Arkansas Injury Lawyer Blog

Medical Negligence Leads to Child’s Amputation

January 10, 2011 | Paul Pfeifer

I recently read a story from California about a little girl who was forced to wait for treatment in an ER for over five hours. According to the story, the family’s ordeal began on a Sunday morning in early December, when the normally rambunctious girl developed a fever and became lethargic.

When her symptoms persisted the next day the father took his little girl to the ER and he tried to get immediate care, but was rebuffed. After about five hours, according to the news account, he ambushed a nurse and demanded to see a doctor. The physician took blood samples that suggested the girl was in liver failure. She was taken by ambulance to the pediatric intensive care unit at Sutter Memorial Hospital. Doctors there had her flown to Stanford aboard a helicopter.

It turned out the girl was in septic shock from a Streptococcus A infection that invaded her blood, muscles and internal organs. According to the CDC early treatment can reduce death and disability from the disease. The Stanford doctors put the girl on life support and gave her medicine. They ultimately had to perform operations to amputate her lower legs and her left hand, which had been irreversibly damaged by a lack of oxygen.

Arkansas Hit And Run Accidents and Insurance

January 10, 2011 | Paul Pfeifer

A hit-and-run accident on U.S. Highway 62 East near Henderson sent three people to the hospital according to an Arkansas State Police press release. The injured driver was struck in the rear by another vehicle traveling in the same direction.The impact caused the Ford Mustang to leave the roadway and overturn. The vehicle which struck the Mustang then left the scene of the collision. The driver and two passengers were transported to Baxter Regional Medical Center.

Hopefully, the police find the driver and the vehicle that was at fault in this wreck. However, many times the Hit and Run driver can’t be located and the injured victims are left wondering how their medical bills will be paid and how they may be reimbursed for lost time from work. Hopefully, this victim carried uninsured motorist coverage to handle this Hit and Run accident. It is important that all Arkansas drivers carry uninsured and under-insured insurance coverage on their cars. This insurance coverage will “kick in” when the other driver can’t be located or who does not carry adequate insurance coverage to fully take care of the injuries and damages that were caused by the accident.

If you or a loved on has any questions about possible insurance coverage it is important that you contact and Arkansas personal injury lawyer as soon as possible to make sure your rights are fully protected.

Artificial Hip Recall – Arkansas Injured Victims

December 8, 2010 | Paul Pfeifer

A Johnson & Johnson subsidiary has recalled a metal hip implant after complaints of severe pain and system failure, and amid worries that the implants may be sending metal shavings into patients’ bloodstreams, potentially putting them at risk for dementia and heart failure. The subsidiary at issue is DePuy Orthopaedics.

According to a recent news story, the company has sold nearly 100,000 units of its ASR XL Acetabular Hip System. Besides failure, there is a possibility of particles from the implants getting released into the bloodstream. That could cause deafness, dementia and heart failure. DePuy says it is taking full responsibility and “intends to cover reasonable and customary costs of monitoring and treatment services, including revision surgeries.”

Personal injury attorneys and their clients hope that the company takes responsibility for the medical costs, pain and suffering, and other damages that innocent victims suffer. If you or a family member has suffered a injury due a defective medical device or drug, it is important that you contact a personal injury lawyer to discuss your legal rights. Under Arkansas law, there is a limited time to file defective product lawsuits.

Arkansas Supreme Court Rules in West Memphis 3 Case

November 4, 2010 | Paul Pfeifer

The Arkansas Supreme Court issued a ruling the the West Memphis 3 case. The court opinion can be found here. The Court ruled that the trial court must hold a hearing to determine if any new evidence would result in an acquittal.

Sexual Harassment

November 4, 2010 | Paul Pfeifer

Sexual harassment has been in the news recently with allegations of harassment by Brett Favre toward a female New York Jets employee. Unfortunately, sexual harassment remains a fact of everyday life and a serious problem in the workplace in Arkansas.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission defines sexual harassment as:

“Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitutes sexual harassment when submission to or rejection of this conduct explicitly or implicitly affects an individual’s employment, unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment.”

Dangerous Drug Pulled From The Market

October 8, 2010 | Paul Pfeifer

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.

Tired Truck Drivers Cause Arkansas Accidents

October 4, 2010 | Paul Pfeifer

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.

Arkansas Truck Accident Near Malvern

August 19, 2010 | Paul Pfeifer

Interstate 30 near Malvern, Arkansas is open after a deadly head on collision involving two semi-trucks Wednesday.

According to several news reports, motorists were stranded on the interstate for hours. Around 4:30 p.m. with many people heading home from work, fire and destroyed trucks stopped drivers along eastbound Interstate 30. Witnesses told authorities that a wrecker headed west blew a tire, lost control, and slammed head on into a tractor trailer. Both trucks burst into flames.

Investigations into serious crashes is very important to determine legal liability in accidents like this. It may be important to get the maintenance records, tire age, tire brand and model to fully understand and determine legal liability. To make sure all information is learned, it is important that legal counsel be involved as soon as possible after the truck accident. An Arkansas accident injury lawyer can help those involved make sure their rights are fully protected.

Motorcycle Accident in Fayetteville Sends Rider to the Hospital

August 7, 2010 | Paul Pfeifer

A motorcycle accident near the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville campus sends one man to the hospital. Witnesses say the motorcycle was going at a high speed before flipping a few times and landing in a ditch. According to news reports, the rider was transported to Washington Regional Medical Center.

This time of year produces a great amount of motorcycle accidents in Arkansas. It is important that car drivers keep a good lookout for motorcycles. The number of people injured in motorcycle accidents has increased in recent years. Over 103,000 motorcyclists were injured in accidents in 2007 alone.

Due to the lack of protection that is afforded while driving a car, injured Arkansas motorcycle riders often suffer severe and life altering injuries and even death. If you or a family member suffer a motorcycle accident it important that you get help with medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages that are incurred. Please contact an Arkansas motorcycle lawyer to discuss your legal rights.

Arkansas Intersate Accident

July 27, 2010 | Paul Pfeifer

A Memphis man was killed after police say he hit a car head-on going the wrong way on the interstate. This Arkansas auto accident happened on Interstate 40 in Crittenden County, Arkansas.

This car accident follows a recent report that found several recent auto and truck accidents on I 55 in Arkansas were cause by driver fatigue. The area around the Interstate 40 interchange with Interstate 55 has been cursed by many serious accidents. It is very important that all drivers drive cautiously on Arkansas Interstates. If you or a family member would like to speak with an Arkansas accident lawyer, please contact accident lawyer Paul Pfeifer at 501-374-4440.