Hiring a Medical Malpractice Lawyer in Mississippi
The deadline to sue for medical malpractice in Mississippi, any limits on damages, how lawyers usually charge (contingency fees), how to check a lawyer's license, and free help. We do not recommend or rank lawyers.
What a lawyer costs in Mississippi: fee rules
| Rules on contingency fees | Contingent fees are allowed except where Rule 1.5(d) or other law prohibits them. The agreement must be in writing and state how the fee is figured, including percentages on settlement, trial or appeal, the litigation and other expenses deducted from the recovery, and whether expenses come out before or after the fee is calculated. At the end, the lawyer must give a written statement of the outcome and the client's share. Contingent fees are banned for criminal defendants and for domestic relations fees contingent on a divorce or the amount of alimony, support or property settlement. |
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| If you disagree with a lawyer's bill | The Mississippi Bar's Fee Dispute Resolution Committee offers free mediation or arbitration of fee disagreements between clients and lawyers (and between lawyers). It is voluntary: each side must separately agree, and the consent form must be returned within 15 days or the matter is closed. Mediation is non-binding unless the parties sign an agreement (enforceable in court); arbitration produces a decision binding on both sides. Fee disputes involving a rule violation go through the grievance process instead. |
Mississippi rules to know first
| Deadline to sue for medical malpractice | Two years from the date the act, omission or neglect was discovered or reasonably should have been discovered, and (for claims accruing on or after July 1, 1998) no more than seven years after it occurred. The seven-year limit does not apply to a foreign object left in the body or to fraudulent concealment. Special extensions apply to young children and minors without a parent or guardian. This applies to licensed physicians, dentists, hospitals, nurses, pharmacists and certain other providers, including wrongful death claims arising from their services. Source: Miss. Code Ann. § 15-1-36 (secondary source: public copy of the state code; check the official code) |
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| Medical malpractice damage caps | Yes. In malpractice actions against health care providers filed on or after September 1, 2004, noneconomic damages may not exceed $500,000. Source: Miss. Code Ann. § 11-1-60(2)(a) (secondary source: public copy of the state code; check the official code) |
Find and check a lawyer
| Lawyer referral service | The Mississippi Bar does not run a lawyer referral service; its Consumer Assistance Program "does not maintain referral lists of Mississippi attorneys" and cannot recommend a specific attorney. The Bar offers an online Find a Lawyer directory of Mississippi attorneys (msbar.reliaguide.com) and a How to Select a Lawyer guide; the Consumer Assistance Program, (601) 948-2344, can suggest websites for locating an attorney. |
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| Check that the lawyer is licensed | The Mississippi Bar's Office of General Counsel, at (601) 948-0568, can confirm a Mississippi lawyer's current status and whether the lawyer has received public discipline (public reprimand, suspension or disbarment). Other information cannot be released without the lawyer's signed release. |
| Check discipline history or file a complaint | To file a grievance against a Mississippi lawyer, first contact the Mississippi Bar's Consumer Assistance Program at (601) 948-2344 (weekdays 8 a.m.-5 p.m.) or PO Box 2168, Jackson, MS 39225-2168. If warranted, CAP sends a grievance form to complete and return to the Bar's Office of General Counsel. Grievances generally must be filed within three years after discovering the misconduct, except those involving dishonesty or mishandling of funds. The Committee on Professional Responsibility meets four times a year and notifies you in writing within a month of its decision; outcomes include informal admonition, private or public reprimand, or a formal complaint to the Supreme Court. Complainants cannot appeal or withdraw a grievance. Public discipline can be confirmed by calling the Office of General Counsel at (601) 948-0568. |
Free legal help
| Free legal aid | Mississippi's LSC-funded legal aid organizations give free civil legal help to eligible low-income people: Mississippi Center for Legal Services (43 counties in South Mississippi) and North Mississippi Rural Legal Services (39 counties in North Mississippi), both reachable at 1-800-498-1804; most programs require income below 125% of the federal poverty level. The Mississippi Volunteer Lawyers Project (601-960-9577) offers volunteer attorney referrals and clinics, and Mission First Legal Aid Office (601-608-0056) serves Hinds, Madison and Rankin counties. LSC grantee list: https://www.lsc.gov/about-lsc/our-grantees |
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All legal help in Mississippi · Background guide
Last verified against official sources: October 27, 2026.
How we source this page: each state-specific rule links to the statute, court rule or official government page it comes from. A rule taken from a public copy of a state code (used only where the official code is not freely readable online) is marked as a secondary source. Spot an error? Use the contact page to report it. About our sources
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.