Bettendorf Truck Accident Attorney

Semi Accident Lawyer Representing Injury Victims in Bettendorf, Iowa

You are in the right place if you need legal help after a tractor-trailer collision in Bettendorf, Iowa. RSH Legal attorneys have represented victims of Bettendorf truck accidents for over 30 years. Our lawyers have recovered millions of dollars for those whom trucking companies may have otherwise taken advantage of.

Living in Bettendorf means sharing the road with large trucks. Unfortunately, semi-trucks can pose a danger to other motorists if they are not driven safely.

As the third largest city in the “Quad Cities,” Bettendorf has a significant amount of tractor-trailer traffic. Bettendorf employers like Sivyer Steel, JMF, Schebler, and Leclaire Manufacturing Co. all attract a steady stream of semi-trucks. Interstate 74, U.S. Highway 6, and U.S. Highway 67 run through Bettendorf and both have a lot of 18-wheeler traffic. Many truckers driving through Bettendorf use local Iowa truck stops like Flying J Travel Center, Love’s Travel Stop, and Kwik Star.

In addition, Bettendorf is home to local Iowa trucking companies like C & W Trucking & Sons, Inc., NJ Miller, Inc., and Daily Express, Inc. The result is that there are a lot of trucks on the road in Scott County, Iowa, and there are too many truck wrecks in Bettendorf in particular.

If you want an expert in Bettendorf truck crash cases, contact RSH Legal today at 1-800-433-0283. Our truck accident lawyers offer a free, no-obligation case evaluation to truck crash victims.

Unexpected Ways You Can Sink Your Bettendorf Truck Crash Case

If you were injured in a Bettendorf semi accident – whether you like it or not – your life and activities are now under a microscope. The trucking company and its insurance carrier will be looking for any way it can, fair or unfair, to avoid compensating you for your injuries.

A truck accident lawyer can try to get you a fair settlement for your harms and losses, but a lawyer cannot stop you from making certain mistakes that could ruin your case.

Here are some things that many people do not realize can sink your Bettendorf tractor-trailer collision case:

Using social media like normal

Trucking companies and their lawyers will usually argue that your truck accident injuries are not as severe as you claim.

They will look for ammunition for these arguments by searching for you on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and any other social media site you use. They look for revealing status updates, tweets about your activities, and photos of you having fun (or even just smiling). They then use this information to argue that your injuries are not truly limiting you because you can still go out, play sports, or have a good time with friends and family.

Increasing your privacy settings will probably not be enough to protect you because trucking companies have had success getting courts to order that injured people must turn over all social media postings.  Do not start deleting old social media posts or accounts – courts will view this as an attempt to destroy evidence.  Instead, we recommend limiting your social media posts until your truck crash case is settled.

Using illegal drugs

Even if you think that no one will find out about your illegal drug use, this is not a risk you want to take. Evidence of drug use can come up in medical records, employment records, and arrest records.

Trucking companies, insurance companies, and juries will find ways to not give money to people who use drugs – even if those people have legitimate truck accident injury claims. The bottom line is that Iowa juries rarely want to give money in a verdict that can be used to buy more illegal drugs.

Filing for Social Security Disability on your own

Trucking companies and their lawyers may eventually see your Social Security Disability file. It’s important to make sure that any statements in that file do not conflict with the claims you are making in your truck accident case.

More importantly, the Social Security Administration may only allow a disabled person receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) to receive so much money in benefits during a particular month. That means if special arrangements are not made during the settlement of your truck crash case, you may end up with less Social Security benefits than you otherwise would.

The safest thing to do is to check with your truck accident attorney first before you file for Social Security Disability.

RSH Legal handles both truck crash cases and Social Security Disability cases. If you need a free, no-obligation case evaluation for either (or both), call 1-800-433-0283.

Failing to inform your lawyer if you go on Medicare

Medicare will not pay for medical treatment if it believes that an injured person has already received money for that medical treatment in a truck crash lawsuit.

In other words, if a person receives money in a settlement for an injury that requires future medical treatment, Medicare may not pay for that future treatment – even if that injured person otherwise qualifies for Medicare. If special language is not included in the settlement paperwork, the ultimate result is that the person can end up paying for future medical treatment out of their own pocket – treatment that otherwise would have been covered by Medicare.

That is why you must alert your truck accident attorney if you are on Medicare or if you qualify for Medicare during the life of your tractor-trailer collision case.

Filing for bankruptcy

Declaring bankruptcy after being injured in a semi crash may eliminate any right that you have to getting personally compensated for your injuries.

After bankruptcy, you typically do not own your truck accident claim anymore – the bankruptcy trustee does. The bankruptcy trustee can then turn around and settle your case with the trucking company for a significant discount. You may no longer have a say in the matter.

Please contact an experienced truck accident lawyer about this issue before you consult a bankruptcy lawyer or sign any bankruptcy paperwork.

How Do You Choose the Right Iowa Truck Accident Attorney for Your Bettendorf Semi Wreck?

There are over 9000 lawyers in Iowa. Almost any lawyer can make themselves sound impressive on a website.

The truth is that most Iowa attorneys do not have the background or experience to handle a serious truck accident case. How is a regular person who is new to the legal system supposed to choose the right Iowa truck accident attorney without insider information?

Here is the secret: lawyers know certain professional credentials mean more than others.

There are elite legal credentials that cannot be bought and must be earned. Credentials that require both a track record of success and recommendations from fellow Iowa lawyers and judges. These are the top honors that most Iowa lawyers never attain. Experienced lawyers from across the country know to check for these key professional credentials before referring a semi crash case to an Iowa lawyer.

We believe that you are entitled to this insider information when you are choosing the right attorney for your tractor-trailer collision case. The list below identifies what legal credentials to look for when deciding between Iowa truck accident attorneys.

National Board of Trial Advocacy Board Certification: 

The National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to inform and educate the public concerning legal representation by board-certified specialists. It certifies attorneys in a variety of specialties.

To become certified in Truck Accident Law, lawyers must devote a substantial percentage of their practice to trucking litigation, show hands-on experience in multiple truck accident cases, and pass a comprehensive written exam.

Tim Semelroth of RSH Legal is the only Iowa lawyer who is currently board-certified as a specialist in Truck Accident Law.

Legacy Truck Driving School for Legal Professionals: 

This program gives its graduates a hands-on approach to the principal aspects involved in trucking cases from the commercial motor vehicle (CMV) operator and motor carrier standpoint: for example, visibility, time and motion for turning and stopping, the “feel” of sitting behind the wheel and actually driving a truck, and more.

Tim Semelroth of RSH Legal is the only Iowa lawyer who has graduated from this Legacy Truck Driving School program.

International Society of Barristers: 

The International Society of Barristers (ISOB) was formed to improve the system of justice by protecting the right to trial by jury and demanding ethical conduct in the judicial system. Membership is by invitation only to trial lawyers that protect these standards.

There are only seven Iowa lawyers currently in the International Society of Barristers. Tim Semelroth of RSH Legal is currently a member.

Trial Lawyers College: 

The Trial Lawyers College (TLC), founded by famed attorney Gerry Spence, puts on a comprehensive 3-week program that dissects courtroom procedures with painstaking detail to provide hands-on tools toward achieving justice.

The Trial Lawyers College is dedicated to training and educating lawyers and judges who are committed to the jury system and to representing and obtaining justice for individuals; the poor, the injured, the forgotten, the voiceless, the defenseless and the damned, and protecting the rights of such people from corporate and government oppression. Twenty-seven Iowa lawyers have graduated from the Trial Lawyers College.

Five of the attorneys from RSH Legal are TLC graduates and Tim Semelroth is a member of the Trial Lawyers College Faculty.

Million Dollar Advocates Forum:

 The Million Dollar Advocates Forum has a membership limited to attorneys who have won million- and multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements. Fewer than 1% of U.S. lawyers are members. Forty-six lawyers in Iowa are members.

Five of the attorneys from RSH Legal are members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum.

American Board of Trial Advocates: 

The American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) is a national association of experienced trial attorneys and judges. Membership is by invitation only.

Attorneys qualify for membership if they are judged to be of high personal character, have an honorable reputation, and have tried the required amount of jury trials.  There are 74 lawyers in Iowa who are currently members.

Tim Semelroth and Pressley Henningsen of RSH Legal are both members of ABOTA.

American College of Trial Lawyers: 

American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL) is recognized as the preeminent organization of trial lawyers in North America, dedicated to maintaining and improving the standards of trial practice, professionalism, ethics, and the administration of justice.

There are 99 lawyers in Iowa who are currently members.  Tim Semelroth of RSH Legal is a member of ACTL.

Martindale-Hubbell AV-Preeminent Rating: 

The Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™ identify lawyers with the highest ethical standards and professional ability. These ratings are based on evaluations by other members of the bar in similar areas of practice as the lawyer being rated.

Being rated AV-Preeminent means that a lawyer’s peers rank him or her at the highest level of professional excellence. There are 143 lawyers in Iowa who have an AV-Preeminent Rating.

Tim Semelroth and Pressley Henningsen of RSH Legal have an AV-Preeminent rating.

Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers: 

The Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers is limited to 250 attorneys who have displayed exceptional skills, and the highest integrity, and have dedicated their professional lives to trial practice. Membership is by invitation only, with a recommendation from peers, judges, and unanimous approval by the Board of Governors.

Four RSH Legal attorneys are fellows in the Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers.

Super Lawyers: 

Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The patented selection process includes independent research, peer nominations, and peer evaluations.

5% of Iowa lawyers are listed in Super Lawyers.  Five RSH Legal attorneys have received Super Lawyer ratings.

RSH Legal, located in Cedar Rapids, handles car accident claims throughout Iowa, including Bettendorf.

Tim Semelroth

Board-Certified Trial Attorney

Pressley Henningsen

AV-Rated Trial Attorney