Arkansas Injury Lawyer Blog

Abbott Laboratories will withdraw its diet pill Meridia in the U.S. and Canada, after coming under pressure because the drug increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.
FDA scientists requested the withdrawal because Meridia's risks were not outweighed by any real benefit.

European regulators pulled the product off the market in January after a study showed that patients with heart disease had an 11 percent chance of heart attacks or stroke while taking the drug compared with a 10 percent risk for those not taking it.

Weight loss drugs have caused serious side effects particularly heart problems. The diet drug combination, fen-phen, was pulled off the market because it caused heart-valve damage and lung problems. In 2004, the FDA banned the weight loss supplement ephedra because of heart attacks as well.

Serious injuries caused by dangerous drugs continue to be a huge problem for Arkansas residents. If you or a loved one has been injured by a dangerous drug it is important for you to contact an Arkansas attorney that can assist you and protect your legal rights.

An Arkansas trucking company, J.P. Hunt Transport Services, joined other trucking companies in endorsing a proposal that is aimed at preventing tired truck drivers from causing serious and catastrophic highway accidents. It calls for in-cab recording devices to track the hours that the drivers are behind the wheel. Currently, truck drivers keep a paper log that tracks their hours. However, the paper log is often manipulated and fraudulently kept by drivers and trucking companies. The truck drivers are under enormous pressure by trucking companies to deliver as quickly as possible. This provides the incentive for drivers to manipulate the logs to keep their employers happy.

Unfortunately, driver fatigue is one of the major causes of catastrophic and serious highway accidents in Arkansas. Truck drivers driving 80,000 pound rigs down Arkansas highways need to be fully alert and awake while driving these massive vehicles. Unfortunately, when an accident occurs involving a large truck, it is often serious and leads to fatalities which could easily be avoided if the driver was not fatigued and tired. All too often, the drivers are told by the trucking companies to drive over the mandated time limits. I am hopeful that this new law will pass and will make it harder for drivers to manipulate log books and force them and the trucking companies to follow the rules. I am hopeful that the federal authorities and trucking companies will try to make the devices as foolproof as possible so that serious accidents involving driver fatigue can be avoided. If you or a family member is involved in a truck accident it is important to get in contact with an Arkansas attorney as soon as possible. An Arkansas truck accident injury lawyer can help those involved make sure their rights are fully protected.