Iowa law allows victims to collect various kinds of damages after an accident
Iowa City, IA – When someone is harmed in a car collision or other type of accident, they can attempt to make the person responsible pay for various types of losses related to the incident. The legal term for all of these losses is damages. Iowa law allows a plaintiff to collect several different types of damages in a civil injury lawsuit, and the amounts can vary greatly depending on the severity of the collision.
Prior medical costs
When the victim is hurt, they may end up getting stuck with large bills for medical treatment that they cannot pay on their own. One type of damages that may be available is for prior medical treatment and associated costs. Iowa law has held that the defendant in a civil lawsuit must pay the reasonable costs of these medical expenses. There can be some complexities determining what is reasonable based on what was actually billed to the victim and their insurance coverage.
Future medical costs
Anyone who is severely hurt or has a long term injury will require additional medical treatment for a period of months, years, or even longer. Iowa law has allowed the use of experts to prove all of these losses and allow the victim to make an argument for damages related to future medical costs.
Previous lost wages
The amount of money that the victim lost by not being able to work from the date of the injury to the date of the trial or settlement is the responsibility of the defendant if they are found to be at fault.
Property damage
In most accident cases involving motor vehicles, the victim can receive the reasonable costs of repairs, or they can receive the fair market value of the vehicle if it is totally destroyed.
Loss of future wages
When someone can no longer work as normal, they have a reduced ability to earn money in the future. These losses versus what the person is actually able to earn can become a very large part of damages, especially if the victim was young or had high earning potential.
The complexities of damages
Adding up all of a person’s losses can start to become complex, especially when there are multiple different kinds of damages at issue. Legal advice may be necessary to determine the exact value of all of these losses and the potential amount of compensation available.
Getting assistance from a local injury lawyer
There are firms that assist clients with their civil injury lawsuits throughout the state of Iowa. Eells and Tronvold law offices are available to consult with potential clients and discuss the process of their case.
Firm contact info:
Eells and Tronvold Law Offices
1921 51st Street NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402-2400
319-393-1020
www.eellsandtronvold.com
