McMath Woods partner Phillip McMath was recently chosen as one of the best lawyers in Arkansas by the readers of the Arkansas Democrat Gazette.

Phillip is president of McMath Woods P.A. and has a long list of honors, from serving on the Governor's Revision Committee for Workmen's Compensation Law, to being a lecturer at the University of Arkansas, School of Law, The Hastings Law School, and the University of California.

A graduate of Hendrix University and the University of Arkansas School of Law, Phillip is secretary and co-founder of the Porter Fund, a literary prize for Arkansas writers. He acts Of Counsel for the Wildwood Center for the Performing Arts in Little Rock.

We congratulate Phillip on this honor – though his talent and expertise in the field of law is certainly not “news” to us!

McMath Woods P.A. recently helped eight families living in the Fairplay community in Saline County, AR achieve a $1.4 million jury verdict against Triad Transport, Inc., an Oklahoma trucking company specializing in the trucking and transfer of hazardous waste. 

The families made claims of negligence and nuisance against Triad, which moved its hazardous waste transfer facility into the Fairplay community in 1998 without regard to surrounding neighbors.  Complaints of odors and noise were common amongst neighbors.  On May 12, 2007, a significant explosion occurred causing the evacuation of area residents for more than 24 hours. 

Triad claimed it was not a nuisance and was not negligent in causing the explosion.  Evidence was introduced at trial showing Triad failed to properly segregate hazardous waste on one of its trailers, thereby causing the explosion.  A former Triad employee testified at trial she was told to shred a document she believed proved Triad was at fault in causing the explosion.

Ben Blankenship, chief of the Benton Fire Department, testified at trial there was a probability another explosion could happen, which would endanger people because of Triad’s business practices and their location, which was close to area residents.

The total verdict awarded in the Circuit Court of Saline County, Arkansas, Third Division was $1.4 million, of which $154,500 was in compensatory damages for the eight families and $1.3 million in punitive damages.  Plaintiffs were represented by Neil Chamberlin, Will Bond and Sam Ledbetter of McMath Woods P.A. in Little Rock. 

About McMath Woods P.A.

McMath Woods P.A. is a prominent A/V rated Arkansas personal injury law firm representing individuals who have been injured or wronged. McMath Woods has a longstanding reputation of excellence and integrity dating back to 1953. Our attorneys provide representation in most types of personal injury and wrongful death cases, including automobile accidents / tractor-trailer wrecks, injury from defective products, workplace injuries, electrical injuries and toxic poisoning from chemicals.