Iowa – What to do when you are in an accident? Case Type: Motor vehicle Accident, car vs motorcycle. You really need to think about the answer to that question when securing insurance coverage. Because if you wait until you have an accident, many times it is too late. Motorcycle Riders & Lower Insurance Limits Are a Bad Mix A lot of people are driving cars in Iowa with $20,000 of coverage. There are quite a lot who have no coverage. As the [...]
Pedestrian Accidents in Iowa When a car hits a pedestrian, people often reach a conclusion before anyone has investigated. Some assume the driver must be at fault. Others hear that the pedestrian was outside a crosswalk and assume there is no case. Neither assumption answers the questions that matter: Where was the pedestrian? Who had the right-of-way? What could each person see? And was there a reasonable opportunity to avoid the collision? Those questions require evidence. They also require reading Iowa’s pedestrian [...]
Like the shifting sands of the Outer Banks, the facts in our current world seem to be forever undermined and shifting Perhaps fifteen years ago, a Miami lawyer I knew told me the personal injury practice was being “commoditized.” “Commoditized?” I asked. “What the hell are you talking about?” I was a little insulted and fairly skeptical. What did he mean? How could the practice of representing an injured person be treated like a commodity? It took me a while to appreciate [...]
THE AMAZON LOGO TELLS YOU VERY LITTLE ABOUT WHO TO SUE I read a story about a large verdict from an email I received. Fifty-six million was the verdict and that is a lot of money. But the money is not what interested me. It was something else. To a seasoned trial lawyer, the $56 million verdict against “Amazon” is not what’s important. What is important is shown in the description of the case. Take note of the words I [...]
Iowa ATV and UTV personal injury accidents. Dubuque County, Iowa – Another UTV accident in northeastern Iowa has claimed the lives of two people; one a child. Fatal accidents like this have become more common since the Iowa legislature passed Iowa Code Chapter 321I.10 and 321.234A. The actual location of this collision appears from news reports to be E. Worthington Road and Comer Road in Farley, Iowa. If you view this rural intersection on Google Maps and use the street view, [...]
How to Prove a Distracted Driver Caused Your Motorcycle or Car Crash in Iowa Introduction When a distracted driver causes a crash, evidence disappears quickly. Victims who act fast stand the best chance at proving liability and recovering damages. The First 48 Hours File a police report. 2. Document the scene with photos and witness statements. 3. Contact an attorney immediately to preserve cell phone evidence. 4. Avoid speaking with the other driver’s insurer before representation. Building the Case Attorneys use subpoenas to obtain phone records, expert analysis [...]
Relax, and pay attention to your driving. And not your phone. Law Enforcement’s New Challenge: Catching Distracted Drivers in the Digital Age Introduction Catching drunk drivers is straightforward — breath tests, field sobriety, and visible signs. Distracted drivers? Not so simple. Iowa law enforcement faces a modern challenge: proving what someone was looking at before a crash. The Enforcement Gap Hands-free laws are only as strong as their enforcement. Officers often can’t see what’s in a driver’s hand, and without secondary offense authority, they [...]
Iowa Personal Injury Lawyer The Psychology of Distraction: Why Drivers Can’t Resist the Ding Introduction We think of distraction as a bad habit. Neuroscience shows it’s more like an addiction. Notifications deliver dopamine hits, conditioning drivers to check their phones — even at highway speeds. The Brain’s Reward System Every time your phone dings, your brain’s reward center activates. It’s the same chemical process behind gambling addiction. That makes ignoring notifications a fight against biology, not just willpower. The Myth of Multitasking Humans don’t multitask — [...]
Distracted driving is the new drunk driving. Introduction Proving distracted driving is no longer just about witness statements. In modern litigation, digital evidence tells the story. From cell phone logs to infotainment data, lawyers now have tools to prove when, how, and for how long a driver was distracted. Collecting Digital Evidence **Cell Phone Records:** Subpoenaed call logs, texts, and data timestamps can pinpoint distraction seconds before a crash. 2. **Infotainment Systems:** Many vehicles record Bluetooth connections, screen touches, and app usage. 3. **Black Boxes [...]
Cell phones and driving, a deadly combination Introduction In the 1980s, public outrage over drunk driving reshaped American culture. We created MADD, toughened DUI penalties, and shifted norms — drinking and driving became socially unacceptable. Yet four decades later, we face a new epidemic: phone-addicted drivers. Today, the phone in your hand is as dangerous as a drink in your cupholder. We’ve gone from buzzed to busy — and the result is the same: distracted, impaired, and deadly driving. The Modern DUI: Distraction [...]
