The World Health Organization distinguishes two classifications of disability - body functions and body structures - when medical professionals diagnose and define an individual's disability.

In body structure, an individual's disability is specifically defined by physical impairments due to defect, loss or deviation from generally accepted population standards. Body function disability is more broadly defined and focuses on physical and mental disabilities and includes but is not limited to mobility, communication, self-care and domestic life.

If you become disabled, whether the diagnosis is temporarily or permanently, you can apply for assistance from the government by filing for Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Likewise you can purchase private insurance to prepare for a possible disability.

Law Offices of Gary Green will work with you to help ensure that payments due to you are received should you become disabled but are denied when filing a claim. Our firm focuses on helping clients seeking:

• Social Security Disability
• Private Insurance Disability Claims

Our offices have experience in representing the disabled in Arkansas, Tennessee and Missouri and are familiar with each of the state's individual disability laws. If you or your loved one's disability claim has been denied call us toll free and without obligation at 1-888-442-7947 or contact us with an e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to discuss your legal options including filing an appeal.

The best advice for those filing a Social Security Dsability claim is to file the initial application without a lawyer. Most initial applications are denied and you only have 60 days to file your first appeal, the Request for Reconsideration. If you are approved, you will receive benefits dating back to the onset date of your injury. If this appeal is denied, you then can hire an attorney to appeal the claim and represent you at the hearing before an administrative law judge.

It is our experience that Social Security Disability law is strictly codified, but not so strictly construed. In order to qualify for benefits, your doctor must be willing to put in writing that your condition prevents you from doing any gainful work. This means that not only can you not perform the type of work that you have done in the past, but that you are not able to perform ANY type of work that would net you at least $500.00 per month. Additionally, your period of disability must last at least 12 full months.

Our fee is only 25% of any back benefits you receive. If your benefits are not approved, you do not owe an attorney fee. Call us toll free and without obligation at 1-888-442-7947 or send us an e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it as soon as your Request for Reconsideration has been denied, so we can file your appeal in a timely manner.

Veterans receive expedited processing of Social Security Disability benefit claims. If you served in the military and became disabled on or after Oct. 1, 2001 you are entitled to have your claim expedited. You can apply for both Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income in addition to the benefits you already receive from the Veterans Administration. Please contact us for more information.

At least for the last year, all deploying military units have received an ANAM (Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics) test within 12 months before being deployed. This testing tool is designed to detect speed and accuracy of attention, memory and thinking ability. Concussion injuries which occur as a result of exploding devices and/or other head trauma may cause changes in reaction time, headaches, irritability, memory impairments and difficulty in sleeping.

A post injury battery of neurological tests should be taken after any head injury has occurred. The results of this post-injury testing can help medical personnel compare a person's speed and accuracy of attention, memory and thinking ability before and after an injury. (The ANAM test serves as a baseline). Please contact us for more information as we may be able to help you get the post-injury neurological testing necessary to prove the TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) which would qualify you for Social Security Disability benefits.

There are too many motor vehicle wrecks where adults are unscathed but infants, restrained in child safety seats, are seriously injured. Child safety seat changes and auto industry changes to the way those seats are installed do not yet correspond. There are hundreds of injuries every year from child restraint systems that are negligently manufactured or installed in cars not designed to safely accept them.

A recent survey found that 80% of child restraint systems are installed incorrectly, not by fault of the parents! There are now seven major types of seatbelts that should correspond with all the countless child-seat designs, but they do not. Many seatbelt systems now require special modifications to ensure safety. Most specifications for seat belt/child restraint systems' safety go back to when bench seats were used, and the seat belt anchors were located at the rear of the seat bight (the crack in the seat). Seat belt anchors in today's cars are rarely behind the seat bight, and more commonly are located on a stalk or otherwise situated significantly forward of the bight.

The manufacturers of these products have known for years that their products do not fit in many cars and have failed to take responsibility to prevent children from being injured or killed by their unsafe products. It has been established since the early 1980s that seat belt anchors in front of the seat bight create a compatibility problem between child restraints and automobiles. In addition, child restraint system manufacturers typically do not warn about which autos their products are not compatible.

There have been some tremendous strides made in the last few years in fixing this long-standing compatibility problem between child restraints and automobiles. For example, child restraints made after September 1998 requires certain safety features that were not previously mandatory, such as

• A lower anchorage system that can be clipped into anchors in automobiles
• Securing the child restraint system at the bottom tightly against the seat without using the automobile's seat belt
• Reducing the child restraint system's head excursion limit by 3 1/2 inches.

All child restraint systems manufacturers complied by installing a tether on the top of the restraint that hooks to the back of the auto seat. But, the attachment hardware to hook up these new child restraint systems features in vehicles has been phased in. And, it is only just this year that new car models are required to have a lower anchorage attachment and an attachment to secure a child restraint tether on top.

In the meantime, there will be many years to come of injuries to children from child restraints in automobiles manufactured earlier. The manufacturers are leaving the old restraints on the market and not recalling them for their failure to comply with current safety standards!

If your child was injured or killed in a child restraint that you believe was used properly, there is a good chance that you are not to blame, and that the product itself is primarily to blame for what happened. Call Law Offices of Gary Green toll free and without obligation at 1-888-442-7947 or send us an e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Qui Tam is an abbreviation for a Latin phrase qui tam pro domino rege quam pro se ipso in hoc parte sequitur meaning who sues on behalf of the king as well as for himself. Qui tam is a writ under the Federal Civil False Claims Act that allows a private citizen with knowledge of past or present fraud committed against the U.S. federal government to sue on its behalf. This provision allows a private person, known as a relator, to file suit in the name of the U.S. Government, charging fraud by government contractors and other entities that receive or use government funds, and share any money recovered. The relator need not have been personally harmed by the defendant's conduct.

A qui tam relator files a complaint, under seal, in a U.S. District Court that has jurisdiction over the case. Along with the complaint, the relator must also file a written disclosure of substantially all material evidence and information the person possesses. The primary purpose for the written disclosure is to provide the government with enough information to properly investigate the claim to determine if it will join in the lawsuit. Qui tam has been, and continues to be, a very effective and successful tool in combating government procurement and program fraud and recovering revenue lost because of the fraud.

If you believe you have evidence of wrongdoing that falls into one of the categories described in these pages, e-mail us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call us at (501) 224-7400, or toll free at 1-888-442-7947 to learn more about your rights. The consultation is free, and we are paid only if a recovery is obtained.

A class action lawsuit is nothing more than the consolidation of several related lawsuits into one. Not all lawsuits are eligible to become class actions, in fact, most cannot. However, if there are numerous plaintiffs (or possibly defendants), all with common legal issues to resolve, then a judge may allow them to join as a class. Class action plaintiffs can include consumers hurt by defective products and small businesses bringing suit against large corporations for unfair business practices, persons harmed by pharmaceuticals, persons who have lost money in the securities markets, and many other types of common losses suffered by many people.

The ideal of the class action allows a remedy en masse to those who otherwise might not be able to afford access to the courts. Currently, cases can be under either state or federal jurisdiction and claims can be large or small.

For a class action lawsuit, a named plaintiff stands in for a group of similarly situated plaintiffs injured by the same defendant or group of defendants. The need for resources and ability to keep track of the many parties and issues involved make these very complex cases to handle. Many class action suits fail because the issues presented are not clear enough.

We are willing to consider any reasonable claim you wish to present to us. If you have questions or need additional information, call Law Offices of Gary Green toll free and without obligation at 1-888-442-7947 or send us an e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Toxic tort cases are complex litigation cases that seek recourse for a person injured by hazardous materials and chemicals. In the United States, toxic materials are found in the air, water, food, work place, and even at home. Harmful substances include lead paint, pharmaceutical drugs, toxic mold, pesticides, chemicals and asbestos.

Many people come in contact with toxic materials by occupational exposure or pharmaceutical drugs. Because of the abundance of toxic materials in our country, there is a serious risk of exposure that can lead to injury, disease, and death. Victims of a personal injury caused by exposure to a toxic substance may seek recourse for serious injuries.

Additionally, these cases often result in a class action law suit, because toxic exposure usually affects more than one person.

If you or a loved one has had an injury or illness due to a toxic substance, we may be able to help. If you have any questions or need additional information, call us toll free and without obligation at 1-888-442-7947 or send us an e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Acute Compartment Syndrome is an acute medical problem following injury, surgery or in most cases repetitive and extensive muscle use in which increased pressure (usually caused by inflammation) within a confined space and without proper treatment, may lead to nerve damage and muscle death. This condition is most commonly seen in the leg. It is a medical emergency that requires immediate surgery known as a fasciotomy to allow the pressure to return to normal.

The connective tissue that defines the compartment does not stretch. A small amount of bleeding into the compartment, or swelling of the muscles within the compartment can cause the pressure to rise greatly.

Common Causes of Compartment Syndrome include:

• Tibial or forearm fractures
• Hemorrhage (bleeding)
• IV Drug injection
• Prolonged limb compression, crush injuries and burns
• Casts

Signs and Symptoms: (Known as the 6 “P”s)

• Pain out of proportion to what is expected
• Paraesthesias (altered sensation)
• Passive Stretch pain
• Pulseless
• Paralysis
• Pressure on passive extension of the compartment

Pain is often reported early and almost universally. The patient usually reports deep, constant, and poorly localized pain that is usually out of proportion with the injury. Pain is aggravated by stretching the muscle group and is not relieved by medication up to and including Morphine.

Parestheisa is altered sensation e.g. “Sticks & Needles”.

Paralysis & Passive Stretch of the limb is usually a late finding. The affected compartment may feel very tense and firm as well as pressure.

Failure to relieve the pressure can result in necrosis (death) of tissue in that compartment and hypoxia (lack of oxygen) of those tissues. If left untreated, Acute Compartment Syndrome can lead to more severe conditions and loss of the affected limb.

If you you or a loved one is suffering from Compartment Syndrome, call Law Offices of Gary Green toll free and without obligation at 1-888-442-7947 to discuss your legal options or send us an e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Nursing home cases are some of the most difficult cases we encounter. They are onerous because of the complexities that arise and the vigorous and expensive defenses mounted by the large corporations that own the nursing homes. On a more personal level, they are also among the most difficult cases because we relate to the victims of nursing home abuse and neglect. We relate to the families who are saddened and guilt ridden by being forced into the position of confronting the abuse and neglect on behalf of their loved one and for those who follow.

We field so many calls regarding nursing home abuse and neglect that we know that callousness, under staffing, negligent hiring, negligent supervision, negligent retention, and greed are pervasive. As much as we would like to, we cannot help everyone who calls us.

Sometimes the suspected negligence is not negligence at all. Sometimes negligence exists, but the condition of the victim was such that a bad result would have occurred anyway. Sometimes negligence exists, but the cost of proving it in court would outweigh the anticipated jury verdict. Generally, a claim or litigation is only recommended when the victim of negligence is permanently in a worsened condition than before the negligence occurred. For instances of abuse or neglect that do not result in permanent damage, we recommend vigorous prosecution in the criminal courts if warranted, and complaints to the state's Office of Long Term Care or other agencies that regulate and investigate nursing homes.

Watch out for unexplained injuries, bedsores, or the use of a catheter or psychotropic drugs without a corresponding doctor's order. Be aware that the statute of limitation applied to nursing homes can be tricky. Short medical negligence statutes of limitation apply in some situations, while longer ordinary negligence or even contract statutes of limitation apply in others. We recommend filing a case within the shorter medical negligence statute of limitations whenever possible, but we will consider taking on a case, in some instances, after the medical negligence statute of limitations has expired.

Nursing homes in the State of Arkansas are no longer required to carry liability insurance. Before placing a loved one in a nursing home, investigate the home fully. Below are a few helpful links that will assist in your research:

• www.medicare.gov
• www.centerwatch.com
• www.fda.gov/medwatch
• www.emedicine.com/
• www.medscape.com
• www.aanhr.org

If you have questions or need additional information, call Law Offices of Gary Green toll free and without obligation at 1-888-442-7947 or send us an e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Birth injury lawsuits can be brought against healthcare facilities, doctors, surgeons and medical staff with allegations that can include negligence, wrongful diagnoses or failure to diagnose physical defects in unborn children, and for causing injuries or disabilities in newborn children including cerebral palsy.

If you suspect that your child is the victim of a birth related injury, call Law Offices of Gary Green toll free and without obligation at 1-888-442-7947 or send us an e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .