Workers in the U.S. are entitled to rights that protect them from unfair discrimination and harassment. For many marginalized groups, discrimination could prevent career opportunities, fair pay, and benefits of the job. Thankfully, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 includes Title VII, a monumental part of the law that prevents certain forms of discrimination in the workplace. Employers who have fifteen (15) or more employees are generally subject to Title VII. But sometimes, despite the law, some employers make discriminatory decisions. If this has happened to you in Arkansas, a Little Rock employment lawyer from McMath Woods P.A. can help you with your claim.

We believe in upholding the rights for the citizens in Arkansas. Everyone deserves to have a fair chance to obtain and retain the particular job she seeks and for which she is qualified. Those who make unjust decisions based on characteristics protected under Title VII need to be held accountable for their unlawful actions.

When we place the care of our elderly loved ones into the hands of a nursing home, we have to trust that the facility will care for them in ways we cannot. Unfortunately, many nursing home residents do not receive the care they need or are owed. As a result, many seniors end up with preventable injuries, or worse.

If you believe your loved one is being neglected, you can take legal action on their behalf. At McMath Wood P.A., our Little Rock nursing home abuse lawyers are prepared to guide you in the direction towards justice.

You may be uncertain as to whether or not your loved one is being cared for properly. Signs of neglect do not always manifest themselves the way signs of abuse do. This is why it’s important to understand what neglect it, how to recognize it, and what you can do if you’re loved one isn’t being cared for properly.

Everyone has heard of the term “bedsore”.  Medical care experts refer to bedsores and decubitus ulcers as pressure ulcers.  Pressure ulcer prevention and treatment continue to be huge issues in hospitals and nursing homes.  Many people are aware of the danger of pressure ulcer development in nursing homes, but are not as aware that this is a major concern for patients in hospitals, particularly if they are immobile.  McMath Woods has handled numerous pressure ulcer/bed sore cases, including one against an Arkansas hospital resulting in a jury verdict of 1.5 million dollars.

Hospital pressure ulcer cases are unique as staffing and reporting requirements can differ from nursing home cases.  As our population is aging and life expectancy is increasing, longer acute care hospital stays seem to be occurring.  These longer acute care hospital stays increase the risk for pressure ulcers.  Pressure ulcers have been defined by the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP) in conjunction with the European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (EPUAP) as localized injury to the skin and/or underlying tissue usually over a bony prominence, as a result of pressure, or pressure in combination with shear.

When a customer is attacked or assaulted and injured at a bar, shopping mall, or other public space they may have a case not only against the attacker, but also against the business owner or commercial real estate management company. Under Arkansas law, certain commercial property owners and businesses owners owe a customer a duty to protect them from reasonably foreseeable dangers, including criminal acts. These types of cases, commonly referred to as negligent security cases, can stem from fights, shootings, or even sexual assaults at places such as bars and restaurants, shopping malls, convenience stores, or strip shopping centers.  

Owners, business operators and their security contractors can be found at fault and responsible when the cause of a harmful event, such as an assault, stabbing or shooting, is foreseeable or avoidable with proper safety procedures. What makes a particular act foreseeable under Arkansas law depends on what other types of attacks, shootings, stabbings, or other criminal acts have occurred on or near the business or property before the customer suffers injury. Shopping malls and common areas in and around businesses are public spaces that people should be able to enjoy their shopping experience without suffering from violent attack. McMath Woods has handled these types of cases and understands how stressful these situations can be on families and how complex these cases can be legally.

Melinda Allen of Fayetteville filed a lawsuit against Walmart Inc. in August 2017, alleging the company wrongfully fired her as a result of disability discrimination and retaliation. Our own McMath Woods attorney John Coulter is representing the plaintiff. The longtime ex-employee is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, as well as either reinstatement or lost-earning pay for the discrimination she was subjected to.

In 2012, the plaintiff was promoted to Director of ADA and Immigration Compliance. Her medical conditions required that she miss work once every two months to receive treatment. In response, she noticed her then-supervisor began scheduling meetings on her treatment days and making disparaging comments about her work performance in conjunction with her medical condition. She was also disciplined after taking an approved six-week medical leave.

While there are state and federal regulations in place to protect our citizens, environment, and natural resources, there are entities out there that disregard those laws. When they do that, they are not only harming our planet but the the people within our communities. If you’ve been affected by another party’s illegal environmental actions, our Little Rock environmental lawyers can help.

Environmental law exists to protect and regulate our natural resources for the benefit of everyone. If a person or company breaks an environmental law and others suffer as a result, that party should be held accountable for their actions, so they do not harm anyone again. You may be concerned about the possible risks you and your family could be subjected to. Let’s take a look at some of the primary environmental concerns Arkansas residents should know about.

As responsible drivers, we understand the necessity of obeying all the established traffic laws. Unfortunately, there are drivers out there that choose to ignore these laws. When individuals make those choices, they’re putting their lives, as well as the lives of others on the road, in danger. If you’ve been injured in a car accident as a result of another driver’s negligence, our Little Rock car accident lawyers are prepared to help you with your case.

According to the 2014 Arkansas Crash Summary, there were a total of 60,947 vehicle accidents reported – a 4.3 percent increase from 2013. Of those accidents 436 of them were fatal, resulting in the wrongful loss of 470 lives. Nearly half of those lost lives resulted from drivers who were under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

As you can see, car accidents are a common occurrence on Arkansas’ roads. Many of these accidents result from broken traffic laws. Let’s take a look at which of these laws are broken most often.

When it comes to making long-term decisions for elderly loved ones, their quality of life and well-being is of the upmost importance.

If you have a family member who may need extended care in the next few years, go ahead and begin educating yourself on the process and researching optional facilities. Being familiar with the options and having a portion of the research complete ahead of time will help reduce the chance of making a poor decision when the need becomes immediate. Your research should include a combination of referrals, state inspection reports, online reviews, scheduled and unscheduled facility tours and personal interviews with individuals utilizing extended care services for their family member. Below are several things to consider during an onsite visit.

Location

Frequent visits from family members help maintain a level of security, as well as the mental and emotional well-being for an elderly resident.  Choose a location that is convenient for family members so that your loved one will be able to enjoy visits from family throughout the week or be transported by relatives to family events. This will help your loved one feel connected to their children, grand-children and great grand-children. If needed, this also allows family members to address any care issues while on site and ensure a happy and healthy resident.

With school back in session this month, the roads will be busy with both parent and teenage drivers. For those parents with teenagers getting behind the wheel, and some for the first time, this is the perfect time of the year to discuss your expectations and the responsibilities that go along with driving, to set boundaries and relay consequences of violating them, and to remind your teen of some simple yet crucial rules of the road.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, automobile crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens. Six teens ages 16 to 19 die every day from motor vehicle injuries. Per mile driven, teen drivers ages 16 to 19 are nearly three times more likely than drivers aged 20 and older to be in a fatal crash.

Summer Sandlot participants and family members enjoy a movie at Junior Deputy to end the season.

Math Woods P.A. proudly sponsored Junior Deputy Baseball’s annual Summer Sandlot program that ran throughout the months of June and July.  The program, open to all JD players, friends, and first-time players, taught the 7-12 year-old participants new techniques and hosted a classic game of baseball without umpires each night. Players and their families gathered on the field for a movie night to end the Summer Sandlot season. Each player received a Summer Sandlot t-shirt sponsored by McMath Woods.  Registration is now open through August 24 for Junior Deputy fall league baseball.