Mississippi Workers' Compensation Attorneys

What is Workers’ Compensation?

The Mississippi’s Workers’ Compensation Act is designed to treat and return to work those employees injured at work. Generally, the Act provides medical benefits and wage benefits. Below is a general overview of key components of the Act. 

Workers’ compensation insurance coverage is required for all employers with five (5) or more regularly employed employees. If an employer has less than five (5) employees, workers’ compensation insurance coverage is not required and some employers may obtain approval from the Workers’ Compensation Commission to self-insure.

All injuries, occupational illnesses and/or diseases are covered by workers' compensation if the employee was injured while within the course and scope of employment.  Workers' compensation coverage begins as soon as employment begins and requires no waiting period and no requirements on earnings. There is no deductible required to be paid by the injured worker.

If you are injured during the course and scope of your employment, your employer should be notified immediately of the injury. The employer should report this injury to their workers’ compensation insurance carrier who should then file a “First Report of Injury” with the Workers’ Compensation Commission. There is a two (2) year statute of limitations on disability benefits beginning on the date of the injury. If a claim is not filed within the two (2) year period, the employer is not required to pay any benefits to the injured worker. 

Injured workers are entitled to reasonable medical services related to the work injury and mileage reimbursement for the trips to the work-related medical appointments may also be paid. If an injured worker is taken off work by the treating doctor, wage loss benefits (temporary total disability benefits) may also be paid. Wage loss benefits are two-thirds of the average weekly wage of the employee up to a maximum, and should be paid at least every fourteen (14) days as long as the individual remains off work under the advice of the treating doctor. There is a five-day waiting period for payment of disability if the treating doctor takes the injured worker off work due the work related injury and will continue until the employee is returned to work.