Arkansas Injury Lawyer Blog

Blood tests from the Arkansas Crime Laboratory led to an arrest of an Alma, Arkansas man involved in a fatal car accident. He was arrested on suspicion of negligent homicide, first-degree criminal mischief and second-degree battery.

Blood samples were taken from the negligent driver after the three-vehicle wreck on showed that the driver of the vehicle had marijuana and Xanax in his system at the time of the accident.

Most people associate driving under the influence with alcohol. However, this accident is a vivid reminder that altering drugs can and often due lead to serious car and truck accidents. I recently handled a case where an elderly women and her grandchildren were struck head on by a car driven by a man that had taken narcotic medicine earlier in the day. The investigation showed that his intoxication at the time of the wreck lead to his inattention and carelessness. Although my client was not killed, she was seriously injured and required an airlift to and Arkansas hospital. Although she was able to receive a monetary settlement, she will suffer a lifetime of pain, suffering and disability. Please be careful and do not take medicine or other drugs that could alter your ability to drive. If you need to speak with an attorney regarding a car or truck accident, please contact the Pfeifer Law Firm today.

A recent Arkansas Supreme Court case will help victims of Arkansas car accidents. In State Farm Insurance Company vs. Stamps, the Arkansas Supreme Court affirmed a lower court decision upholding the award of statutory damages of 12% and attorney fees against State Farm Insurance Company. The Court found that these amounts were justified based upon Arkansas Code Annotated 23-79-208 because State Farm refused to settle with an accident victim after demand was made under their underinsured policy.

Arkansas law states that if an injured victim makes a settlement demand on their insurance company that is refused and they are awarded damages within 20% of the demanded amount, 12% damages and attorney fees will be awarded by the Court. This law is meant to punish insurance companies when they delay payment of a meritorious claim.

The Pfeifer Law Firm routinely handles insurance claims for injured accident victims in Arkansas. If you or a family member has been injured in an accident and would like to speak with an Arkansas accident lawyer, please contact us today.

A serious car accident occurred on I-540 in Arkansas. According to published reports the Arkansas State Police spent more than an hour cleaning up four separate auto accidents involving 16 cars on the I-540 bridge over the Arkansas River near Fort Smith.

The car accident happened when cars began to slow down due to the rainy weather conditions. It appears that the cars behind were following too close and started a chain of rear-end collisions.

This Arkansas car accident acts as a reminder that drivers need to stay a safe distance behind forward vehicles. My Arkansas personal injury law firm handles car accident cases that all too often involve rear end collisions. The problem with drivers following too close and driving too fast for road conditions is very common on Arkansas highways. Injuries from car accidents cause great hardship to the victims and their families. If you have any questions concerning an Arkansas car accident please contact the Pfeifer Law Firm, an experienced Arkansas car accident law firm.

Four people were killed and two people were injured November 10 when a tractor-trailer crashed into cars stopped in an Interstate 30 construction zone near Texarkana, Arkansas. The Arkansas truck accident caused a severe explosion. Interstate 30 was closed in both directions after the accident. According to published reports, the truck failed to stop and rammed into several stopped cars in the construction zone.

This truck accident has all the signs of being caused by truck driver fatigue. The Federal Government has established regulations that are designed to remedy driver fatigue. However, statistics show that between 20 - 40 percent of 18-wheeler truck accidents are caused by fatigue. A review of driving logs, cell records, fuel receipts, and other trucking documents will often show if truck driver fatigue was a cause of the Arkansas truck accident. A truck accident lawyer can help the accident victims and their families through difficult circumstances after an accident.

Texting while driving is as dangerous as driving while drunk. A new law began in Arkansas that bans texting while driving. Act 181 of 2009, also known as Paul’s Law was passed to make Arkansas roads safer.

Paul’s Law bans drivers of all ages from sending text messages while driving, except in emergencies. This Arkansas motor vehicle law was named after Paul Davidson of Jonesboro, Arkansas who was killed in an accident with a vehicle whose driver admitted he was sending a text message.
Another new driving law, Act 197 of 2009, bans the use of cell phones by drivers under age 18, except in emergencies. This Arkansas law prohibits anyone age 18-20 from using a cell phone while driving unless the person is using a hands free device or in an emergency.

As texting has become more popular, accidents blamed on texting has increased dramatically. Recent studies have shown that 26% of people text while driving. Studies suggest that the danger of texting while driving exceeds the danger of simply talking on your cell phone. A recent National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study estimates that 515,000 people were injured in traffic accident due to a distracted driver. According to Arkansas State Police, at least 787 crashes in Arkansas in 2008 involved drivers who were distracted by electronic communication devices.

If you or a family member has suffered a personal injury in an Arkansas accident, please contact an Arkansas car accident lawyer to discuss your legal rights. The Pfeifer Law firm provides free initial consultations for Arkansas car accident injury victims.

The Center for Lifelong Learning at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith is offering a series of four motorcycle safety courses Nov. 7 as part of the Center’s fall schedule of personal enrichment courses.

Courses will be led by certified Goldwing Road Riders Association Leadership Training Instructors and Rider Education Instructors. According to the seminar information,
the training is designed to encourage safe and enjoyable motorcycling for all riders. The seminar information quotes the instructor as saying:

“When motorcycles are involved in an accident, it doesn’t matter much what kind of bike one is riding,” she said. “Serious injury or death is a real possibility. Making the roads safer for all motorcycle enthusiasts through training is one of GWRRA’s primary goals.”

Information concerning this seminar can be found on the UA-Fort Smith website.

Motorcycle safety has become more and more important. The number of people injured in motorcycle accidents has increased for over a decade. In 2007, approximately 103,000 people were injured in motorcycle accidents. Arkansas has some great roads to ride and we all need to be mindful that an Arkansas motorcycle accident can be very serious. Usually, inattention by the driver of the automobile is the reason why motorcycle accidents happen in Arkansas. If you or a family member suffers injuries in an Arkansas motorcycle accident it is important that you contact an experienced Arkansas motorcycle lawyer to make sure your medical bills get paid and your rights are fully protected.

A recent study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that more Americans die on country roads than on more congested city roads. In 2008, 56% of the 37,261 traffic deaths occurred on rural roads. About 23% of the population lives in rural areas.

The comparison is even greater regarding Arkansas traffic accidents. Seventy-four percent of car accident and truck accident deaths were on county or rural roads in Arkansas. Although Arkansas is a rural state, I was surprised by the statistic concerning Arkansas vehicle accident fatalities. From experience representing victims of Arkansas car accidents, I find that people usually drive faster on rural Arkansas roads than the conditions allow. Another possible reason is the slower delivery of acute medical care for injuries from the accident.

If you or a family member has suffered injuries from an accident please contact an experienced Arkansas personal injury lawyer. It is important to know your rights and make sure that your damages are fully compensated.

Little Rock, Arkansas has been ranked in the top ten most accident prone cities. According to an article in a popular health magazine, Little Rock ranked fifth in the number of accidents that occur each year. This finding appears to be based upon statistics from the Bureau of Labor, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Medical Association.

As someone who deals with Arkansas accident victims, this finding is quite troubling. Arkansas accident injuries include car accident injury, on the job injury, slip and fall injury, motorcycle accident injury, truck accident injury, dog bite injury, medical injury, and nursing home abuse injury. Arkansas personal injury victims have a right to have their medical bills paid, lost wages paid, pain and suffering fairly compensated and be fully compensated for their damages.

If you or a family member has suffered a personal injury in Arkansas, please contact an experienced Arkansas personal injury lawyer to make sure your injuries are fully and fairly compensated.

A recent article in the New York Times was disappointing. The story outlined problems with Courts getting enough people to show up for jury duty and the resistance to people wanting to serve on jury duty. This problem has a negative impact on people who suffer a personal injury or car accident in Arkansas. Jurors must be reminded that the Seventh Amendment to the Constitution states:

In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.

The article points out that angry jurors are a concern for plaintiffs in civil suits because the plaintiff brought the suit and is more likely to be blamed by the jurors for any inconvenience that jury duty caused them. I often remind jurors about their civic duty and thank them for their service. The right to a jury trial should always be cherished.

Jurors are paid a small daily stipend in Arkansas. It may be time to pay them more in accordance with the value of their civic duty. Although most personal injury lawsuits and car accident claims settle before trial, it is necessary to prepare and have the option of trial to keep insurance companies honest. The jury system is used to offer justice to victims of personal injury and negligence claims in Arkansas. If you or a family member have suffered an injury in a car accident, motorcycle accident, truck accident, or other type of personal injury please contact an Arkansas personal injury attorney to make sure you receive fair compensation for your injuries.

New laws are now in effect that the Arkansas legislature hope will reduce Arkansas traffic accident and personal injuries. A simplified

For drivers under 18:

-No using cell phones while driving.
-Only one minor may be in the vehicle with you unless they are siblings or live with in the same house.
-Driving between 11:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m. is prohibited, unless driving to or from a school, work or church related activity.

For drivers age 18-21:

-Talking on a cell phone is allowed if a hands-free device is used.

For drivers over 21:

-Using a cell phone to talk is unrestricted.

The laws setting these new restrictions say the first offense will result in a warning, with a possible fine after that.

Arkansas car accidents and truck accidents often occur because drivers are inattentive and careless. These laws are designed to limit traffic accidents caused by teenagers. It is important that teenagers and their parents understand these new laws and the reason for their passage.

Arkansas car accidents take a heavy toll on families and any law designed to lessen the frequency of traffic accidents is important. In the last few years, my law practice has represented many people who were the victim of inattention caused by cell phone use while driving. I work hard making sure victims of Arkansas car accidents receive full compensation for their injuries. If you or a family member has been involved in an Arkansas car accident, please contact an aggressive and experienced Arkansas personal injury lawyer to discuss your legal rights.

Bus companies that the federal government has ordered to stop operating due to serious safety violations frequently change their name and continue to operate.

A Government Accountability Office report which found that unsafe bus companies did not even bother to change their business addresses or phone numbers when they submitted new paperwork to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

On August 8, 2008, a bus carrying a group of people crashed in Sherman, Texas, killing 17 people and injuring 15 others. Investigators concluded that the company that operated the bus was the reincarnation of a motor coach company that had been deemed unsafe and ordered out of service by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration two months before the accident.

Arkansas State and federal laws concerning bus operators need to be fully complied with by bus companies. These companies take church and community groups within and out of Arkansas on various trips. It is important that these groups and their members trust the bus companies to transport them safely. If you or a family member has been injured in a bus accident please contact an experienced Arkansas accident lawyer so your rights are fully protected. It is important to contact an Arkansas attorney as soon as possible so a full and complete investigation occurs.

An accident on Lake Hamilton two years ago led to a new Arkansas law that sets the minimum age of 16 for a solo operator of a personal watercraft in Arkansas. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission provides a good summary of the changes:

To operate any motorboat powered by an engine of 10 horsepower or more (including a personal watercraft):

A person under 12 years of age:
o Must satisfy the boating education requirement, and
o If operating a motorboat, must be under the direct visible and audible supervision of a parent, guardian or person over 17 years old.
o If operating a PWC, must have a person at least 21 on board and in a position to take immediate control of the PWC. That person must hold a boating education card if he or she was born after 1985.
A person 12 - 15 years of age:
o Must satisfy the boating education requirement, and
o If operating a PWC, must have a person at least 18 on board the PWC. That person must hold a boating education card if he or she was born after 1985.
A person 16 years of age or older must satisfy the boating education requirement if born after 1985..

Furthermore, it is illegal for the owner or person in control of a motorboat to allow someone who does not meet the age or boating education requirements to operate the vessel.

These Arkansas boating laws are meant to reduce personal injuries associated with boat and personal watercraft accidents in Arkansas. The law also makes the insurance company of the parents or other responsible parties potentially liable for the operation of the boat or personal watercraft. If you have been injured in an Arkansas boat accident or Arkansas personal watercraft accident, please contact the Pfeifer Law Firm to make sure your rights are protected.