Mississippi Personal Injury Lawyer

What Types of Damages Can I Expect to Recover in a Personal Injury Lawsuit?

Mississippi allows a plaintiff to recover both “economic” and “non-economic” damages from a single defendant or a group of defendants. The amount of “economic” damages awarded will usually depend on the circumstances of the injury and the financial hardships placed on the injured party as a consequence of that injury.

In general, economic damages in a personal injury case may include:

• Lost income from wages or self-employment,
• Medical expenses that are directly related to the injury,
• Repair of replacement of any property that was damaged or destroyed,
• In cases of injury resulting in death, funeral and burial expenses, and
• Attorney fees and court costs related to probate of a will or any costs resulting from a death of a person who did not have a will

“Non-economic” damages, sometimes called “punitive” damages, are sometimes awarded to compensate accident victims and their families for “intangible” issues such as “pain and suffering,” or the disruption of normal family life. Damages of this type are not always sought in every case, and any such damages awarded are subject to being “capped” under Mississippi’s Tort Reform Act.

The procedure used to reach this “cap” can be complicated and varies from case to case. A Mississippi personal injury lawyer will understand how this process is applied and will advise his or her client on the best course of action.

After an Injury, How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit?

Even though the right to file a lawsuit after an injury is a cornerstone of our American legal system, this right is not “open-ended.” As is the case in every other state, the State of Mississippi places time limits during which a personal injury lawsuit must be filed. These time limits, known as the statutes of limitations, must be respected or you will forfeit your right to bring a lawsuit in the Mississippi courts.

The statutes of limitations, like any other aspects of the law, are subject to change by the state legislature. As of the time that this page was written, the statute of limitations that will most often apply to personal injury cases sets a time limit of three (3) years from the date of injury unless the injury is due to medical malpractice. Medical malpractice claims must be filed within two (2) years from the date on which the act of malpractice occurred.

There are occasions on which the exceptional circumstances of a case can affect how the statutes of limitations are applied. Since these exceptions are usually very technical in nature, it is essential that such cases be discussed with a personal injury lawyer who has experience in trying such cases in the Mississippi courts.