• Patrick E. Carr – Pat was selected for inclusion in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010.
• Tye H. Smith – This is Tye’s sixth consecutive year to be selected for inclusion, which started in 2007.
• Guy A. Thiessen – Guy was also selected for inclusion in 2010 and 2011.

Super Lawyers is a rating service highlighting outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of professional achievement and peer recognition.  Selections for this esteemed list are made by the research team at Super Lawyers, which is a service of the Thomson Reuters, legal division. Each year, the research team at Super Lawyers undertakes a rigorous multi-phase selection process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, independent evaluation of candidates by the attorney-led research staff, a peer review of candidates by practice area, and a good-standing and disciplinary check.  No more than five percent of the lawyers in a state are selected by Super Lawyers.

A lawnmower injury can be caused by a defective product or by user negligence.

Lawn Mower Injury:  negligence or defect?

With spring in Arkansas and Oklahoma comes spring cleaning, both indoors and out.  Getting yards cleaned up and mowed is one of the first priorities for many families this time of year.  But lawn mowers and other yard tools and equipment can be dangerous for both users and those who just happen to be nearby.

If you are injured by someone who is mowing, your injury and other damages may be covered by that person’s homeowner’s insurance.

For instance, let’s say you are pulling weeds in your front yard and your next door neighbor is mowing her lawn.  Your neighbor runs over a pile of pebbles which are hurled at you, striking you in the eye.  It’s very likely that your injury could be severe enough that you need to go to the emergency room, especially if the accident happens on the weekend when your primary care physician’s office is not open.

Another example also involves being in the wrong place at the wrong time; again no fault of your own.  Suppose you were driving through the neighborhood where someone is mowing, when their lawnmower flings part of a tree limb at your vehicle, causing you to swerve and wreck your car.  Even if you were driving at a slower speed, you might receive painful and long-term injuries from the accident.

Also, if you borrow your neighbor’s lawn mower for your own use and the mower loses a blade, injuring you or a family member, you may have the right to make a claim against the mower’s owner for your lawnmower injury. 

These types of lawnmower injuries were caused by the actions of another person and happened to you through no fault of your own.  It is possible medical expenses might be covered by the mower’s homeowner insurance policy.  Additionally, you may be entitled to compensation for future medical bills, lost wages if you were off work due to the injury, and pain and suffering.  A personal injury attorney is the best person to help you determine if your situation requires legal action.

If your lawnmower or other equipment explodes, catches fire or loses parts unexpectedly, it could be a defective product.

Another potential problem with lawn mowers, edge trimmers and other dangerous outdoor tools is when they were manufactured in an unsafe manner.  For example, lawn mowers are required to have a safety device on their handle which disengages the cutting blade if the switch is not properly operated.  If this switch was installed in a dangerous manner, the lawn mower could be much more dangerous than normal and injuries could result.  If the lawn mower catches fire or blows up, it is possible the mower could be defective.  A cutting blade that suddenly flies off of the mower could be another example of a defective product.

Dangerously designed lawn mowers and other similar products may fall under the category of defective products and product liability.  This area of law deals with the legal responsibility of manufacturers, sellers and others who are responsible for creating a safe product, and they must warn consumers of any hazards that might exist with their products.  If a product does not meet the safety guidelines required by our government, then the companies or people associated with the dangerous product may be held legally responsible.  Also, the defendant in a product liability case is not necessarily one person or company.  The legally responsible party may be a designer/developer, manufacturer, supplier, distributor, marketer/advertiser, seller or repairer.

There are many different scenarios of injuries and liabilities, and an experienced personal injury attorney is the best person to help your decide whether you need legal representation.  If you have suffered a lawnmower injury, you need to talk with an attorney.  With offices located in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, as well as Springdale in Northwest Arkansas, the attorneys at Carr & Carr can help you protect your rights.  Email us or call 1-877-392-4878 to speak with a lawyer who can help you determine what legal action you need to take.  There is no cost to you for our initial phone call.  Additionally, since we work on a contingency fee basis, you pay for our services only if we settle or win your case.

Sold from January 2009 to April 2010 exclusively by Big Lots, the recalled futon bunk beds are model number BFB1008.

Big Lots has recalled approximately 30,000 metal futon bunk beds, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).  The beds are an entrapment hazard because children behind the futon or in the ladder area of the bunk can become trapped when the metal frame with the futon cushion on it are lowered to a flat, sleeping position.  An additional problem with the futon bunk beds is that the space between the bottom rung of the ladder and the mattress is too small; it allows a child’s body to pass through but not their head and neck, which is an additional way for a child to accidentally get trapped and seriously injured or killed.

A three-year-old boy from Burlington, Iowa, died when his head and neck were trapped in the bunk bed in March 2010.  The weight of the metal frame prevented the youngster from escaping and caused his death.

Sold from January 2009 to April 2010 exclusively by Big Lots stores nationwide for about $200, the recalled futon bunk beds are model number BFB1008.  The model number is located on a label on the upper bunk support rail.  The beds were manufactured in China and required assembly.  If you have one of these bunk beds, stop using it immediately.  Contact Big Lots for a free repair kit that contains new ladders and other parts which you can install at home.

If  your child has been seriously injured or killed due to a defective futon bunk bed or other defective furniture item, you need to email the attorneys at Carr & Carr or call1-877-392-4878 to speak with an attorney now.

1. Television sets and tipover furniture
2. Cleaning supply bottles and safety caps
3. Suffocation from plastic bags and balloons
4. Strangulation due to cords on mini blinds
5. Fire extinguishers, smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors and replacing an old unit 

If a member of your family has been harmed due to unsafe household products, you should email or call 1-877-392-4878 to talk with a personal injury lawyer at Carr & Carr Attorneys.  With offices in Oklahoma City and Tulsa in Oklahoma, plus  Springdale in Northwest Arkansas, we can help you no matter where you live or where your incident occurred.

If your child has been hurt due to swallowing super magnets, you should contact the personal injury attorneys at Carr & Carr.  We help families across the United States from our Oklahoma offices in Tulsa, Oklahoma City and Springdale office in Northwest Arkansas.  An experienced lawyer can help you determine what your next steps should be.

Remember,there are certain time limits within which you must file a lawsuit to protect any rights you might have.  These time limits are called “statutes of limitations.”  If you want to preserve your rights, you must file a law suit against each person or company whom you might make a claim against before the time limits expire.  Any person who is sued after these time deadlines will be able to have the claims against them dismissed.

Smoke Detectors

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates there was a yearly average of 386,300 residential fires between 2006 and 2008.  Those fires resulted in nearly 2,400 deaths.  Approximately two-thirds of fire deaths happen in homes where there are no smoke alarms, or smoke detectors that do not work.  Changing batteries twice a year will increase the chances of your family escaping a fire.  The CPSC recommends smoke alarms on every level of your home, outside bedrooms and inside each bedroom.

Carbon Monoxide Detectors

The CPSC estimates that between 2006 and 2008, there was an annual average of 183 unintentional non-fire carbon monoxide (also known as CO) poisoning deaths.   Carbon monoxide is called the “invisible killer” because it is an odorless, colorless poisonous gas.  Carbon monoxide can be produced by furnaces, portable generators, fireplaces, cars and charcoal grills.

If you didn’t change the batteries in your smoke or carbon monoxide detector, do it today.

Let's say you've been in a car wreck which wasn't your fault.  Within a couple of days, you likely will get a phone call from the at-fault person's insurance company.  The insurance representative wants to "help" by offering you some fast money right away.

The insurance adjustor says they will pay the ambulance bill, the emergency room visit bill and maybe $500 or $1,000 for pain and suffering, plus leave the medical options open for a specific time period, like six weeks and $1,500 for medical expenses.

Do you think this sounds like a good deal?  Well, think again.  The problem is that when you accept the insurance company’s offer, you will be required to sign a release stating that the case is closed when you accept that offer.  The release is a binding legal agreement that eliminates your future options if your injury worsens.  And that means you are stuck.

For example, in the few days after your car crash, your back might be a little sore but you assume it will relax in a few days.  But then, maybe three or six months later, when you bend down to pick up a basket of laundry or your toddler, you have severe unexpected pain.  It is very possible that your back was injured because of the wreck and was irritated a tiny bit with every movement, until finally a more serious injury becomes apparent.  Soft tissue injuries are not always immediately obvious to the patient or even their doctor.

At that point, you might need diagnostics, treatment or perhaps even surgery -- both unplanned and expensive.  Diagnostic tests such as MRIs or CAT scans can cost thousands of dollars.  Physical therapy usually requires many visits in order to properly heal the hurt areas.  Unfortunately, if you signed a release you have no legal remedy to receive compensation for the injury which was caused by your wreck.

If you've been injured, even if you think it is just a minor injury, talk to an Oklahoma and Arkansas personal injury lawyer at Carr and Carr Attorneys before you agree to the insurance company’s offer.  Don't feel pressured to sign a quick settlement just because the insurance adjuster is asking you to.  Take the time to learn what your rights and obligations are, to take care of you and your family.  A personal injury lawyer might be able to help you gain compensation for:

• pain and suffering caused by your injury
• lost wages if your injury required you to miss work
• current and future medical costs for your crash-related injury
• problems caused by a permanent injury

If you've been hurt in a car accident, call Carr & Carr Attorneys at 1-877-392-4878 or email us now.  With offices in Oklahoma City and Tulsa in Oklahoma, plus  Springdale in Northwest Arkansas, we can help you no matter where you live or where the accident occurred.

If you have been hurt in an accident where the other driver was at fault and was driving a borrowed car, you need to:

• At the scene of the accident, talk with the other driver to get not only insurance information regarding the vehicle he or she was driving, but also their own car insurance information.  It is possible that be the owner’s and the driver’s insurance can help pay for your medical costs so you should be sure to get policy and contact information on both.
• In the days and weeks after your wreck, follow your doctors wellness plan in order to recover as fully as possible.  This means take your medication as directed, attend physical therapy sessions,  participate in rehabilitative exercises, and make follow-up visits to your physician.
• As soon as you are physically able, get a copy of the police report to help verify what happened.  Also, save any paperwork related to the crash, including medical information, car repair documentation and insurance data.
• As soon as possible, talk with a personal injury attorney if you or your family member was injured — a local attorney will help protect your rights, which will likely not be a top priority for other people involved.  An attorney who helps car crash victims can help you:
• Find out if the other driver has valid insurance and what type of coverage applies to your situation.
• Determine who caused the wreck.  This is typically done by an accident reconstruction specialist if severe injuries or death resulted due to the wreck.
• Get your current and future medical bills paid.
• Collect for lost wages if you were required by your doctor to be off work.
• Receive compensation for permanent injuries along with pain and suffering caused by the wreck.

In this complex type of situation, you might be able to recover money for your losses, depending on the circumstances.  For example:

• If the driver had permission to drive the car but was not the owner, they normally will have liability coverage up to state minimum financial responsibility limits.  This minimum amount can be different in every state, so check with a lawyer to find out about your state’s dollar figure.
• If the car owner has no insurance, you might be able to make a claim against the driver if they have insurance, even though their car was not involved in the wreck.
• If the insurance policy of the car owner is not enough to cover your medical costs caused by the wreck, then you may be able to file an additional claim against the driver if they have insurance.

When dealing with the problems that arise out of an accident involving a driver other than the main policyholder, there are typically many people involved — police, witnesses, injured passengers, the driver, the car owner, doctors or other medical service providers, accounting departments, bill collectors.  It can be a complicated mess.  If you find yourself in the middle of this type of situation, the best thing you can do is talk to a local personal injury lawyer who helps people who have been involved with car wrecks.  A personal injury attorney can relieve the stress and help you determine what next steps will most benefit your family.

Since 1973, the experienced personal injury lawyers at Carr & Carr have successfully obtained compensation for victims of auto accidents.  If you or a loved one has suffered injuries or losses because of a car wreck, email the car accident lawyers at Carr & Carr Attorneys today or call 877-392-4878.  We have offices in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, and in Springdale in Northwest Arkansas.  No matter where you live in Oklahoma, Arkansas or across the U.S., Carr & Carr’s personal injury attorneys can help you if you have been injured in a car wreck.

With roll-up blinds, strangulation can occur if the lifting loops slide off the sides of the blind, then a child’s neck can get tangled on the loop or between the lifting loop and the blind.

In Roman shades, a child can be strangled if his neck gets between the exposed inner cord and the decorative fabric on the back side of the blind, or when the cord is pulled out and accidentally gets wrapped around a child’s neck.

If you have purchased any of the Roman shades or roll-up blinds on this list, contact the company where you bought the window covering to see what repair or replacement options are available.  Remember, it is illegal to resell any product that has been recalled.  See the table below for a list of companies and retailers.

If your child has been injured or killed due to strangulation from cords on roll-up blinds or Roman shades, contact the personal injury attorneys at Carr & Carr.  Our offices are located in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, as well as Springdale in Northwest Arkansas, but we work with families across the country.  Please call us at 1-877-392-4878 or email us today to see if we can be of service to you and help protect your rights.  We have helped many families who have been through traumatic personal situations involving their children and we might be able to help your family.

Also, remember time limits called “statutes of limitations” are in effect for filing law suits.  The time limit and other regulations are different in each state, so talk with the personal injury attorneys at Carr & Carr as soon as possible to learn what options your family has.  If you want to preserve your legal rights, you must file appropriate law suits before the time limits expire.

This toy doll shows a potentially harmful situation.

Since 2002, seven infants and toddlers have been strangled due to baby monitor cords, and three babies have nearly strangled, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).  Cords on baby audio, video and movement monitors can present a strangulation hazard to babies when the cords become entangled around their necks.

In 2011, 1.7 million video baby monitors with electrical cords were recalled due to a strangulation risk.  The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recalled the Summer Infant video baby monitors because the cords can be a strangulation hazard to infants and toddlers if the cord gets tangled around a baby’s neck.

In March 2010, a Washington, D.C. area, 10-month-old girl was killed in her crib after the camera monitor had been placed on the top of the crib rail.  In November 2010, a six-month-old boy from Conway, South Carolina, was strangled in the electrical cord of a baby monitor placed on the changing table attached to the crib.

If your baby has been killed or injured due to strangulation from cords on video, audio or movement monitors, contact the personal injury attorneys at Carr & Carr.  We have helped families who have been through traumatic personal situations involving their children and might be able to help your family.  Our offices are located in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, as well as Springdale in Northwest Arkansas, but we work with families across the country.  Please call us at 1-877-392-4878 or email us today to see if we can be of service to you and help protect your rights.

Also, remember time limits called “statutes of limitations” are in effect for filing law suits.  If you want to preserve your legal rights, you must file appropriate law suits before the time limits expire.  The time limit and other regulations are different in each state, so talk with the lawyers at Carr & Carr as soon as possible to learn what options your family has.