Arkansas Injury Lawyer Blog

The driver of the 18-wheeler flipped his semi-truck because he fell asleep behind the wheel. This truck accident occurred on Interstate 540 in Northern Arkansas. A news story concerning the accident included a quote from a truck diver that is all too common. He said, "It's easy to fall asleep. I've done it myself. I'm not going to lie. It's all because we have to make a destination."

The Federal Government has established regulations that are designed to remedy driver fatigue. However, statistics show that between 20 - 40 percent of 18-wheeler accidents are caused by fatigue. Truck drivers are often forced to skirt the rules by the trucking company's desire for profit. It is important to hold them accountable if this occurs.

Truck Accidents in Arkansas happen too often and usually involve catastrophic injury or death. When an accident occurs, it is important to conduct a full and detailed investigation into the cause. To handle this investigation and possible litigation, it is important to contact an Arkansas truck accident lawyer as soon as possible.

A natural gas line break and explosion occurred at an Arkansas apartment complex. A construction company was dredging a pond at the complex when a backhoe hit a gas line. This incident caused an explosion and fire. Fortunately, there were no personal injuries reported due to the gas explosion.

Officials are investigating whether the company contacted Arkansas One Call to before work was started to determine the location of utility line. Arkansas law requires that a call be made before work begins.

Natural gas explosions often cause serious injury and even death. These explosions are often the result of negligence. If you or a family member have suffered from a natural gas explosion please contact an injury attorney as soon as possible. It is necessary to investigate these accidents quickly to determine the cause.

A bill was signed into law by Gov. Mike Beebe creating an Arkansas trauma system. The bill is meant to speed up how quickly trauma patients in Arkansas get the medical care they need. This is a huge victory for people who suffer a personal injury in a car accident, work accident, or other catastrophic injury. It is expected to save many lives and prevent people from becoming permanently disabled from an injury.

Hospitals will be designated as Level I-IV trauma centers. Level 1 trauma centers will provide the highest level of care and be able to care for the most seriously injured. The level IV centers will be designed to provide initial care and stabilize the injured patient. It is hoped this trauma system can be organized in the next year or two. As an Arkansas personal injury attorney who handles car accident, and other injury cases, I am hopeful that it will be in place soon.

The U.S. Supreme Court gave a victory to patient lawsuits against drugmakers, upholding a $7 million award to a woman who lost her arm after being injected with Wyeth’s Phenergan nausea treatment. The Court, in Wyeth v. Levine, voting 6-3, said patients can use state product liability statutes to bring a case that involves companies failing to provide adequate safety warnings for dangerous drugs. In this case, pharmaceutical makers argued that they were shielded from lawsuits by the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of a treatment and its packaging information. However, the U.S. Supreme Court disagreed.

“Congress did not intend FDA oversight to be the exclusive means of ensuring drug safety and effectiveness,” Justice John Paul Stevens wrote for the court.

The ruling is a defeat for drug companies in a case that might have given them a shield from product liability suits in Arkansas and all other states. Justices Anthony Kennedy, David Souter, Stephen Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Clarence Thomas joined Stevens in the majority.

This ruling should clarify what limitations exists to bring lawsuits against drug companies for dangerous and unsafe drugs. Under Arkansas law, an individual who has been harmed by a dangerous drug can bring a claim under the Arkansas product liability statute. If you or a family member has been injured by a defective or dangerous drug, please contact an Arkansas personal injury attorney to discuss your claim.

According to new statistics from the Centers for Disease Control, Arkansas is the third most dangerous state for driving. The average annual motor vehicle-related death rate was highest in Mississippi (31.9 per 100,000 population), followed by Wyoming (27.7), Arkansas (25.6), Montana (25.6), and Alabama (25.1). The study also found that men are twice as likely to be killed in an auto accident than women. According to the Community Guide of the Centers for Disease Control, motor vehicle related injuries kill more children and young adults than any other single cause in the United States and are the leading cause of death from injury for people of all ages.

The CDC claims proper use of lap and shoulder belts can reduce the chance of death in a traffic accident by 45 percent, and the likelihood of serious injury by 50 percent. In my practice, I have seen numerous times when a seat-belt saved a life. I have also reviewed cases where seat-belt and airbag malfunctions proved catastrophic. Car accident injuries continue to be a serious problem in Arkansas. Although seat-belt use cannot fully protect against injury, it is an important tool that we should all use. Please wear your seat-belt and if you would like to speak with an attorney about a recent car accident, please contact a car accident attorney today to guarantee your rights are protected.