Bellevue Car Accident Injury Attorneys

Sudden accidents and injuries can disrupt lives unexpectedly. During these difficult periods, car accident injury lawyers become crucial allies. They fight for those injured due to others' carelessness, ensuring just compensation. This article emphasizes the vital role these lawyers play in helping people navigate their claims and restoring normalcy.

Avoiding Car Accidents Caused by Road Debris

Thousands of serious car accidents in Iowa occur yearly due to road debris. These obstacles are apparent on every road but are most commonly found on highways and urban roads. It is essential that all drivers have 100 percent focus on the road and their surroundings to be ready for unexpected items to come into their path. This allows being able to react appropriately and avoid a serious car crash.

The Definition of Road Debris

You might think of debris in the road as stuff from the street, especially from construction workers or a blown tire that is still lying in the middle of the road. While these are definitely a hazard and can cause serious damage to you or your car, there are many other types of debris that need to be watched. After a large storm, there could be large trees or telephone wires lying in the middle of the road. You could also find items that have fallen off of large work trucks such as materials or even tools that the driver is unaware that they have fallen off of the truck due to insecure loading.

Dangers of Roof Racks

Many car owners use roof racks as a means of storage. While these racks are meant to carry items that are too large to fit in the vehicle, they are not meant to overload the car to the point of danger. It is very common for items to fly right off of the rack and into the path of another car. Worse yet, if the rack is loaded beyond its capacity, it can cause the car to lose control or flip over, causing even more obstacles for everyone else on the road.

Avoiding Serious Car Accidents

The number one way for any driver to prevent a serious accident as a result of road debris is to remain undistracted. Even the smallest distraction of looking down to pick up your coffee could result in a serious crash when debris is present. In the blink of an eye, a mattress could fly at your windshield or a tree could be lying in the street that was not visible until you were on top of it.

In less than optimal conditions, it is also imperative that drivers slow down. The posted speed limit is not a requirement; it is simply the maximum speed that you should be driving. If there is snow, rain, or excessive obstacles in the road, it is to your benefit as well as the other drivers on the road to slow down and stay aware of your surroundings in order to avoid serious car accidents in Iowa.

How to Navigate Your Free Consultation with an Iowa Car Accident Attorney: Essential Questions and Tips for Peace of Mind

Your first meeting with an Iowa car accident injury attorney can be intimidating, even if the consultation is free. Knowing the right questions to ask can help ease the process. Here are some essential questions to ensure you get the information you need:

1. What is your strategy for handling my claim?
   Ensure the attorney's strategy includes constant communication between your family and their firm. This open-door policy is crucial for staying informed throughout the process.

2. What do you estimate my case is worth?
   While no attorney should promise a specific settlement amount, a seasoned lawyer should provide an estimate based on your medical bills and the at-fault driver's policy limits. This insight helps manage expectations.

3. How much will I have to pay your firm, and when?
   Stick with attorneys offering services on a contingency fee basis. This means you only pay if a fair settlement is reached, and the fee is a percentage of the total compensation. Clarify payment details to avoid financial surprises.

4. Will you assist in paying my medical bills?
   Dealing with mounting medical bills post-accident is challenging. Find an attorney willing to help you pay them after the settlement to avoid unexpected financial burdens.

5. Will there be charges for post-consultation questions?
   If your case is handled on a contingent basis, there should be no charge for post-consultation questions. Confirm this to ensure open communication without additional fees.

In addition to these questions, consider these extra inquiries for a comprehensive understanding:

6. What is your communication policy with clients?
   Ensure the attorney has an open-door policy for regular updates on your case. Communication is key to staying informed and involved.

7. What if there's no settlement? What will I owe?
   Seek an attorney who works on a contingency fee basis, meaning you only pay if there's a settlement. No settlement or win at trial should mean no attorney fee.

8. What types of compensation will you pursue?
   The attorney you decide to hire must have a concrete plan to go after the following:
   - Medical bills
   - Lost wages
   - Pain and suffering
   - Future loss of income
   - Cost of any future medical treatment your doctor believes you may need

Of course, it is also important to enlist the help of an attorney with whom you feel comfortable. You are entrusting him or her to handle a very traumatic, life-changing incident, so make sure that the attorney welcomes any and all questions that you have and works to give you answers in a way that you fully understand.

Ask questions, seek clarity, and make sure the attorney welcomes your inquiries in a way that you fully understand.

Recovering Damages for a Broken Tibia from a Car Accident

A car accident that results in physical injuries for the victim can be tragic, expensive and change the course of the person’s life. While a broken tibia will eventually heal, the months of treatment required are costly.

How Does a Tibia Fracture Happen?

The tibia is the name of the shinbone and is one of two bones that make up the lower leg. A tibia fracture can happen when a high-energy collision occurs, putting extreme pressure on the tibia. Car crashes are one of the more common causes of tibia fractures and typically result in comminuted fractures, where the bone is shattered into multiple pieces, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Diagnosing

Sometimes, a tibia fracture is easy to diagnose by visible deformity alone — one leg may be visibly shorter than the other. To confirm a suspected tibia fracture, a physical exam is necessary as is an X-ray or CT scan. These imaging tests are essential for determining the type of break and where in the tibia the fracture occurred. Once a medical professional has officially diagnosed a tibia fracture, treatment will ensue.

Treatment for Tibia Fractures

Treatment for tibia fractures depends upon how severe the break is and the overall health of the worker. In clean breaks with little bone displacement, the doctor may utilize non-surgical treatments, such as splints, casts, and braces.

For more severe fractures with open wounds or a lot of displacement, surgery may be necessary. Surgery can include the use of intramedullary nailing, plates and screws, and external fixation (pins and screws on the outside of the body.)

There are quite a few serious complications that can occur, such as those listed below.

- The bone does not align or heal properly
- Infection
- Damage to the nerves or veins
- Blood clots

The AAOS explains that with open fractures, secondary surgeries may be needed: “Open fractures, in which the bone fragments are displaced enough to exit the skin, typically sustain greater injury and are at increased risk for infection. This may stall or prevent healing. These fractures are more likely to require secondary surgical procedures.”

Diagnosing and treating a tibia fracture can cost thousands of dollars, especially for a victim without adequate health insurance. However, it is possible to recover all medical expenses by filing a claim for damages.

Recovering from a Tibia Fracture

After surgery has been performed, the patient will most likely require approximately four months — or more, depending upon the extent of the injury — to fully heal. During this time, it is highly likely physical therapy treatment will be prescribed. Additionally, it is unlikely the patient will be able to put any weight on the affected leg, impairing their ability to engage in normal activities or even perform work in many cases.

Recovering from a tibia fracture can take months, and depending upon a person’s lifestyle and job, those months can be extremely challenging. For those who are used to exercising daily, being able to walk frequently, or who work in an industry where the full use

 of both legs is required, months of being unable to move freely can result in anxiety, depression, and loss of economic resources. Oftentimes, a person also is coping with post-traumatic stress disorder from the car accident during this time period.

Filing a Claim for Damages

In filing a claim for damages, a victim who has suffered from a broken tibia can recover all types of damages suffered, including economic (medical expenses and lost wages) and noneconomic damages (pain, suffering, emotional trauma, mental anguish, etc.).

To recover damages for a broken tibia in Bellevue, the victim will have to prove that the defendant — the at-fault driver — was doing something negligent at the time of the accident and that this negligent action caused the crash. Furthermore, the victim also will have to prove all damages for which compensation is being sought were the direct result of the accident, and not another unrelated event (i.e., the person cannot already have been suffering from depression if compensation for depression is sought). The time limit for filing a claim in Bellevue is two years under Iowa Code 614.1.

Seeking Legal Assistance

Seeking legal counsel from experienced Iowa car accident attorneys such as those at Walker, Billingsley & Bair can provide invaluable support in filing insurance claims or pursuing personal injury lawsuits. With a comprehensive understanding of Iowa law, their team can help gather evidence, establish liability, and secure the compensation deserved by accident victims.

Suffering from the aftermath of a car accident shouldn't impede your pursuit of justice and fair compensation. The Iowa injury lawyers at Walker, Billingsley & Bair work hard to level the field between injured Iowans and insurance companies.

That's why we provide this FREE book; The Legal Insider's Guide to Iowa Car Accidents: 7 Secrets to Not Wreck Your Case. To learn more about what our legal team will do to help you protect your Iowa injury claim, contact Walker, Billingsley & Bair to schedule a no-cost consultation. Call 641-792-3595 to order your free accident book today.