behavior that was:
- Careless
- Reckless
- Intentional
It may be possible to develop a case to show negligence occurred, prove who is liable, and recover compensation via:
- A liability insurance claim filed against the at-fault party
- A personal injury lawsuit in a Mississippi civil court
Either of these options may allow a victim to recover damages based on the expenses and losses they experienced because of their negligence injuries. Damages may include:
- Medical bills
- Future treatment costs
- Ongoing care and support needs
- Lost wages and future income losses
- Property damages, when applicable
- Other related expenses
- Pain and suffering damages
- Other emotional distress
With more than four decades of experience with personal injury claims, our lawyers know how to value a case appropriately and fight for a financial recovery that is fair and just. Recovering money damages is the best way to get justice in many of these cases, so we believe it is important to recover all identified and documented costs. The evidence we use to prove our clients’ losses includes:
- Medical records
- Medical bills
- Income statements and information from their employer
- Vehicle repair estimates
- Receipts
- Statements from family and friends
- Expert testimony from doctors, economists, and others
For a free legal consultation with a Personal Injury lawyer serving Mississippi, call 800-537-8185
We Represent Families Who Lost Loved Ones to a Mississippi Wrongful Death
Sometimes, a personal injury is so severe that the victim does not survive. They may pass away immediately, within a few hours, or even weeks later. While they will not be able to file a personal injury claim after their death, Mississippi law allows certain loved ones to file a wrongful death action to get justice for their family.
Under Miss. Code §11-7-13, a widow, child, father, mother, sister, or brother of the deceased—or their personal representative acknowledged by the courts—can file suit to hold the at-fault parties responsible. With a negotiated settlement or jury award, surviving family members may receive:
- Payment for medical bills
- Lost income earned by the decedent
- Loss of services previously handled by the decedent
- Intangible losses endured by surviving family members
The Lawyers from Morris Bart, LTD Represent Personal Injury Victims in MS
If you were hurt because of another party’s negligence, we are here to help. The Morris Bart law firm serves the Gulf South. We have 15 locations in not only Mississippi, but also Louisiana, Alabama, and Arkansas. Our three Mississippi offices include:
- Gulfport
- Hattiesburg
- Pascagoula
We provide free case assessments over the phone and at all three of these locations. In addition, we can meet with you where you are. We regularly talk to potential clients who are in the hospital, rehabilitation facilities, or recovering in their homes. We know it is important to you to get started as soon as you can, and it is essential to your case, too.
We Have Handled Cases Like Yours for More Than 40 Years
For more than four decades, our team of attorneys has fought for victims of negligence accidents and recovered compensation for them. While each case is different and our lawyers never try to use a one-size-fits-all approach, we have gained significant and crucial experience working with clients hurt in similar ways and living with similar injuries.
When we sign a contract to represent a client in one of these cases, they can expect our team to:
- Protect their rights
- Communicate with the involved parties for them
- Investigate what happened
- Develop a claim or case for trial
- Take the necessary legal action to hold the at-fault party responsible
- Pursue appropriate compensation based on their case
Our Case Results Show We Often Win Compensation for Our Clients
In 2019, we recovered money damages for more than 6,500 clients. Our recent case results in Mississippi include:
- $580,000 in a Hattiesburg car accident claim after our client underwent cervical disc replacement surgery
- $490,000 based on a Hattiesburg truck accident claim where our client suffered a neck and back injury.
There is no such thing as a “typical” case and no way to know how much your claim or lawsuit might be worth before we investigate what happened and value your damages. However, these recent cases show that our attorneys know how to pursue and recover significant and appropriate sums for our clients after they suffer devastating injuries.
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Understanding What a Personal Injury Accident Is and How to Prove It
Negligence is the defining factor of personal injury cases. You can only have a valid personal injury claim when one party acts negligently and causes harm to you. This usually involves physical, financial, and emotional damage. Negligence can lead to injuries in a wide variety of ways. The Morris Bart law offices in Mississippi help clients in almost any of these circumstances, including:
Traffic Accidents
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle collisions
- DUI and DWI wrecks
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bicycle crashes
- Boating collisions
Premises Liability Accidents
- Slip and falls
- Trip and falls
- Pool accidents
- Other premises liability injuries
Workplace Injuries
- Workers’ compensation
- Offshore injury and Jones Act
Medical Malpractice
- Medical negligence
- Missed, delayed, or wrong diagnosis
- Surgical mistakes
- Birth injuries
- Pharmaceutical errors
Defective Products Liability
- Defective products
- Dangerous drugs
To prove your personal injury case and hold the at-fault parties responsible, you will need to have evidence that shows the four essential elements of negligence are present. Our lawyers build these cases every day and understand how to prove each element. The four elements of negligence include:
- The at-fault party owed you a duty of care
- They breached this duty
- Their breach caused the incident and your injuries
- You suffered compensable losses, such as physical, emotional, and financial harm
This can seem abstract and difficult to understand if you are not accustomed to investigating these cases and identifying the liable parties and how their actions caused accidents. This is one reason why it may be advantageous to work with our team instead of trying to build a claim on your own. This experience and knowledge also extend to valuing the claim and ensuring you get an appropriate settlement offer.
To prove our client’s case, we gather evidence that includes:
- Any reports filed by police or other first responders
- Relevant medical records
- Interviews with witnesses
- Photos and video when available
- Physical evidence
- Documentation of expenses
- Expert testimony
For example, imagine you were hurt in a car accident when a driver ran a stop sign. As drivers, we owe others a duty of care under the law. We must follow all traffic regulations to prevent accidents and keep one another safe. This includes stopping when there is a signal or a sign indicating you must.
When drivers run a stop sign, they breach their duty of care to others sharing the road. This can easily cause an intersection collision, and all parties involved may suffer injuries. With witness statements, accident reconstruction, and the crash report filed by police, we can likely prove what happened and who was negligent in this scenario.
What Laws Could Affect My Mississippi Personal Injury Claim?
Some laws could affect your claim for compensation after a Mississippi personal injury accident. If we represent you, we will handle all aspects of your legal case, including any effects of these laws. However, you will need to understand them if you consider navigating this process on your own. They could significantly affect your compensation, how you proceed, and your right to seek compensation.
Shared Fault in Mississippi Personal Injuries
Sometimes, victims play a role in their own injuries. We call this “contributory negligence.” Under Miss. Code §11-7-15, Mississippi law allows you to continue your insurance claim or lawsuit even if you contributed to your own injuries. However, the value of your financial recovery will be reduced by the percentage of fault assigned to you.
This occurs when you also acted negligently. Imagine the scenario we discussed before. Another driver ran a stop sign and collided with your car. What if you did not have a stop sign but were speeding at the time of the crash? Those representing the other driver might present evidence showing this, and the court might determine they had a valid point. They assign you 20 percent liability.
If your case is worth $10,000, you will receive $8,000. The at-fault party is not responsible for 20 percent of your damages. When we handle a case involving allegations of contributory negligence, we work to counter the accusations or reduce the percentage of liability held by our client.
Respondeat Superior May Apply in Some Cases
Under some circumstances, you may have a case against multiple liable parties due to a legal doctrine known as respondeat superior. Under Miss. Code §75-89-15, employers are legally and vicariously responsible for the negligence of their workers when that worker is acting within the “scope of his employment.” This often comes into play in cases where a commercial vehicle driver causes an accident.
There are also other situations when a negligent worker can cause an accident or injury, and the company, agency, or organization is vicariously liable. For example, imagine an employee failed to clean up a spill they caused in a restaurant. If someone slips, falls, and suffers an injury, the restaurant owner will be the one facing an insurance claim or lawsuit.
The Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury Lawsuits
There is a deadline for suing the liable parties in a personal injury case. Most accident claims settle without going to trial, but it is sometimes necessary to sue the at-fault parties to recover a fair settlement or get a jury verdict and award.
Because it is important that we protect our clients’ rights to sue, we need to file all claims and take any other necessary steps to start a case before the statute of limitations expires. In Mississippi, this is generally three years from the date the injuries occurred, per Miss. Code § 15-1-49.
Paying for Legal Representation in Your Mississippi Personal Injury Case
At the Morris Bart law firm, we represent our clients based on a contingency fee instead of hourly charges. We do not ask for a retainer, legal fees, or any other payment upfront. Instead, our attorney’s fees are a portion of the financial recovery we secure for you in the case, and other expenses are not due until your case is over.
Working based on contingency means anyone can afford our services. This is important to us because we do not believe accident victims should have to go into debt or deal with financial stress because of injuries they did not cause.
Talk to an Attorney from Morris Bart, LTD for Free Today
You can reach a Morris Bart law office in Mississippi for your free case review today. Our personal injury lawyers are available around the clock to speak with you and help you better understand your case and legal options. These consultations are always free for victims and their families.
Call now to reach the location closest to you.
Questions?Call 800-537-8185
to find a Morris Bart office near you.
