Congratulations to John Hartwell Cocke on His 2026 Best Lawyers in America® Recognition!
We’re proud to share that John Hartwell Cocke, managing partner at Merkel & Cocke, P.A., has once again been named to The Best Lawyers in America®, earning recognition in the areas of Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs and Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs for the 2026 edition. This marks another milestone in a legal career…
Read MoreBack Pain and Injury after a Car Accident in Mississippi
Back injuries are one of the most common types of injuries that car accident victims suffer. Victims include drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and bicycle riders. All types of Mississippi car accidents, such as rear-end accidents, head-on crashes, and T-bone accidents, can cause back injuries. Even low-speed accidents harm a victim’s back. There’s generally no simple cure.…
Read MoreCan I Sue for Whiplash After a Car Accident?
Car accidents are a very common cause of whiplash injuries. The type of car accident that most commonly causes whiplash is a rear-end car accident. At Merkel & Cocke, we have more than 40 years of experience representing the victims of all types of car accidents, including rear-end collisions. We also represent whiplash injury victims…
Read MoreWhy Do Broadside/T-Bone Car Accidents Cause Serious Injuries?
An accident where the front of one car slams into the side of another car is known as a T-bone accident. Another name for a T-bone accident is a broadside accident. The letter T visually describes the accident as the vertical column strikes the horizontal column at the top of the letter. T-bone accidents are…
Read MoreWhat Car Accident Victims Who Have Neck Injuries Should Know
Car accidents are a common cause of neck injuries. Seatbelts generally help keep you in your car, but even seatbelts with shoulder harnesses don’t prevent your neck from moving. Airbags may protect your organs and cushion the blow, but they generally don’t prevent neck injuries either. Drivers and passengers can suffer neck injuries due to…
Read MoreRobert A. Carson III Named to Mississippi Business Journal’s “Top 40 Under 40”
The team at Merkel & Cocke is thrilled to announce that Robert A. Carson III has been named to the Mississippi Business Journal’s “Top 40 Under 40.” The publication honored 40 leaders across the state who are under 40 years old at a luncheon in Jackson on June 25. Mississippi Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann provided…
Read MoreMisdiagnosed Cancer: When a Delay in Diagnosis Becomes Malpractice
You go to the doctor with a nagging pain or a persistent cough. Maybe you’ve been tired, losing weight without trying, or just feel like something’s not right. Your doctor runs some tests, says it’s probably nothing, and sends you home. But weeks or months later, you find out you have cancer. And it’s progressed.…
Read MoreSuing a Delivery Company After a Truck Accident: What You Need to Know
It starts like any other day. Maybe you’re driving to work, waiting at a red light, or walking across a parking lot with your morning coffee. Then, out of nowhere, a delivery truck barrels around the corner and suddenly your whole life shifts. The rise of two-day shipping and next-day drop-offs means there are more…
Read MoreWhat’s the Difference Between a Concussion and a Traumatic Brain Injury?
Maybe you fell off a ladder at work. Maybe you got rear-ended on a back road outside Tupelo. Or maybe your child took a hard hit on the football field. However it happened, you’re now hearing two terms from doctors that seem to overlap: concussion and traumatic brain injury. Are they the same thing? Should…
Read MoreCan You Legally Lane Split in Mississippi?
You’ve probably seen it before. You’re stuck in traffic and suddenly a motorcycle zips between the lanes. You wonder: Can they do that? And maybe, if you ride yourself, you’ve wondered if you can. This maneuver is called lane splitting, and it’s one of the most hotly debated topics in motorcycle safety and law. Depending…
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