Ely Car Accident Injury Attorneys

What You Should Know About Car Insurance in Iowa

Unlike many states, Iowa does not have a compulsory auto insurance law. Instead, the state has adopted the Financial and Safety Responsibility Act, which requires drivers to prove financial responsibility in the event of an accident. For most drivers, this means purchasing auto insurance coverage that meets Iowa's minimum requirements for bodily injury liability and property damage liability.

After an accident near Ely, you would first turn to the at-fault driver's bodily injury and property damage liability coverage, which requires proving that driver was at fault. Additional compensation may be available through your own insurance policy, or by pursuing a personal injury claim against the liable driver.

How Much Time Do You Have to Take Legal Action?

Iowa's statute of limitations, covered under Iowa Code section 614.1, provides two years to take legal action after a car accident. The longer you wait to begin a claim, the greater the risk that important evidence will be lost or destroyed.

What Evidence Supports a Car Accident Claim?

A personal injury claim must establish negligence, liability, and damages, which can be supported with a police accident report, photos of the accident scene, medical bills and records, income records to prove lost wages, and witness statements. An attorney can help determine exactly what evidence is necessary and can assist in collecting it, allowing an injured Ely driver to focus on recovery.

What Compensation Is Available for Your Injuries?

Insurance companies and courts generally base the value of a claim on factors such as necessary medical care, lost income, pain and suffering, permanent disability, scarring, out-of-pocket expenses, and property damage. Under Iowa's comparative negligence law, you can still recover compensation even if you were partially at fault for the accident, though you cannot collect damages if you were more than 50 percent to blame, and your award is reduced in direct proportion to your assigned percentage of fault.

Who Pays Your Medical Bills After a Car Accident?

One of the most common questions Ely accident victims have is who will actually pay their medical bills while a claim is pending. The other driver's insurance adjuster may say "send me all your bills," but that does not mean those bills will be paid as they come in. In most cases, the only way the other driver's insurer will pay anything is if you agree to sign a release and close your claim permanently, sometimes for far less than it is worth. Insurance companies may prefer to let bills pile up and let collections calls begin, since the resulting stress can pressure a victim into settling for less than fair value. Understanding the real sources for paying medical bills can help you avoid that trap.

A qualified attorney may be able to help identify other potential ways to pay medical bills while a claim is pending, easing the financial pressure that insurance companies often rely on to push toward a quick, low settlement.

Thoracic Strain Injuries From a Car Accident

Even minor car accidents near Ely can cause back injuries, since the human body can be jarred, twisted, and impacted with significant force even when vehicle damage looks minor. In some cases, symptoms do not appear for several days or weeks after the crash, which is why seeking medical attention is important even if you do not feel hurt right away. One such injury is a thoracic strain.

What Is a Thoracic Strain?

Thoracic injuries affect the mid-back region of the body, and a strain is an injury to a muscle or tendon. A thoracic strain, then, is damage to a muscle or tendon in the mid-back, ranging in severity from a simple muscle pull to a full tear or rupture.

Treatment for a Thoracic Strain

Treatment generally includes rest to allow the damaged muscle or tendon to heal, which can take anywhere from about a week for a pulled muscle to several weeks or months for a torn one. A doctor will likely order an X-ray or other tests and perform an exam to diagnose the injury and its severity. In severe cases, surgery may be needed to repair the muscle or tendon, but most strain injuries are treated with rest, activity restrictions, and physical therapy to improve mobility during recovery, along with over-the-counter or prescription medication as needed.