Linda Craig, president of the Arkansas chapter of Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) has been selected as our most recent Ripple Effect Award winner. When you hear her story of dedication and perseverance you will understand why she has received this important award.

In 2000, Linda lost her husband, Tom, a captain with the Arkansas State Police, who was killed in the line of duty. As a result, she joined C.O.P.S., an organization dedicated to providing peer support and resources to assist in rebuilding the lives of surviving families and co-workers of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty.

After attending a national C.O.P.S. conference in Washington, D.C., Linda returned to Arkansas and started a state chapter. She was made vice president of the chapter in 2002 and later became president, a position she has held for the past two years.

Linda has offered her friendship and counsel to many families in Arkansas. Her goal has been to help survivors during their grieving process by sharing her experience and offering her unwavering understanding and commitment to helping them realize they are not alone.

Society needs people who are willing to set the bar high so others will be challenged

Both modest and selfless, Linda does not see herself as a “hero,” but does hope her life and story can be encouraging to others. “My heroes are first responders, particularly police officers. When people are running away from danger and chaos, first responders are running straight into the face of danger to protect and serve society,” she explains.

Linda Craig accepting her Ripple Effect Award

We are honored to announce Linda Craig as the recipient of The Ripple Effect award. At Rainwater, Holt & Sexton, we think of ourselves as more than Arkansas personal injury lawyers, we think of ourselves as part of an incredibly giving community. 

Do you know someone who deserves this award? Nominate a local hero today. What better way for us to give back to our heroes?

According to FOX 16 News, the family of a slain boy is intent on seeing a man pay for causing what could be considered the wrongful death of their loved one.

The incident occurred Thursday afternoon at the Asher 1 Stop near the intersection of Asher and Maple Streets. The 58-year-old man held responsible for the death stated that he was at the location to cash a check after having a gun stolen from his room at a local motel. He then told police that when he saw the boy and his friend, he offered them $1,300 if they could help him retrieve his stolen weapon. That’s when the boy snatched the man’s wallet from his vehicle and then rode away on his bike. The man gave chase in his van and the pursuit began.

The chase ended on a hill in a vacant lot near 17^th and Oak. The man hit the boy with his van and ran him over. He then stopped the vehicle, pulled the boy out from underneath the van and began beating him and demanding his money back. He was only stopped by the arrival of police.

The Arkansas Personal Injury Lawyers with Rainwater, Holt & Sexton would like to send their condolences to the family of the young boy. No matter what the circumstances are, there’s no excuse for taking the law into your own hands and causing a potential Arkansas Wrongful Death .

According to the Hurt study, a motorcycle accident report, three-fourths of all motorcycle crashes involve a collision with another vehicle. Also, failure of motorists to detect and recognize motorcycles in traffic is the most common cause of motorcycle accidents.

One such accident this past weekend in the Florida panhandle left an Arkansas police chief fighting for his life. According to FOX 16 News, the crash occurred Friday night while the chief was vacationing in Panama City, Florida. Reports say that the man was passing through an intersection on his motorcycle when another vehicle failed to stop for a red light and collided with him. The vehicle responsible for causing the crash then sped away, leaving the man in the street.

Witnesses called for help and rescue crews were able to take the man to Bay City Memorial Hospital, where he remains in critical condition.

The driver was eventually caught and arrested by Panama City Police. Police have not announced what kind of charges the driver may be facing.

The Arkansas Motorcycle Accident Lawyers with Rainwater, Holt and Sexton ask that drivers be more aware of their surroundings and other vehicles on the road, as the warming weather will bring more motorcycles to the roadway. Another way to avoid a collision with a bike is to eliminate loud noises in your car. This will allow you to hear any motorcycles in your vicinity.

A tragic two-vehicle car accident in Atkins, Arkansas, Friday night claimed the life of a 35-year-old woman and left four other individuals seriously injured. According to The Courier News, the crash happened at exactly 8:56 p.m. on State Highway 247.

Reports from troopers with the Arkansas State Police who responded to the scene stated that the 35-year-old woman was driving a 1993 Geo Storm west along the highway when she crossed the center dividing line and struck a 2006 Chrysler 600 carrying four people head-on.

While occupants of both vehicles were properly restrained at the time of the crash, the Pope County Coroner declared the driver of the Storm dead at the scene. The cause of death was listed as blunt force trauma to the body and head. The other four crash victims, two middle-aged married couples, were taken to Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center to receive treatment for the numerous injuries they suffered.

The accident remains under investigation pending toxicology tests that were conducted on the body of the driver who was responsible for the accident at the state’s crime lab.

The Arkansas Car Accident Lawyers with Rainwater, Holt & Sexton would like to send their thoughts and condolences to the family of the victim who died in this crash. The firm would also like to wish those who were injured a full and speedy recovery from the injuries they sustained in the accident.

Toyota’s recall of thousands of vehicles due to faulty accelerators that could get stuck while the car is in motion has prompted federal lawmakers to consider passing measures that would require all vehicles to have an override system to combat the problem. According to KATV 7 News, the system would work by stopping the vehicle’s acceleration if both the gas and brake pedals were pressed at the same time.

While many feel that these regulations will work to protect the public from the problems of faulty automotive devices, manufacturers say that there are too few cases of stuck accelerators to warrant the change. Instead, they argue that most of the accidents are caused by drivers’ “misapplication” of the pedal in which they accidentally step on the accelerator rather than the brake while driving.

The point was countered with the story of four people who were killed in August 2009 near San Diego, California, after a floor mat caused the accelerator to stick in their Lexus.

The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration’s proposal states that the changes in manufacturing regulations would not occur for at least another three years while legislation is further examined.

The Arkansas Car Accident Lawyers with Rainwater, Holt & Sexton encourage drivers to be extra vigilant of where they place their feet when driving. Make sure that anything that could obstruct your feet is cleared from the floorboards as well before driving.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that construction work is one of the most dangerous occupations in the country. An estimated 780 workers died from preventable accidents while working in the industry in 2010 alone.

The most recent accident that claimed a life occurred last week in Little Rock, Arkansas. According to reports released by FOX 16 News, the incident occurred Friday as two men worked to install aluminum siding on a home.

Officers with the Little Rock Police Department stated in reports of the incident that the 25-year-old man was working with a partner to move a ladder outside a home on Chambery Drive when the 30-foot metal climbing device tipped back and made contact with nearby power lines. The contact allowed a powerful electric current to travel through the ladder and into the worker’s body. The shock sent the man falling to the ground where he laid unconscious until paramedics arrived. They transported him to a local hospital, but were unable to resuscitate him. He was declared dead shortly after arrival at the facility.

The Arkansas Wrongful Death Lawyers with Rainwater, Holt, and Sexton know just how dangerous exposed electric currents can be. That’s why they say that workers should be extra vigilant around power lines. Also, cover all exposed electric outlets if you have children in the home, and if someone is electrocuted, contact 911 for medical assistance immediately.

A motorcycle accident near the town of Crosses, Arkansas, has left University of Arkansas head football coach Bobby Petrino seriously injured. According to reports from KATV 7 News, the crash happened around 6:45 p.m. Sunday along Highway 16 in Madison County.

A spokesman from the Arkansas State Police, Bill Sadler, stated that the coach, who is an avid motorcyclist and often rides at nearby Beaver Lake, was about 20 miles outside Fayetteville when his bike left the highway and crashed. Rescue crews took him to a local hospital for treatment of serious injuries. He remains there in stable condition and is expected to make a full recovery.

Investigators say the will continue to examine what may have caused the crash to occur.

Research by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has shown that the total number of motorcycle accidents in Arkansas that result in serious injury or death has slowly risen over the last 10 years. In 2009 alone, a total of 1,585 motorcycle accidents occurred in the state and killed 74 people, nearly double the number of accidents at the beginning of the decade.

The Arkansas Motorcycle Accident Lawyers with Rainwater, Holt & Sexton would like to wish the injured coach a speedy recovery from his injuries. The firm would also like to remind motorcyclists of the importance of always putting on a helmet before riding, no matter how far you are going.

According to the National Program for Playground Safety (NPPS), from 2001 to 2008, 218,851 children were taken to emergency rooms because of playground equipment injuries, half of which occurred on public playground equipment.

Arkansas Children’s Hospital says that it has seen a 30 percent increase in the number of children being treated for these types of injuries. For instance, two young children recently suffered serious leg injuries on a piece of playground equipment at Root Elementary School in Fayetteville, Arkansas. An article released by NWA Online stated that the children fell from the equipment, which is now scheduled to be removed and replaced. The children were taken to a local hospital and are expected to make full recoveries from their injuries.

Donna Parnell-Beasley, a spokesperson with Arkansas Children’s Hospital, says that most injuries are to the hands and heads of children and are normally the results of falls. Beasley added that “children typically don’t have critical thinking skills until they get older, so they don’t realize there’s danger involved in some of their activities.”

In order to prevent these types of accidents, state laws require school districts to inspect equipment monthly to ensure safety, but this is not always enough to keep a child safe.

That’s why the Arkansas Brain Injury Lawyers with Rainwater, Holt & Sexton urge parents to always make sure your children are being supervised by a responsible adult when they are playing.

Government officials have issued new guidelines to better protect women from the dangers of pregnancy complications that can be caused by over-testing for cervical cancer. According to THV News, the U.S. Preventative Task Force has called for women to be tested for the disease less often.

Rather than being tested once a year, regulations now say that women ages 21 to 65 should be screened for cervical cancer only once every three years. Women ages 30 and over who are at a low risk for the disease need only be tested once every five years if they receive a Human papillomavirus screening at the same time.

Doctors have claimed in the past that over-screening is leading to a high number of false positives on tests that have women undergoing unnecessary procedures that could leave them with pregnancy and fertility complications.

While officials say that women should be tested for certain conditions less, they add that it does not mean that women should skip their annual appointment with their gynecologist. One doctor stated that there are numerous other factors of a woman’s health that are evaluated during that appointment, such as contraception, sexually transmitted diseases, breast health, bone health, hypertension, and diabetes.

The Arkansas Medical Malpractice Attorneys with Rainwater, Holt, and Sexton would advise you to seek a second opinion from another doctor if you believe you have been harmed by a doctor’s diagnosis of your medical condition.

A new way of educating teens and young adults about the dangers of risky behaviors, including drug use and drinking and driving, has come to Benton, Arkansas. According to FOX 16 News, the 99 Walkthrough Reality Theatre has been set up at 121 Alcoa Rd. since March 2 and will remain there until the end of the month.

Participants of The 99 will walk through five different scenarios being played by live actors. Each scene portrays how a different teen’s choice to participate in risky behavior ultimately leads to his or her demise.

The idea behind the reality theatre is based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s statistic that 99 young people in the country die in car accidents or from drug overdoses, domestic violence, homicides, and suicides each day.

The director of The 99, Terry Henshaw, says he hopes the program will help teens realize their decisions have consequences and that “when they see the reenactments, they’ll make better choices.”

One teen who walked through the program said it was “eerie” and thought provoking.

The 99 will be open Friday through Sunday from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. until the end of March and will be in Louisville, Kentucky, from April through May.

The Arkansas Car Accident Lawyers with Rainwater, Holt and Sexton would encourage all young adults and teens in those areas to check this event out and see the dangers of risky behaviors firsthand.