Little Rock Personal Injury Lawyer - Tractor-trailer Accidents

Tractor-trailer Rig Causes Death

Frank Bailey — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:01:41 GMT

Just when I think Mountain Home, Arkansas is a safe place to live, reality strikes. Yesterday on Highway 62-412 about twenty five miles west of Mountain Home near the small town of Viola a man was suddenly faced with an emergency situation. An 18 Wheeler overturned in front of him. Caleb Lard of Mountain Home did everything he could in the emergency situation to avoid hitting the three large rolls of rubber from the 18 Wheeler that blocked his path.
A utility pole on the side of the highway took the life of Caleb's passenger through no fault of Caleb according to the news reports.

Who is to blame? According to news reports, charges are pending against Roy Choate of Harrison, the driver of the Kenworth tractor that went out of control in a curve.

Living in Mountain Home, I drive on these curvy roads every day. But, do I expect a semi to lose control and overturn in front of me? Of course not.

We all need to take responsibility and drive cautiously, but sometimes there is nothing that can be done, as in a situation such as this when a semi rolls in front of you.

Also reported injured were 26 year old Chasity D Lawing of Mountain Home and two year old Ethan Pucket also of Mountain Home. It is not clear from the early reports how they were injured.

Developing…

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Frank Bailey

Defective Valve Stems From China

Frank Bailey — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 16:25:08 GMT

Yet another Chinese import causes problems for Americans. The latest defective products are valve stems. Valve stems are the little black protrusions that are on the inside of each wheel and allow the tire to be inflated with air.

If a valve stem cracks, the air in the tire can suddenly escape, similar to a blow out, and the vehicle can go out of control and crash. The valves that are defective were sold between September 2006 and June 2007. There are some 30 million of these valve stems that were manufactured by Topseal, a subsidiary of Shanghai Baolong Automotive Corp. The valves were distributed by Dill Air Controls, an Oxford North Carolina, company.

Dill has issued a technical bulletin to its customers warning retailers to inspect the valves when the customers come in for regular service.

At this time the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating the problem.

During these hot summer months, I expect to see more of these failures as the heat from the pavement causes the rubber to decay faster.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Frank Bailey

Do I Need An Attorney

Frank Bailey — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 11:01:16 GMT

Occasionally someone will ask me if they need an attorney for one thing or another. I inquire a little about their problem and usually respond that, “Yes they should consult with an attorney before signing anything.” Why do I do that?

In my experience, attorneys don’t normally charge for an initial consultation. It is like a store that doesn’t charge for you to go in and try on shoes to see if you like them, or if they fit. Attorneys are the same way. The initial consultation is to see if you need an attorney, if you like the attorney you are consulting with, and if the attorney is willing to undertake your case.

In our practice, we have become very selective in the cases we accept. It doesn’t do us any good to take a case where there is little chance of doing the client any good. In cases where neighbors are fighting over a boundary line, or parents fighting over child visitation or the like, we really can’t do much good for the client.

On the other hand, attorneys usually can be very helpful in the case of an auto accident, a case involving a dangerous drug or product, or a medical malpractice case. In fact, in most of those types of cases, an attorney is absolutely necessary to get the best result.

In choosing an attorney, word of mouth is good. Other factors to consider are board certification, years of experience, and interest in your case. Most attorneys are willing to discuss their experience and qualifications. If they are hesitant to discuss those types of issues, look somewhere else.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Frank Bailey

Basic Head Injury Information

Frank Bailey — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 08:42:06 GMT

In my experience brain injuries are the most undiagnosed injuries Americans suffer. Car wrecks, motorcycle wrecks, and bicycle wrecks account for at least half of all TBIs and the largest portion of TBI in people under age 75. For those people aged 75 and older falls cause the majority of TBIs.

Why are brain injuries so undiagnosed in emergency rooms? Emergency rooms are concerned with saving lives and treating obvious injuries. Brain injuries are not always apparent when a person has just been in a wreck. Physicians are focused on broken bones, and more obvious injuries. Unless emergency room physicians are looking for brain injury, the brain injury may slip through the cracks.

People should have a basic understanding of the most common symptoms. If there is a change in the way you think, I call it fuzzy thinking, or if you have trouble finding words when you talk, these are common symptoms of a traumatic brain injury. Other symptoms are dizziness, headaches, and changes in temperament.

Traumatic brain injury is a frequent cause of major long-term disability unless treated. Outcome for patients with head injury depends heavily on the cause. For example, in the US, patients with TBIs from falls have an 89% survival rate, while only 9% of patients with firearm-related TBIs survive.

Car manufacturers have helped reduce the number of brain injuries by making cars safer, but they still have a long way to go to become completely safe. Motorcycle helmets help, but if a rider lands on his head, the helmet may not prevent a brain injury even though it may have saved the rider’s life.

If you or a family member have been in a serious wreck, I suggest you be examined by a trained medical care provider to rule out brain injury, or to get treatment.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Frank Bailey