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Workplace Accident Lawyer Gulfport, Mississippi & Worker’s Compensation Attorney

A workplace accident can upend your life in seconds. Medical bills pile up. Your paycheck stops. Insurance adjusters start calling before you have had a chance to breathe. I am Mike Holleman, a workplace accident lawyer and work-related injury attorney based in Gulfport, Mississippi. I have been standing beside injured workers across the Gulf Coast and throughout Mississippi since 1981, and I am ready to stand beside you.

Free Consultation Available Now. Call (228) 868-0064.

Workplace Injuries in Gulfport, Mississippi Are More Complex Than You Think

Every day across Mississippi, workers are hurt on the job. A construction laborer falls from a scaffold in Gulfport. A warehouse worker in Biloxi is struck by a forklift. A nurse in Hattiesburg is injured while lifting a patient. An oil platform worker off the Gulf Coast is burned in an equipment failure.

These are not just statistics. Each one is a real person whose entire life is suddenly thrown into uncertainty. And behind every workplace accident case in Gulfport and across Mississippi is a maze of insurance systems, employer reporting requirements, and legal deadlines that can be genuinely overwhelming when you are injured and in pain.

That is why having an experienced workplace accident lawyer and work related injury attorney in your corner from the very beginning makes such a difference. I do not hand your case off to a paralegal. I will know your name, know your story, and fight for you personally. I have practiced continuously as an accident at work lawyer in Gulfport, Mississippi for more than four decades, and I bring every bit of that experience to bear on every case I take.

Not sure if you have a case? Call (228) 868-0064 for free, confidential evaluation with an experienced Gulfport workplace injury attorney.

What Counts as a Workplace Injury in Gulfport, Mississippi?

Any physical injury or illness that arises out of and in the course of your employment can qualify. This includes sudden traumatic accidents such as falls, equipment malfunctions, and vehicle collisions on the job, as well as occupational diseases that develop over time from repeated exposure to harmful conditions.

Common covered injuries include back and spinal injuries, traumatic brain injuries, broken bones, burns, crush injuries, respiratory illnesses, and hearing loss. If it happened at work anywhere in Mississippi, it deserves careful legal evaluation. I offer free consultations and I will give you an honest assessment of where you stand.

WORKPLACE ACCIDENT CASES I HANDLE

What Types of Workplace Accidents Do I Handle as Your Gulfport Accident at Work Lawyer?

Whether your injury happened in an office, on a construction site, in a factory, on a boat, or on a highway, I have the experience and determination to pursue the compensation you deserve throughout Gulfport, Mississippi and all of South Mississippi.

Slip, Trip and Fall Injuries

Falls are one of the leading causes of serious workplace injuries in Gulfport and across Mississippi. Wet floors, uneven surfaces, missing guardrails, and inadequate lighting all create dangerous conditions. If you had a fall at work, I can help you understand what to do and how to protect your claim.

Construction Accidents

Construction sites are among the most hazardous workplaces in Mississippi. Scaffold collapses, crane accidents, electrical hazards, and trench cave-ins cause catastrophic injuries. Multiple parties, including contractors, subcontractors, and equipment manufacturers, may each bear legal responsibility, and I know how to identify and pursue all of them.

Heavy Equipment and Machinery Accidents

Forklifts, cranes, conveyor belts, and industrial presses can cause crushing, amputation, and traumatic brain injuries in an instant. When a machine malfunctions due to a design defect or poor maintenance, I will explore whether a products liability claim can dramatically increase your total recovery.

Truck and Vehicle Accidents on the Job

Delivery drivers, commercial vehicle operators, and workers injured by another driver while on the clock face a legal landscape that intersects workers’ compensation and personal injury law. I have handled serious truck and vehicle collision cases throughout Mississippi for decades.

Offshore and Harbor Worker Injuries

Mississippi’s Gulf Coast workforce includes thousands of offshore and maritime workers covered by the Jones Act and the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act. I handle these highly specialized federal claims and understand both the state and federal law that applies to your situation.

Defective Products and Equipment Failures

When a dangerous or defective product causes your workplace injury, I will explore a products liability claim against the manufacturer, distributor, or seller. Over the course of my career, I have pursued defective product cases that led manufacturers to recall or redesign their products and protect future workers from the same harm.

Toxic Exposure and Occupational Disease

Asbestos, silica, chemical fumes, and other workplace toxins can cause lung diseases, cancers, and other serious illnesses years after exposure. I am willing to go up against large corporations to pursue the full compensation you deserve.

Wrongful Death on the Job

If a family member was killed in a workplace accident in Gulfport, Mississippi or elsewhere in the state, I handle these deeply personal cases with extraordinary care. Surviving family members may be entitled to wrongful death damages including loss of financial support, loss of companionship, and funeral expenses.

Do not wait to protect your rights. Call (228) 868-0064 for a free consultation.

What Should I Do If I Have a Fall at Work, or Any Workplace Accident, in Mississippi?

The steps you take in the hours and days after a workplace accident can make or break your case. Here is what I recommend every time.

Step 1. Seek Medical Attention Immediately

Your health comes first. Do not try to walk it off. Prompt medical care not only protects your health but creates the documentation that will be essential to your legal claim. Even if you feel only moderate pain at first, many serious injuries including spinal damage and traumatic brain injuries worsen over time.

Step 2. Report the Injury to Your Employer in Writing

In Mississippi, you must report your workplace injury to your employer within 30 days or you risk losing your right to workers’ compensation benefits. Do this in writing, keep a copy for yourself, and be factual and complete. Do not minimize your symptoms.

Step 3. Document Everything at the Scene

If you are physically able, take photographs of the accident scene, any equipment involved, and your visible injuries. Collect the names and contact information of any witnesses. These details can be critical evidence, especially if your employer or their insurer later tries to dispute how the accident happened.

Step 4. Be Careful What You Say to Insurance Adjusters

An insurance adjuster may contact you within days of your accident. They are trained to minimize claims. Do not give a recorded statement, sign any releases, or accept any settlement offers before you speak with a Gulfport attorney for workplace injuries.

Step 5. Call Me Before You Sign Anything

A free consultation with me costs you nothing and could make all the difference. I will review your situation, explain your rights, and help you understand what your claim may actually be worth, which is often far more than the insurer’s first offer.

Step 6. Follow Your Doctor’s Treatment Plan Completely

Gaps in treatment and failure to follow medical advice are two of the most common reasons insurance companies deny or reduce workplace injury claims. Go to every appointment, follow every recommendation, and keep records of all medical expenses and travel costs.

Get free advice right now. Call (228) 868-0064.

Frequently Asked Question About Gulfport Workplace Injuries

How long do I have to file a workplace injury claim in Mississippi?

Mississippi law typically gives you two years from the date of your injury to file a workers’ compensation claim. However, you must report the injury to your employer within 30 days of the accident. Waiting too long, even a few weeks, can seriously damage your claim. If a third party was responsible for your injury, the personal injury statute of limitations is three years, but I always recommend acting as quickly as possible.

Call (228) 868-0064 and I will review your deadlines with you today at no charge.

Can I be fired for filing a workers’ compensation claim in Mississippi?

Mississippi law generally prohibits employers from retaliating against workers who file workers’ compensation claims. If you have been fired, demoted, or otherwise punished for reporting a workplace injury or pursuing your legal rights, you may have an additional claim for retaliatory discharge. I will seek to hold your employer fully accountable.

What if my workplace injury was partly my own fault?

For your workers’ compensation claim, fault does not matter at all. Mississippi’s workers’ compensation system is a no-fault system, which means you are entitled to benefits whether the accident was caused by your employer, a coworker, or even by your own mistake. If you were hurt on the job, you can file a workers’ comp claim regardless of how the accident happened.

Where fault becomes relevant is if a third party, meaning someone other than your employer or a coworker, contributed to your injury. In those situations, you may have a separate personal injury claim against that third party, and Mississippi’s pure comparative fault rule applies. Under that rule, you can still recover compensation even if you were partially responsible. Your recovery is simply reduced by your percentage of fault.

For example, suppose you are a delivery driver, and you are involved in a collision while on the job. You were speeding slightly, but the other driver ran a red light. A jury finds you 20 percent at fault and the other driver 80 percent at fault. If your damages are valued at $500,000, you would recover $400,000 from the third-party claim. You would still receive your full workers’ compensation benefits on top of that.

Another example: you are working on a construction site and a piece of equipment manufactured by an outside company malfunctions and injures you. Even if you were not using the equipment exactly as instructed, you may still have a strong products liability claim against the manufacturer. If a jury finds you 30 percent at fault, you would recover 70 percent of the total damages awarded, which in a serious injury case can still represent a very substantial sum.

As a workers’ compensation attorney with decades of experience, I can evaluate both your workers’ compensation claim and every possible third-party avenue to make sure you recover everything you are entitled to.

What compensation can I recover from a workplace accident claim?

Through workers’ compensation you may receive medical expenses, temporary or permanent disability benefits, and vocational rehabilitation. A third-party personal injury claim can add full lost wages, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life.

In wrongful death cases, surviving family members may recover the full economic and emotional loss suffered. The difference between a workers’ comp-only recovery and a full third-party recovery can be substantial.

Call me at (228) 868-0064 and I will help you understand what your case may actually be worth.

Do I need a Gulfport Workers’ Compensation Lawyer if my employer admitted the accident happened at work?

Yes. Employers and their insurance carriers routinely accept that an accident occurred while disputing the extent of your injuries, the necessity of medical treatment, or the permanence of any disability. Without experienced legal representation, you are at a significant disadvantage against adjusters and defense attorneys who handle these cases every day. I level that playing field.

How much does it cost to hire experienced Workers’ Compensation Attorney Mike Holleman?

I handle all workplace accident and personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis. You pay absolutely nothing upfront. My fee is only collected if I recover compensation for you, and it comes from the settlement or verdict, not from your pocket. Your consultation is always free and completely confidential.

Call (228) 868-0064. No fee unless I win your case.

More Than Four Decades of Experience. Award-Winning Public Service. Trained by a Legend.

I graduated magna cum laude, second in my class, from the University of Mississippi School of Law and was admitted to the Mississippi Bar in 1981. I have maintained an active legal practice as a workplace accident lawyer and work related injury attorney in Gulfport, Mississippi for more than three decades.

After graduating from law school, I joined my father’s firm and practiced alongside Boyce Holleman for 15 years. My father served as District Attorney for South Mississippi from 1953 to 1972 and was widely recognized as one of the finest trial attorneys in the history of Mississippi. Practicing at his side gave me an apprenticeship that no classroom can replicate. He taught me how to stand before a jury, how to tell a client’s story with truth and power, and how to carry the weight of another person’s suffering into a courtroom and fight for something that truly matters.

In 2006, I received the Alonzo Westbrook Public Service Award from the Mississippi Bar Association, which recognizes outstanding public service to the legal community and the citizens of Mississippi. That recognition means a great deal to me because it reflects the kind of lawyer I try to be, not just in the courtroom, but in my community.

I am admitted to practice in all state and federal courts in Mississippi, the Federal District Court for the Northern and Southern Districts of Mississippi, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Admission to the Fifth Circuit means I can represent injured workers in cases that reach the highest level of federal review.

I have served on the Committee for the Mississippi Bar Lawyers and Judges Assistance Program (LJAP) since 2004 and served as Chairman from 2009 to 2011. Today, I host and conduct weekly LJAP meetings at my Gulfport office, providing a confidential, supportive environment for local legal professionals seeking guidance on mental health, recovery, and wellbeing. I have also served on the Criminal Law Committee and the Board of Bar Commissioners for The Mississippi Bar.

“When you hire me, you will know your case is getting the experienced attention it deserves. You will know I have my heart in your case and your recovery.”

CREDENTIALS AT A GLANCE

  • Magna cum laude, University of Mississippi School of Law, second in my class
  • Admitted to the Mississippi Bar, 1981, more than 40 years of active practice
  • 15 years in practice alongside my father, Boyce Holleman, legendary South Mississippi litigator
  • Alonzo Westbrook Public Service Award, Mississippi Bar Association, 2006
  • Admitted to practice, all state and federal courts in Mississippi
  • Admitted to practice, Federal District Court, Northern and Southern Districts of Mississippi
  • Admitted to practice, United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • MLJAP Committee member since 2004, Chairman 2009 to 2011
  • Weekly MLJAP meeting host, my Gulfport office, ongoing
  • Criminal Law Committee, Mississippi Bar
  • Board of Bar Commissioners, Mississippi Bar

 

Ready to put me in your corner? Call (228) 868-0064. No fee unless I win.

Third-Party Claims and How I Work to Maximize Your Recovery

Workers’ compensation provides essential benefits, but in many workplace accident situations a third party, someone other than your employer, bears legal responsibility for your injuries. Filing a third-party personal injury claim in addition to your workers’ comp case can dramatically increase your total recovery. I investigate every potential avenue on your behalf.

Equipment and Machinery Manufacturers

If a defective machine, tool, or piece of equipment caused your workplace injury, the manufacturer may be liable under products liability law. I have successfully pursued these cases and helped push companies to recall or redesign dangerous products.

Negligent Drivers and Vehicle Operators

If you were injured in a vehicle accident while performing your job duties and another driver was at fault, I can pursue a full personal injury claim against that driver separate from and in addition to your workers’ comp benefits.

Negligent Contractors and Subcontractors

Construction and industrial jobsites often involve multiple employers. If a subcontractor or another company’s employee caused your accident at work, I will pursue a third-party claim that may provide substantial additional compensation.

Property Owners and Premises Liability

If you were injured on someone else’s property while working and the property owner’s negligence contributed to your accident, I will explore a premises liability claim against them under Mississippi law, opening a separate avenue for recovery.

What Types of Compensation Can I Recover For A Workplace Injury in Mississippi?

The full value of a workplace accident claim often far exceeds what an insurance company’s initial offer reflects. I will pursue every category of damages available to you, including:

 

  • Past and future medical expenses, including surgery, hospitalization, therapy, prescriptions, and future care
  • Lost wages and lost earning capacity, including reduced future earnings if your injury causes permanent limitations
  • Pain and suffering, available in third-party claims for the physical pain and mental anguish caused by your injury
  • Permanent disability benefits, ongoing benefits for permanent, partial, or total disability
  • Loss of enjoyment of life, damages for activities and experiences your injury has taken from you
  • Wrongful death damages for surviving family members, including loss of financial support, loss of companionship, and funeral expenses

Find out what your case may be worth. Call (228) 868-0064 for a free evaluation.

Offshore Workers, Contractors, and Complex Workplace Injury Cases in Mississippi

I was injured on an offshore oil rig or vessel off the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Do I have special rights?

Yes. Offshore and maritime workers are often covered by federal maritime law rather than state workers’ compensation. The Jones Act provides seamen with the right to sue their employers for negligence, potentially resulting in significantly higher compensation than workers’ comp allows. The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act covers longshoremen and harbor workers with separate federal benefits. I handle these specialized maritime injury cases throughout the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Call (228) 868-0064 and I will review your offshore injury situation at no charge.

What if I am a contractor or gig worker who was injured at a worksite in Mississippi?

Employers sometimes intentionally misclassify employees as independent contractors to avoid providing workers’ compensation coverage. If you were injured and your employer claims you were not an employee, do not simply accept that. I will examine the true nature of your working relationship and fight to ensure you receive the coverage and compensation you are legally entitled to.

What if my workers’ compensation claim is denied?

A denial is not the end of the road. You have the right to appeal before the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission. I know how to build the evidence needed to overturn a wrongful denial and secure the benefits you are owed.

Claim denied? Call (228) 868-0064. Do not give up.

 

Real Words From the People I Have Had the Privilege of Helping

“The hope and support I received from this man goes above and beyond what I could have ever expected. It has changed my life in ways that most people could not begin to fathom. I know that with Mike in my corner I am guaranteed the best possible outcome.” John L.

“Mike was engaged, compassionate, very knowledgeable, and always a step ahead. He has a unique ability to strategize and communicate at the highest level while making the attorney-client relationship personal.” Satisfied Client

“The ONLY law firm my family, friends and myself will EVER use. If you need someone on your side with integrity, honesty and an impeccable work ethic, then this is the firm for you.” Bonnie Y.

I Serve Gulfport, Mississippi and All Surrounding Communities

I represent injured workers and their families throughout the entire Mississippi Gulf Coast and beyond. Wherever you are in Mississippi, I am ready to help.

  • Gulfport, MS
  • Biloxi, MS
  • Pascagoula, MS
  • Ocean Springs, MS
  • Bay St. Louis, MS
  • Long Beach, MS
  • Pass Christian, MS
  • Waveland, MS
  • Moss Point, MS
  • Gautier, MS
  • Hattiesburg, MS
  • All of Mississippi

Harrison County, Jackson County, Hancock County, Stone County, Pearl River County. I have been serving injured workers and their families throughout every corner of South Mississippi for more than 40 years. Call (228) 868-0064 if you are not sure whether I can help you in your city.

I Am Ready to Fight for What You Are Owed – Schedule A Free Consultation With An Experienced Work Injury Lawyer.

I became a lawyer because I watched my father stand up for people who needed someone in their corner. I have spent more than four decades doing the same thing in Gulfport, Mississippi, and I am not done yet. I graduated second in my class from the University of Mississippi School of Law, I trained at my father’s side for 15 years, and I have earned recognition from the Mississippi Bar for my commitment to this community. But none of that matters as much as what I will do for you. When you call me, you get me. Not a paralegal, not an associate, not a case number. You get a lawyer who will learn your name, understand what you have been through, and fight for you like it is the only case I have. Your consultation is free, it is confidential, and it is the first step toward getting your life back.

I am ready to hear your story and fight for the outcome you deserve. Your consultation is always free, always confidential, and always with me personally.

(228) 868-0064