How is the concept of fault for an accident treated under Iowa law?

Iowa City, IA – Most states have some fairly complex rules that come into play after a car accident. Concepts such as fault, negligence, and damages can all be crucial in determining both if an accident victim will be compensated at all, as well as their level of compensation that is available. For specific advice about how any of these principles apply to any accident lawsuit, a lawyer who focuses on accident law in Iowa should be consulted.

Iowa laws regarding fault

The state of Iowa is called an at fault state for the purposes of motor vehicle accidents. Accident victims have a chance to bring a lawsuit and try to prove another driver involved in the crash was at fault for their injuries and losses. Drivers also have the right to contact their insurance provider and file a claim to see what losses will be covered under their policy after a collision.

Negligence principles and fault

Negligence is the term for a type of civil lawsuit that says a person or business did not exercise the proper level of care and caused injuries. Each state has a different way of handling these kinds of cases, but there must be some evidence that the defendant actually caused an accident and injuries after they deviated from the proper standard of care.

Fault is also divided in an accident case in Iowa based on the principles of comparative negligence during a lawsuit. This means that fault can be divided between all of the drivers involved to equal one hundred percent. A driver who is partially at fault can still collect damages, however their damage award is reduced based on their level of fault. If they are more at fault than the defendant they are suing, then they will not be able to collect anything. This formula can be applied regardless of how many vehicles were involved in the collision.

Damages and compensation

The amount of compensation that any accident victim will receive is always relative to their losses. For example, this means that most minor accidents will not result in large amounts of compensation for anyone involved. Damages are tied to things like lost income and wages, medical bills and the costs of healthcare, or property repairs. There is also the opportunity for the plaintiff’s attorney to argue for non-economic damages that are related to their client’s pain and suffering.

Iowa City injury and accident attorneys

Eells and Tronvold Law Offices is available to assist clients with their civil lawsuits in the Iowa City area. Potential clients can contact the firm to learn more about their qualifications and services during representation.

Firm contact info:

Eells and Tronvold Law Offices

1921 51st Street NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402-2400

319-393-1020