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Lombardi Law Firm

For good advice see a lawyer and if you have questions about this blog, the law or your case write or call me directly. Steve Lombardi, sdlombardi@aol.com and 515-222-1110. I handle all types of personal injury cases including car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, workers' compensation cases. We help truckers all across the country who come through Iowa and end up in an accident. If we need other lawyers from other states we hire them and it costs you no more than what you would pay us; in other words, we split the fee between us. We also handle other civil types of cases and do defend when called upon. After all I am a lawyer. So call 515-222-1110 or email us at sdlombardi@aol.com. 
Steve Lombardi, Attorney

Steve Lombardi
Iowa civil trial, workers' compensation and personal injury lawyer

Blog Category:
1/22/2012
Steve Lombardi
Comments (0)

Do icy roads that cause me to lose control excuse any negligence I may have had?

No. Every driver has an obligation to drive using due care and at a speed that allows them to maintain control over the car or truck. To do otherwise would excuse everyone during Iowa’s icy winters or during a rain storm. We can’t have safe roads if we don’t hold people responsible. It’s every driver’s obligation to fully appreciate the weather related conditions, especially ice and icy roads. When it’s winter you simply have to driver at slower speeds and icy roads don’t excuse you from that obligation. Do otherwise and you’re simply negligent or at fault for damages and personal injury you cause. That’s true in Des Moines, Waterloo, Davenport, Sioux City, Marshalltown and every other town in Iowa.

Additional Reports:

Henderson man dies in accident, RadioIowa

Midwest gets first major snowstorm of warm winter, KASA

Fatal crash in SW Iowa injures three Omaha men, Nebraska Radio Network

Here is an example from the Iowa State Patrol. In this Mills County accident the non-negligent driver died. (Randall Jones from Henderson, Iowa, 62-years-old.) The guy coming the opposite direction has a legal obligation while driving on Iowa’s roads during the winter to slow down so he can control his car no matter the weather conditions.

Crash Information

 

L
O
C
A
T
I
O
N

Date of Accident
1/11/2012

Time of Accident 
05:00 PM

County
Mills - 65

Accident occurred within corporate limits of (city)
Law Enforcement Case Number:
2012001883

Literal Description 
.8 MILES WEST OF 350TH ST ON HWY 34

Legal Intervention?
No

Private Property?
No

X-Coordinate:
287020.9

Y-Coordinate
4545262.


U
N
I
T

1

Driver's Name - Last
ARGUETA

First
AGUSTIN

Middle
Suffix
City
OMAHA

State
NE - Nebraska, US

Zip
68108

Driver's Age
40

Citation Charge Code 1
PENDING

Citation Charge 1
Gender
Male

State
NO - None, US

Class
Endorsements
None

Restrictions

None

Citation Charge Code 2
Citation Charge 2
Alcohol Test Given?
1 - None

Drug Test Given?
1 - None

Citation Charge Code 3
Citation Charge 3
Citation Charge Code 4
Citation Charge 4
Seating Position
01 - Front: Left Side / Motorcycle Driver

Injury Status
2 - Incapacitating

Occupant Protection
2 - Shoulder and lap belt used

Airbag Deployment
5 - Not deployed

Airbag Switch Status
1 - Switch in ON position

Ejection
1 - Not ejected

Ejection Path
Trapped
3 - Extricated by mechanical means

Transported to:
CREIGHTON HOSPITAL

Transported by:
MALVERN RESCUE

Insurance Co. Name
Year
1997

Make
Ford - FORD

Model
F150

Style
TRUCK

Approximate Cost to Repair or Replace
3000

Initial Travel Direction
4 - West

Vehicle Action
01 - Movement essentially straight

Speed Limit
55

Point of Initial Impact
08 - Left Front

Most Damaged Area
08 - Left Front

Extent of Damage
5 - Severe, vehicle totaled

Underride/Override
1 - None

Total Occupants
03

Traffic Controls
01 - No controls present

Vehicle Config.
02 - Four-tire light truck (pick-up, panel)

Cargo Body Type
01 - Not applicable

Vehicle Defect
01 - None

Driver Condition
1 - Apparently normal

Vision Obscured
01 - Not obscured

Contributing Circumstances, Driver (up to 2)
SEQUENCE OF EVENTS
First Event
04 - Crossed centerline/median

Second Event
21 - Vehicle in traffic

Third Event
Fourth Event
Most Harmful Event (by vehicle)
21 - Vehicle in traffic

Emergency Vehicle Type
1 - Not applicable

Emergency Status
3 - Not Applicable

Carrier Name
City
State
Zip
Number of Axles
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
Placard #
Hazardous Materials Released?

U
N
I
T

2

Driver's Name - Last
JONES

First
RANDALL

Middle
WESLEY

Suffix
City
HENDRSON

State
IA - Iowa, US

Zip
51541

Driver's Age
62

Citation Charge Code 1
Citation Charge 1
Gender
Male

State
IA - Iowa, US

Class
D - Chauffeur

Endorsements
3 - Pass Veh less than 16 Pass Design

Restrictions

B - Cor Lenses

Citation Charge Code 2
Citation Charge 2
Alcohol Test Given?
1 - None

Drug Test Given?
1 - None

Citation Charge Code 3
Citation Charge 3
Citation Charge Code 4
Citation Charge 4
Seating Position
01 - Front: Left Side / Motorcycle Driver

Injury Status
1 - Fatal

Occupant Protection
2 - Shoulder and lap belt used

Airbag Deployment
1 - Deployed front of person

Airbag Switch Status
1 - Switch in ON position

Ejection
1 - Not ejected

Ejection Path
Trapped
3 - Extricated by mechanical means

Transported to:
DOUGLAS CO MEDICAL EXAMINER

Transported by:
HERTZ FUNERAL HOME

Insurance Co. Name
Year
2003

Make
Buick - BUIC

Model
LESABRE CUSTOM

Style
4DR

Approximate Cost to Repair or Replace
6000

Initial Travel Direction
2 - East

Vehicle Action
01 - Movement essentially straight

Speed Limit
55

Point of Initial Impact
08 - Left Front

Most Damaged Area
07 - Left Side

Extent of Damage
5 - Severe, vehicle totaled

Underride/Override
2 - Underride, compartment intrusion

Total Occupants
01

Traffic Controls
01 - No controls present

Vehicle Config.
01 - Passenger car

Cargo Body Type
01 - Not applicable

Vehicle Defect
01 - None

Driver Condition
1 - Apparently normal

Vision Obscured
01 - Not obscured

Contributing Circumstances, Driver (up to 2)
SEQUENCE OF EVENTS
First Event
21 - Vehicle in traffic

Second Event
01 - Ran off road, right

Third Event
Fourth Event
Most Harmful Event (by vehicle)
21 - Vehicle in traffic

Emergency Vehicle Type
1 - Not applicable

Emergency Status
3 - Not Applicable

Carrier Name
City
State
Zip
Number of Axles
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
Placard #
Hazardous Materials Released?

ACCIDENT ENVIRONMENT
ROADWAY CHARACTERISTICS
Major Contributing Circumstances:
WORKZONE RELATED?
SEQUENCE OF EVENTS
Location of First Harmful Event
1 - On Roadway

Weather Conditions (up to two)
08 - Snow

Environment
2 - Weather condition

Location
First Harmful Event of Crash (use codes 11-42 only)
21 - Vehicle in traffic

Manner of Crash/Collision
2 - Head-on

Roadway
02 - Road surface condition

Type
Light Conditions
2 - Dusk

Surface Conditions
3

Type of Roadway Junction/Feature
01 - No special feature

Workers Present?

P
E
R
S
O
N

I
N
J
U
R
E
D

Name- Last
JIMENEZ

First
HECTOR

Middle
Suffix
City
State
Zip Code
Age
21

Sex
Male

Unit No.
01

Seating Position
02 - Front: Center

Injury Status
2 - Incapacitating

Occupant Protection
1 - None used

Airbag Deployment
6 - Not applicable

Airbag Switch Status
3 - No ON/OFF switch present

Ejection
1 - Not ejected

Ejection Path
1 - Not ejected/not applicable

Trapped
1 - Not trapped

Transported to:
CREIGHTON HOSPITAL

Transported by:
MALVERN RESCUE

NON-MOTORIST
Type
Location
Action
Condition
Safety Equipment
Contributing Circumstances
Unit No. of Vehicle Striking
                         

P
E
R
S
O
N

I
N
J
U
R
E
D

Name- Last
ALVAREZ

First
RUBEN

Middle
Suffix
City
State
Zip Code
Age
28

Sex
Male

Unit No.
01

Seating Position
03 - Front: Right Side

Injury Status
2 - Incapacitating

Occupant Protection
2 - Shoulder and lap belt used

Airbag Deployment
1 - Deployed front of person

Airbag Switch Status
1 - Switch in ON position

Ejection
1 - Not ejected

Ejection Path
1 - Not ejected/not applicable

Trapped
1 - Not trapped

Transported to:
CREIGHTON HOSPITAL

Transported by:
MALVERN RESCUE

NON-MOTORIST
Type
Location
Action
Condition
Safety Equipment
Contributing Circumstances
Unit No. of Vehicle Striking
                         

D
I
A
G
R
A
M

0

 

NARRATIVE

VEHICLE # 1 WAS WESTBOUND ON HWY 34. VEHICLE # 2 WAS EASTBOUND ON HWY 34. THE DRIVER OF VEHICLE # 1 LOST CONTROL ON THE ICY ROADWAY, CROSSED THE CENTERLINE AND STRUCK VEHICLE # 2 ON THE FRONT LEFT SIDE. VEHICLE # 2 THEN ENTERED THE SOUTH DITCH. VEHICLE # 1 CAME TO REST IN THE ROADWAY. A TECHNICAL INVESTIGATION IS BEING CONDUCTED BY THE IOWA STATE PATROL.

 

Officer
MICHELSEN

Badge No.
076

Time Officer Notified of Accident
17:30

Time Officer Arrived At Scene
18:21

Name of Agency
P03

Date of Report
1/12/2012

Investigation made at scene?
Yes

T.I. #



Category: Car and Tractor Trailer Accidents


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