Archive for category: Uncategorized

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No one ever expects to be in a car accident. But the truth is, accidents happen every day. And if you’re unlucky enough to be involved in one, you’ll be glad you have car insurance.

Car insurance protects you financially if you’re involved in a car accident. If you cause an accident, your insurance will pay for the damage you’ve caused. If someone else causes an accident and they don’t have insurance, your insurance will pay for the repairs to your car. And if you’re in an accident and it wasn’t your fault, your insurance will also cover any medical bills that you incur as a result of the accident.

In short, car insurance is there to protect you financially if something goes wrong. And given that car accidents are relatively common—they happen every day—it’s a good idea to have this protection in place.

No one likes paying for car insurance. But the truth is, it’s a necessary evil. Accidents happen, and when they do, you’ll be glad you have car insurance to help protect you financially. So don’t wait until it’s too late—get insured today. And if you’re ever unfortunate enough to be involved in an accident, call Elliott & Smith Law Firm. We’re here to help!

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If you find yourself in a situation where you have lost a loved one, first let us say we are deeply sorry. No words can heal the pain you are experiencing.

Secondly, if you have lost a family member due to an accident involving an 18-wheeler (often referred to as a semi-truck or tractor trailer), you may not know where to turn. However, it’s important for you to know you have options, and you should know your rights.

Arkansas’ wrongful death statues allow surviving family members to seek compensation for loss of financial support, mental anguish and loss of companionship. While nothing will bring back your family member, you should not have to suffer the financial burdens placed on you by the loss of a loved one.

In Arkansas alone, there are many dangerous roadways and interchanges that are precarious under the best circumstances. If the driver of a truck is being careless, driving while tired or otherwise impaired, or speeding to make a delivery – it’s definitely a recipe for tragedy.

Each year there are hundreds of accidents on I-40 and I-49 alone. Many of these accidents involve tractor-trailer trucks and large commercial vehicles affiliated with companies with highly paid lawyers. You need someone who will fight for you!

At Elliott & Smith Law Firm we have over 100 years of combined experience handling accidents like these. We have the resources at our disposal to investigate wrongful death accidents and make sure you receive proper compensation for your damages.

Call now at 479-JUSTICE (587-8423)

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It’s an unfortunate situation when you find yourself in a vehicle accident – especially when the accident is of no fault of your own. Often in these situations, the scene of the accident can be a bit chaotic. It’s important to keep your composure as best as you can and follow these steps.

Get to Safety

Make sure you and your passengers are not in any further danger where you are currently located. Standing in the road in a high-traffic area is not a safe location. Move to a sidewalk or a safe distance on the side of the road. Be sure to turn on your hazard lights if they are still operating.

Call the Police

After the police arrive give them an accurate account of what happened as best as you can. If the officer asks if you are injured, don’t be quick to tell them no. If you don’t know if you’re injured, say so. Remember sometimes an injury from a car wreck is not immediately apparent until hours, sometimes days, after the accident.

Exchange Information

Usually, the police officer on the scene will collect information from both parties. You should ask for the telephone number, and insurance information from the other driver. If there are any witnesses to the car accident, be sure to get their contact information as well. The investigating officer on the scene should provide you with a police report number. This is very important for your attorney to obtain a police report later.

Contact Your Insurance Company

It’s important to notify your insurance company as soon as you are able. Shortly after you have completed steps 1 through 3, this should be a priority. Your insurance card should have a number on the back to report accidents.

Medical Attention

If necessary, you should seek medical attention as soon as you experience pain after the accident. This can happen immediately or even a day or two after the accident. Remember, even minor accidents can cause an impact that can result in serious injury to your spinal cord.

Call Elliott & Smith

Know your rights and protect them. At Elliott & Smith, we’ve seen every type of car accident imaginable. If you have been injured in a car accident that was caused by another driver, you are entitled to compensation. You have the right to seek damages.

Contact us at 479-JUSTICE (587-8423) for a free initial consultation. You will only have to pay us if we win a settlement for you.

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In Arkansas, we experience our fair share of semi-truck accidents. With 18-wheelers racing to meet deadlines on major highways including 1-49, Highway 412 and Highway 71, Northwest Arkansas is not immune to the dangers of tractor-trailers. But why do these accidents occur?

At Elliot & Smith Law Firm, we have helped many people just like you who have been injured in accidents involving commercial trucks. With our extensive experience handling these types of cases, we have investigated many factors that lead to these accidents. These factors include, but are not limited to, the following:

Driver Fatigue

Although there are now strict rules limiting how long drivers can be on the road without resting, trucking companies still require their drivers go long distances without sleep for no other reason than profits.

Defective Vehicle Parts

Tractor-trailer parts are subject to wear and tear over hundreds, sometimes thousands of miles. Avoiding proper maintenance can lead to defective brakes, fractured axles, broken hitches, and even blown tires. These are some of the most common causes of accidents involving semi-trucks.

Unsecured Loads

When debris, equipment or goods fall off a truck during transit, it can lead to serious accidents and even collisions.

Substance Abuse

Driving a truck is hard work and working long hours has led some truck drivers to turn to substances to stay awake. In some cases, this often leads to turning to alcohol to get to sleep. Abusing any substance, such as drugs or alcohol, reduces coordination, leads to slower reaction times and many other side effects that can cause an accident.

If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident involving a commercial truck, contact our personal injury law firm online or by phone at 479-JUSTICE (587-8423) to speak with an experienced Fayetteville, Arkansas tractor trailer accidents attorney. We are dedicated to serving clients in Benton County, Washington County, Sebastian County and throughout Northwest Arkansas.

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A recent study lists Arkansas as one of the 10-worst states for drunk driving. These 10 states have an average of 6.8 traffic deaths caused by a drunk driver for every 100,000 residents. In fact, while the national number of drunk driving traffic deaths declined during the study’s three-year period, Arkansas and two other states – Alabama and Arizona – actually saw an increase in traffic fatalities involving a drunk driver.

When someone chooses to drive drunk, they not only put their own lives in jeopardy, but they are also risking the lives of everyone else who shares the road with them. Unfortunately, drunk drivers leave their victims in a world of physical pain – from brain injuries and paralysis to comas and disfigurement … even death.

If you have been injured because of the actions of a drunk driver, it’s important to get proper compensation for your medical bills, loss of work or, in the worst cases, loss of life. You should never have to pay out of pocket for someone else’s life-changing mistake.

At Elliott & Smith our attorneys in Fayetteville understand how complex drunk driving accident cases can be. In these cases, victims are eligible to receive punitive damages and compensatory damages. That’s why we put together compelling cases for our clients by carefully examining all aspects of the accident – police reports, sobriety tests, drug and alcohol tests – to create a reconstruction of the accident.

If you or a loved one have questions about an accident involving a drunk driver or have been injured in an accident you believe was caused by drunk driver, call the law offices of Elliott & Smith at 479-JUSTICE (587-8423).

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