Personal Injury Lawyers in Biloxi
There’s a lot to do in Biloxi, from fishing to taking shrimping trips, to visiting the USS Biloxi Memorial. But with all the residents and visitors, someone’s bound to get hurt. If you have been injured because of someone else’s negligence or reckless actions in Biloxi, you deserve to be compensated.
In the legal realm, this is commonly referred to as “personal injury”. If another party caused you to experience compensable losses, we can help you recover damages when we determine their area of negligence. This is true even if you were partially at fault for your injury.
Personal injury is a complex area of the law that covers numerous scenarios. These include:
- Motor Vehicle Accidents– Auto accidents, trucking, or a motorcycle injured you. A hit-and-run would also fall into this category in that it is adding a cowardly action to causation. This includes recreational boating accidents. We also handle amputation injuries and car accidents in St. Martin.
- Pedestrian Accidents – In the same vein, a motorized vehicle caused you to be injured either because they were not paying attention or following the rules of the road. These can be particularly difficult to recover from because of the size differential between you and the vehicle.
- Premises Liability – Someone did not keep their property in a safe condition and when you visited you were injured through no fault of your own. The property owner may have been negligent in security to keep you safe when you are a visitor.
- Dog Bites/Animal Attacks – We wish all dogs were friendly, but sadly, some are not and their irresponsible owners do not keep their pets from harming others.
- Burn Injuries – Which can result from industrial explosions, car accidents, or a host of other incidents.
- Medical Malpractice – When a doctor, nurse, dentist, hospital, or any medical professional either withholds treatment or provides the wrong treatment and/or drugs, that may be considered negligent medical malpractice. In fact, it is estimated to be the third-leading cause of death in the United States.
We also handle zantac litigation.
Seeking Compensation for Personal Injury
Compensation for your injuries can be the key to getting the most advanced medical treatment so that you can make the best physical recovery possible. If you are unable to work again or unable to earn as much as you could have (because of your injuries), fair compensation can ensure that your family does not have to worry about how they will pay the bills and/or maintain the standard of living they are accustomed to in the years to come.
When your injuries were someone else’s fault, it is only fair that they be held financially responsible. You may be able to recover compensation for economic and non-economic damages including:
- Nursing home abuse
- Medical expenses
- Future medical expenses
- Home health care
- Long term care
- Rehabilitation and therapy
- Special equipment and home modifications to accommodate disability
- Lost income
- Future lost income
- Diminished earning capacity
- Disability
- Disfigurement
- Physical pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Loss of enjoyment of life
Compensatory Damages
Compensatory damages are meant to make up for an injury sustained by an individual. There are two basic types of compensatory damages: actual and general. Actual damages reimburse an individual for funds paid out-of-pocket for medical treatments, lost wages, substitute transportation, property replacement or repair, and rehabilitation. General damages include estimates of loss not involving actual monetary expenditure. Mental anguish, disfigurement, future medical expenses, future lost wages, long-term pain and suffering, loss of consortium, and loss of opportunity are all examples of general damages.
Calculating the Value of Lost Wages
The way that your attorney calculates the value of your loss of income will depend on how you are paid. For example, if you are paid at an hourly rate, your attorney would calculate the value of your lost wages by multiplying the amount that you are paid per hour by the number of hours that you missed due to your injuries. If you are a salaried employee, your lawyer will divide your yearly salary by the number of workdays in a year. Then, that will be multiplied by the number of hours that you missed due to your injuries.
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages are meant to punish a defendant for acts of gross negligence or intentional misconduct that cause personal injury to the plaintiff. They are not calculated by the extent of the actual injury, but rather are meant to prevent the defendant or others in similar situations from allowing or causing the same sort of accident to happen in the future. For example, if a person intentionally runs an automobile into a pedestrian, punitive damages may be appropriate.
Nominal Damages
In a case where the evidence of actual damages is slight, the courts may still choose to award the plaintiff a small sum of money to acknowledge that he or she was legally wronged by the defendant. These nominal damages may only be sought in intentional tort cases where a physical injury to the plaintiff is not required for a defendant to be found guilty. If the tort committed is battery, for example, the defendant may indeed have shoved the plaintiff in an offensive manner but without causing physical injury. The plaintiff may then be awarded a minimal amount of nominal damages.
Court Costs and Attorney’s Fees
If a personal injury case is settled in favor of the plaintiff, he or she may also have recourse to recover some of the expenses of taking the case to court. These court costs would include filing and process server fees, obtaining deposition and court transcripts, and payment to translators. There are some instances in which a plaintiff may also be able to recover attorney and expert witness fees, but this is not as common.
Mississippi Personal Injury Considerations
Statute of Limitations – In Mississippi, you have three years from the date of the incident within which to bring a personal injury lawsuit or claim. That is called the statute of limitations. If you fail to follow the statute, your ability to bring the claim may be lost forever.
In a medical malpractice action the SOL is 2 years.
Shared Fault – In some cases of personal injury, you may share fault for the accident. If you do, this will affect how much compensation you can receive from the other party. Known as Pure Comparative Negligence, this means that you can receive compensation reduced by the amount that represents your percentage of fault. For example, if you are in an auto accident and it turns out you were speeding at the time, the jury can decide you were 20 percent at fault for the accident. Your compensation will then be reduced by 20 percent. The shared fault concept is also popular among insurance adjusters, so don’t be surprised if that is brought up during a settlement negotiation.
Caps on Medical Malpractice Damages – In Mississippi, there is a limit on how much you can recover in non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases. Pain and suffering compensation is set at $500,000. Pain and suffering encompasses, loss of the enjoyment of life, stress and anxiety, and disfigurement. This cap does not apply to the economic damages you suffer as a result of your accident which may include past and future medical bills, lost income reimbursement, and compensation for an inability to work at your job.
Dog Bites – Mississippi has what’s known as a “one bite” rule rather than a specific statute to cover dog bite personal injury cases. One Bite is based on past cases that have established precedent. That means an owner of a dangerous dog will be held liable for any injuries the dog caused if the injured party can show that the dog owner “should have known” that the animal was dangerous. We will have to prove that the dog exhibited previous dangerous behavior and the owner knew it and should have foreseen the dog would attack again.
We also assist with bus accidents and with construction accident injuries.
Why Should You Choose Reeves & Mestayer?
Insurance companies are ruthless, even when it comes to accident victims. You cannot expect them to give you what you deserve or trust them to take your claim seriously. That means that anything you tell them about your accident or injuries is likely to hurt your claim, rather than help it.
You can protect yourself from these unfair and unethical practices by hiring Reeves & Mestayer for your personal injury in Biloxi. We take an aggressive approach to personal injury claims because we know very well how insurance companies take advantage of accident victims. We know you deserve better when you’re going through such a difficult time.
Reeves & Mestayer, PLLC has the experience you need when you have been injured and are considering filing a personal injury lawsuit. We understand the law and have decades of experience which we will discuss with you in a confidential and complimentary consultation.
Call us today at 228-300-2754 or toll free 1-855-558-2977 or contact us online to schedule. Remember, the clock is ticking and you are facing time limits for taking legal action, and if you wait too long you may lose your right to compensation, no matter how much you deserve it.
Verdicts & Settlements
$55M
On behalf of 75 passengers and drivers injured or killed in tire defect/rollover cases
$22M
On behalf of seven investors defrauded of their life savings
$12M
On behalf of five people killed in a multi-vehicle collision
$10M
On behalf of children and teachers poisoned by defective spray roofing
$5.5M
Verdict on behalf of a woman who was abducted and raped in a K-Mart parking lot because the store provided no security sources.
We also handle the following cases:
Pedestrian Accidents in Pascagoula
Frequently Asked Questions About Personal Injury Claims in Biloxi, MS
What is the statute of limitations for filing a personal injury lawsuit in Mississippi?
Under Mississippi Code § 15-1-49, you generally have three years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. Missing this strict deadline usually means the court will permanently bar your claim, preventing you from recovering any financial compensation. Consulting with an experienced local attorney immediately helps protect your rights and preserves crucial evidence.
How does Mississippi handle comparative fault in personal injury cases?
Mississippi follows a pure comparative negligence rule under Mississippi Code § 11-7-15. This means that even if you are partially at fault for your accident, you can still recover damages. Your total financial award is simply reduced by your exact percentage of fault. For example, if you are found twenty percent responsible, you will receive eighty percent of the total awarded compensation.
What types of compensation can I recover after a Biloxi accident?
Injured victims can typically recover both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages cover verifiable financial losses like medical bills, rehabilitation costs, property damage, and lost wages. Non-economic damages compensate for intangible hardships, including physical pain and suffering, emotional distress, mental anguish, and a diminished overall quality of life resulting directly from the accident injuries sustained in the Biloxi incident.
Do I need to hire a lawyer for a personal injury claim?
While you are not legally required to hire an attorney, doing so significantly increases your chances of a favorable outcome. Insurance companies often employ aggressive tactics to minimize payouts or deny liability entirely. A knowledgeable local lawyer handles all negotiations, gathers essential evidence, calculates your true damages, and advocates fiercely for your best interests during every phase of litigation.
What should I do immediately following an accident in Biloxi?
First, seek prompt medical attention for any injuries, even if they seem minor at first. Next, report the incident to local law enforcement or property management. If possible, take detailed photographs of the scene, collect contact information from eyewitnesses, and avoid giving recorded statements to insurance adjusters before speaking with legal counsel to ensure your rights remain fully protected.
How long will it take to resolve my personal injury case?
The timeline for resolving a personal injury claim varies widely based on specific circumstances. Simple cases with clear liability and minor injuries might settle within a few months. However, complex claims involving severe injuries, disputed liability, or stubborn insurance companies often require extensive investigation, negotiations, or litigation, frequently taking a year or longer to conclude for the injured party.
What if the driver who hit me in Biloxi has no insurance?
If an uninsured or underinsured driver hits you, your own auto insurance policy might provide coverage through uninsured motorist provisions. This coverage is specifically designed to protect you in these stressful situations. Reviewing your policy details with a legal professional helps determine what benefits are available to cover your mounting medical bills and the necessary costs of vehicle repairs.
Can I still recover damages if my pre-existing condition was aggravated?
Yes, you can still recover compensation if an accident worsened a pre-existing medical condition. The liable party is legally responsible for the specific portion of your injury that was caused or aggravated by their negligence. Medical records and expert testimony are essential to clearly distinguish between your prior baseline and your current post-accident condition during the legal discovery process.
What factors determine the overall value of my personal injury claim?
Many critical factors influence your claim’s value, including the severity of your injuries, the clarity of fault, the amount of medical expenses, and lost income. Additionally, the availability of insurance coverage and the impact of the injuries on your daily life play major roles. An experienced attorney thoroughly evaluates all these elements to demand maximum compensation for your case.
Will my personal injury case have to go to trial?
Most personal injury cases are successfully resolved through out-of-court settlements negotiated between your attorney and the insurance company. Trials are relatively rare because both sides often prefer the certainty and speed of a negotiated agreement. However, if the insurer refuses to offer a fair settlement, your lawyer must be fully prepared to take your case to court successfully.
What are the upfront costs of hiring a personal injury lawyer?
Most reputable personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis. This means you pay nothing upfront and owe no hourly fees. The lawyer only receives a predetermined percentage of the financial recovery if they successfully win your case or secure a settlement. If they do not recover money for you, you pay no legal fees at all today.
What mistakes should I avoid after suffering an injury in Mississippi?
Avoid posting details about your accident or injuries on social media, as insurance investigators actively monitor these platforms to devalue claims. Do not sign any paperwork or accept early settlement offers from insurance adjusters without consulting your lawyer first. Finally, never miss scheduled medical appointments, as treatment gaps can severely harm your personal injury claim and overall legal standing.
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