0
20
Feb

Manufacturer Seeks FDA Approval Of Controversial Weight-Loss Drug

February 20, 2012

Diet pill manufacturer Vivus Inc. is preparing to make a second attempt to persuade the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve one of their products later this week. According to reports from KATV 7 News, FDA officials still have concerns over the safety of the weight-loss medication the company is seeking approval for.

In October 2010, the FDA rejected the company’s proposal for approval of the diet pill Qnexa, saying they needed more information regarding the drug’s safety. Among the risks the FDA was concerned with were potential heart problems and birth defects in the children of women who became pregnant while taking the drug.

Qnexa is a combination of two other drugs that have a long history of complications and abuse potential. One of the main active ingredients in the drug is phentermine, a stimulant that acts as an appetite suppressant and was part of the dangerous fen-phen weight loss combination associated with serious heart complications.

On Wednesday, Vivus will resubmit their proposal by offering to conduct a follow-up study to monitor patients for heart problems after short-term use of the drug.

The Arkansas Drug Injury Lawyers with Rainwater, Holt & Sexton would like to remind you to discuss the risks of taking a medication with your doctor and pharmacist before starting a drug regimen. If you feel it may be unsafe to take a drug, do not hesitate to seek a second opinion from another qualified physician.

Popularity: 1% [?]

0
13
Feb

New Cable Barrier System To Be Installed Along Arkansas’ I-540

February 13, 2012

A new project designed to make Interstate-540 in Benton County, Arkansas, safer for motorists is scheduled to break ground in several weeks. According to reports from 4029 TV News, the $5 million project will install a cable barrier system in the median of the highway in order to stop accidents that occur when cars cross into oncoming lanes.

The cable barriers act as a snare, catching a crashing vehicle within its steel ropes, in the event of an accident. Experts say that the cable barriers are just as effective in preventing crashes with oncoming vehicles as a concrete barrier wall is, but are more giving and less likely to injure those involved in a crash.

The project comes after a fatal crash that occurred along the highway in January. A spokesman for the Arkansas State police department, Sergeant John Oberman, said that a 51-year-old female driver lost control of her vehicle, crossed over the median of I-540 and struck another vehicle head-on. Sergeant Oberman stated he believed the accident might not have occurred if the cable barrier system had been installed prior to the crash.

The Arkansas auto accident attorneys with Rainwater, Holt and Sexton are optimistic that the new barrier system will be able to save lives. They also ask that you do your part to stay safe on the road by buckling up, watching your speed, and paying close attention to your surroundings.

Popularity: 1% [?]

0
6
Feb

Five Killed, Three Injured In Head-On Collision Along Arkansas Highway

February 6, 2012

A head-on collision between two vehicles on an Arkansas highway has left five people dead and three children seriously injured. According to reports from THV News, the accident happened Sunday afternoon along Highway 7, just outside Centerville, Arkansas.

Reports from Arkansas State Police say that the crash occurred when a 28-year-old male drive crossed the center median lines on the highway and struck a vehicle carrying two mothers and their six children head-on.

Both mothers and three of their children were declared dead at the scene of the crash. The three other children were taken to Arkansas Children’s Hospital where they were last listed in good condition this morning.

Head-on collisions are among the most deadly type of accident a driver can be involved in. The rising number of fatal head-on collisions has been associated with the rising number of distracted drivers, according to one report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The data shows that as many as 26 percent of all injury accidents involved a driver being distracted in some way.

The Arkansas auto accident attorneys with Rainwater, Holt & Sexton ask that drivers keep themselves and others safe on the road by putting all distractions aside when behind the wheel of a moving vehicle. If all Arkansas residents chose to do so, it could eliminate thousands of accidents and injuries every year.

Popularity: 1% [?]

0
30
Jan

Drunk Driver Sentenced To 22-Years For Fayetteville Crash

January 30, 2012

Drunk driving can not only destroy the lives of accident victims, but their families and loved ones as well. FOX 16 News reported from a courtroom today where the parents and fiance of two drunk driving victims gave testimony on the impact their loss has had on their lives during the sentencing of the drunk driver responsible for the crash.

The accident happened on May 15th of last year on I-540 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. It is there that the drunk driver, with a blood alcohol content of .16–or twice the legal limit–hit the vehicle driven by the 26-year-old woman. A passenger in the woman’s car died at the scene, and the driver died three days later at a local hospital.

The driver responsible for the crash pled guilty to two counts of negligent homicide and was sentenced to up to 22 years in prison.

While a lengthy prison sentence may ensure the drunken driver doesn’t commit the crime again for quite a while, it does not compensate for the loss the victims’ families have suffered. In order to be awarded damages for the accident such as lost income, expenses, and other punitive damages, a civil case must be brought against the drunk driver.

The Arkansas wrongful death attorneys with Rainwater, Holt & Sexton are here to help you if you have any questions regarding the loss of your loved one because of another person’s negligent act. Contact an experienced attorney today for a free initial consultation.

Popularity: 1% [?]

0
23
Jan

Campaigns to Eliminate Distracted Driving in Arkansas

January 23, 2012

A new campaign called The Great Hang Up is sweeping across the country The aim of the program is to eliminate distracted driving accidents caused by talking and texting on cell phones on America’s highways. According to Arkansas’s THV 11 News, the campaign asks that drivers sign a pledge to not operate a cell phone while behind the wheel of a moving vehicle.

To participate, sign a pledge sheet and keep it in your car as a reminder to the promise you have made yourself. Then, stay focused behind the wheel by following the sheet’s simple distraction eliminating guidelines.

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is also trying to bolster efforts to end distracted driving by creating their own campaign called Faces of Distracted Driving. The group has created a website with videos that show the impact distracted driving accidents have on ordinary people and their families.

While Arkansas legislators are pushing for better laws to protect motorists from distracted driving, thousands will still be hurt or killed in the state until the ramifications of the accidents the activity can cause are understood by a majority of citizens.

This is why the Arkansas distracted driving accident lawyers with Rainwater, Holt & Sexton would like to urge drivers to take a closer look at both of these programs and think about participating. Reducing the risks that distractions impose on drivers is the simplest way to eradicate a growing problem that could leave you injured.

Popularity: 1% [?]

0
16
Jan

Arkansas Farm Worker Killed While Working In Grain Bin

January 16, 2012

A 56-year-old Arkansas farm worker died suddenly last Friday morning after falling into a grain silo. According to reports from KTHV News, the man fell at around 11:00 AM at Parker’s Farms on Miller Road in Lonoke County.

A press release from the Lonoke County Sheriff’s Department stated that witnesses saw the victim on top of what farmers refer to as “The Bridge”–or a dome of grain that has formed an empty space beneath it. The victim was attempting to break up the bridge in order to clear a blockage, when suddenly it gave way beneath him, burying him beneath the falling grain. Rescue workers found the victim at approximately 12:15 PM and pronounced him dead at the scene.

Grain bins can be extremely dangerous and were responsible for a record number of worker deaths in 2010. According to a study from Perdue University, 51 workers died of suffocation related to grain bins, up from 38 the year before. In response to the growing number of deaths, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) now requires that all farmers working with grain bins must wear a special safety harness with a lifeline on it.

The Arkansas wrongful death attorneys with Rainwater, Holt & Sexton know that employers have a responsibility to keep workers safe on the job. Call us today if your loved one suffered a wrongful death in a preventable farm accident.

Popularity: 1% [?]

0
9
Jan

New Study Links Daily Aspirin Use With Blindness

January 9, 2012

While many who take an aspirin daily to help ward off the risks of a heart attack believe they are doing themselves a favor, new research may prove the contrary. According to THV 11 News, a new study published in Ophthalmology has found that while taking Aspirin may reduce the risks of heart disease and strokes, it may increase the risk of developing macular degeneration–or blindness.

The study, which was conducted by the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, examined 4,691 patients, all of who were 65-years of age or older, from seven different locations across Europe. Data showed that 17.3 percent of those patients took Aspirin on a daily basis. What researchers found so disturbing was that the more Aspirin the patients took, there was a steady increase in both occurrence and severity of macular degeneration. One out of every four of the patients suffered from the condition.

When the patients who did not consume Aspirin daily were examined, researchers found that the number dropped in half. The study concluded that further studies on the topic are needed in order to confirm their findings.

The Arkansas drug injury lawyers with Rainwater, Holt & Sexton suggest talking with your doctor if you are taking Aspirin on a daily basis. They would also encourage contacting an attorney immediately if you suffer from macular degeneration and have taken a daily dose of Aspirin for an extended period of time.

Popularity: 1% [?]

0
2
Jan

Migraine Medication Might Put Heart Health at Risk

January 2, 2012

Those who suffer from migraine headaches know that there is little to be done to stop the constant pounding once it starts. So, when you find a pain reliever that works, you stick with it. However, a recent study shows that a surprising number of patients who suffer from migraines are being prescribed medications they shouldn’t take because of heart conditions they also suffer from.

The findings were reported late last month by FOX 16 News and show that one in five patients with heart conditions who also suffer from migraines were given prescriptions for a class of drugs called triptans. These triptans are very effective in treating migraines and work by constricting blood vessels up to 20 percent. This constriction could cause a person with a history of heart issues to suffer any number of pulmonary problems, bust most commonly heart attacks and strokes.

Researchers pinpointed more than 120,000 patients who suffered form migraines from ten different insurance providers. Data collected from these cases determined that eight percent of all the patients suffered form both migraines and heart conditions. Of those patients, 22 percent had received prescriptions from doctors for triptans.

Some of these Medications include:

  • Amerge®
  • Axert®
  • Frova®
  • Imitrex®
  • Maxalt®
  • Relpax®
  • Treximet®
  • Zomig®

The Arkansas drug injury lawyers with Rainwater, Holt & Sexton suggest that anyone taking these medications that has a history of heart conditions to consult with your doctor immediately. If you have suffered from a heart complication while taking one of these medications, we suggest you contact us today.

Popularity: 1% [?]

0
27
Dec

One Killed, Others Injured In Fayetteville Car Crash

December 26, 2011

Tragedy struck the town of Fayetteville, Arkansas, over the holiday weekend when two car accidents, caused by the same driver, occurred on Christmas Eve. 40/29TV News reported earlier today that the female driver involved died at the scene of the second crash and multiple other motorists were hospitalized with injuries.

It started at around 8:00 PM at the intersection of Hollywood Avenue and Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, when the driver collided with another vehicle and sped away further down MLK Boulevard. She did not slow as she approached the intersection at Razorback Road and plowed into the rear end of a stopped SUV. The impact sent the SUV barreling into the intersection and onto the top of a police cruiser that was also stopped at the intersection. The officer was able to crawl from the wreckage and help the three young children and their parents trapped in the SUV. One of those children suffered a broken leg as the result of the crash, while the other four members of the family were taken to a local hospital to be examined and treated for minor injuries.

Spokesperson for the Fayetteville Police Department, Sergeant Shannon Gabbard, stated that the driver who caused the crash had to be pulled form the wreckage through a hole cut in the vehicle’s roof, but died at the scene.

The Arkansas auto accident attorneys with Rainwater, Holt, and Sexton are available anytime to discuss your case if you have been hurt in a car accident that was not your fault.

Popularity: 1% [?]

0
19
Dec

Most Dangerous Women’s High School Sports Ranked

December 19, 2011

The National Center for Catastrophic Injury Research has been collecting data of fatal and serious accidents in women’s high school sports for nearly thirty years. Now the agency has released the top sports where these injuries occur.

According to 40/29 News, the researchers defined catastrophic injuries as those involving damage to the skull, brain, or spine. Non-fatal injuries were determined to be those that resulted in severe permanent disabilities, while serious injuries were  severe, but no permanent damages were suffered. Here are the results and totals:

#11-Volleyball- one non-fatal injury

#10-Soccer- one non-fatal and two serious injuries

#9-Lacrosse- two serious injuries

#8-Softball- one fatal, two non-fatal, and two serious injuries

#7-Field Hockey- three non-fatal injuries

#6-Ice Hockey- two serious injuries

#5-Basketball- one non-fatal and three serious injuries

#4-Swimming- one serious and four non-fatal injuries

#3-Track- one fatal, two non-fatal, and six serious injuries

#2-Gymnastics- six non-fatal and three serious injuries

#1-Cheerleading- two fatal, twenty-eight non-fatal, and forty-eight serious injuries

Many of these accidents involved broken vertebrae in the back that can lead to paralysis, while others were brain and skull injuries resulting from contact with another player or object on the field.

The Arkansas Brain Injury Attorneys with Rainwater, Holt & Sexton would like to remind parents and student-athletes to be aware of the dangers of head and back injuries. If you feel like you have been hurt, stop playing and seek immediate medical assistance. The choice to step off the field and get checked out may save your life.

Popularity: 1% [?]