Lawyer’s Blog: Bicyclist-Car Accidents in Iowa

I've been away from the blog for about two weeks; frankly I've needed a break. BURN OUT! I'm going to stop The Edict, simply because writing and thinking so much about personal injury and what is wrong with the court system and how people drive is starting to get to me. As a lawyer having working in the trenches for 30+ years I've reached a point where whatever advise given has been given a thousand times and there is a point of seemingly no return. I'm there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BhHTA6Gzn0&feature=related

In Clive we had a bicyclist, Laura Ridgway of West Des Moines who was injured after a car reportedly driven by Larry Norrell didn't yield at the intersection of Hickman Road and Northwest 156^th Street on the Tuesday proceeding May 17, 2011 at around 7:12 a.m. The officer determined that the lady on the bike had the right of way to cross the street and the car driver was therefore required to yield the right of way. Crosswalks mean something and you can't ignore them; you're better off waiting when a pedestrian is anywhere near a crosswalk. The injuries don't sound like they are life threatening, but nevertheless a pedestrian's risks against a car are tremendous.

A law passed in the State of Iowa prohibiting texting while driving is said to be tough to enforce. Apparently there isn't a penalty yet. Dah! "The law went into effect July 1, 2010. It bans adults from texting while driving and bans individuals with modified licenses, particularly minors, from using any electronic devices. Officers could only issue written warnings for the first year."

Contact info: 515-222-1110 or sdlombardi@aol.com. Have a good and safe weekend.  Signing off, Steve Lombardi with the Lombardi Law Firm.