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Iowa Personal
Injury Law
The following summary of Iowa personal injury laws and theories of liability
will help you understand important aspects of injury claims in this
state.
Iowa Statute of Limitations:
Personal
Injury: For general personal injury, 2 years
Medical
Malpractice: 2 years for basic medical malpractice,
up to a 6 year maximum for all medical malpractice claims
Products
Liability: 2 years
Caps on Personal Injury Awards in Iowa:
The courts have recently struck down a cap on personal injury awards in
the state of Iowa.
Iowa Serious Injury Threshold:
There is no serious injury threshold in the state of Iowa.
Iowa is a
fault state and follows the modified comparative fault-51%
theory. Therefore, if a plaintiff is less than 51% at fault, he or she
will still be able to recover a personal injury settlement.
Types of Personal Injury Claims &
Theories of Liability Iowa:
Auto
Accidents: A negligence action arises when a party who owes a
duty
breaches and causes damages as a result of the breach.
Drivers owe a duty to operate their vehicles free of negligence and
when they fail to do so, they will be held liable for the damages that
result.
Products
Liability: Products that are made available to
consumers for use, ingestion and consumption are presumed safe. When
injuries result due to a defective product however, all members in the
chain of distribution can be held strictly liable to the plaintiff.
Workers'
Compensation: Iowa is considered a compulsory workers
compensation
state. Therefore all employers in the state of Iowa must carry workers
compensation insurance and keep it current in the event of a workplace
injury.
Medical Malpractice:
When an injury occurs as a result of a medical professional not doing
their job properly, that professional may be held liable to the patient
for thier physical and mental damages.
Wrongful
Death: Whether a death occurs due to an auto accident,
general negligence or medical malpractice, the result will be the same.
The negligent party will be liable to the decedent's estate provided
that he or she is less than 51% at fault.
Slip and
Falls: A property owner must reasonably inspect his or her
premises regularly to ensure that they are free from dangerous
conditions. Reasonableness depends on whether the property is
commercial or residential. If someone is injured as a result
of a property owner's negligence, the property owner will be held
liable.
For More
Information Check out these sites:
Iowa
State Government Website
Iowa
State Bar Association
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Injury Laws
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