Iowa Car Accident Lawyers

What you do in the first 48 hours after a crash can make all the difference. Here are seven steps you can take to protect your health and your legal rights in Iowa.

1. Check if you and any passengers are safe, then call 911 right away.
2. Exchange information with the motorist and any witnesses, then document the crash and crash site with photos and videos.
3. Seek medical attention within 24 hours, even if you seem fine after the accident. Symptoms may not show right away, and medical records created soon after the accident establish an important link between your injuries and the crash.
4. Notify your own auto insurance provider, but keep it brief and stick to the facts: the date, the time of day, and the vehicles involved. Avoid discussing fault or providing an opinion about what happened.
5. Start keeping a recovery journal to document your pain levels, doctor visits, physical limitations, and other ways your injuries affect your daily life. A day-to-day record can be powerful evidence for your accident claim.
6. Avoid discussing the accident on social media. Insurance companies can use harmless social media posts about a crash to treat your injuries as less serious.
7. Talk about your accident with an experienced Iowa car accident attorney. This will help ensure you meet all requirements and deadlines and get the most compensation possible.

You may not need a car accident lawyer. Follow this four-step system to determine if you should hire an attorney.

• Assess Your Injuries and Medical Expenses: If your crash-related medical bills are more than $5,000 or you’ve needed treatment for more than five months, data shows that an attorney will likely put more money in your pocket even after paying legal fees.
• Assess Your Proof of the Other Driver’s Fault: If fault for the crash is disputed, you were partly responsible for the collision, or the other side blames you for the crash, you’re more than likely going to need a lawyer.
• Consider How Complicated Your Case Is: Car accidents that involve multiple parties, serious injuries with long-term impacts, or questions about what caused your medical problems often require legal representation.
• Consider Whether the Insurance Company Is Playing Games: Insurance companies have entire teams working against you from day one. If they are stalling or claiming you were partly to blame for a crash, a car accident lawyer can help push back against these tactics.

Remember: most respected attorneys offer free initial consultations for injury cases. Ask the lawyer directly, “What benefit would I get from having you represent me directly?” If their answer doesn’t make sense to you, you might not need them.

There are many things to consider when finding the right attorney. Here are five things you should do when searching for the best Iowa car accident lawyer for your claim.

Ask When Was the Last Time They Went to Trial: This isn’t just trivia. Insurance companies track when attorneys have been to trial, and they treat real trial lawyers differently. Attorneys who rarely go to court in Iowa are likely to get lowball settlement offers..

Verify Specialized Experience: It’s not enough to hire any injury lawyer. Ask the attorney, “How many car accident cases involving my specific injury have you handled in the past year?”

Request Proof of Case Results: Confident attorneys can provide actual case results that involve injuries similar to yours. This will help you understand the kinds of settlements and verdicts they can achieve.

Look for Memberships and Board Certifications: Legal memberships and board certifications give you an idea of how judges and other attorneys view that lawyer’s work. Make sure these honors are from organizations that attorneys must be invited to.

Check the Attorney’s Google Reviews: Find out what the lawyer’s past clients have said. Don’t just skim the star ratings. Read the actual reviews. Real stories will tell you how the attorney treats real people.

Most people assume medical bills after a crash are handled by health insurance. However, medical providers will often try to bill your auto insurance first because they’ll be paid more from your auto policy than your health insurance. But your MedPay coverage is limited to $1,000 to $5,000, which can leave you stuck paying for ambulance bills or physical therapy out of pocket before you get a settlement.

When RSH Legal works on your case, we contact your auto insurance and put a hold on any MedPay payments. This ensures that any medical bill goes to your health insurance first. Only when we see what health insurance won’t cover will we tap into MedPay as a backup.

There is no honest way to give you a dollar figure without knowing about your specific situation. Any car accident lawyer who throws out a number without understanding your case is doing you a disservice.

Here’s what determines the true value of your car accident case:

• Your medical expenses (current bills and future expenses)
• Your lost income from missed work and reduced earning capacity
• How your injury impacts your daily life and your ability to do things that you used to do

Insurance companies count on your not knowing how much your case is actually worth. They may offer you a lowball settlement before you reach maximum medical improvement, hoping that you’ll sign quickly.