Iowa Car Accidents

Des Moines Car Accident Lawyer

Giving you the confidence you need during your most fragile moments.

Your car transports you for all the activities of your daily life. When traveling on Iowa's roadways you don't expect to be in an accident. But car accidents do occur, sometimes causing serious injuries or even death.

Car accidents are commonly caused by drunk driving or inattentive, reckless, or negligent drivers. Common types of injuries from car accidents include broken bones and ligament tears; neck, shoulder, back, and spinal injuries; and open and closed head injuries, including catastrophic traumatic brain injuries and skull fractures.

Have you been in an accident?

If you or a loved one has been injured due to the actions of another, it is crucial that you contact a lawyer as soon after the accident as possible. Please see our blog posts How A Lawyer Can Help You With Your Personal Injury Case  and Why It Is Important To Hire A Lawyer For Your Personal Injury Case for basic information about how an experienced lawyer can help with your car accident case.

Motor vehicle operators have a legal obligation to obey traffic laws, to drive safely, and to exercise reasonable care for the safety of other motorists, motorcyclists, and pedestrians. Many factors can cause car accidents, sometimes on their own and sometimes in combination with other factors:

  • Speeding

  • Reckless or unsafe vehicle operation

  • Making a lane change without checking mirrors or blind spots

  • Entering traffic without ensuring that the way is clear

  • Operating a vehicle while under the influence of drugs or alcohol

  • Operating a vehicle without regard to weather or road conditions

  • Driving while tired

  • Using a cell phone or other electronic device

  • Driving a vehicle that has bad brakes, bad tires, or is otherwise not safe to be on the road

Erbe Law Firm has proudly served clients throughout Iowa since 2005 from our Des Moines law firm. We look forward to hearing from you to see whether we can do the same for you.

Harley Erbe

First Steps

What do I do if I’m involved in an accident?

  • Remain at the scene

    In Iowa, it is generally a crime to leave the scene of an accident. If you do so, you risk losing your driver’s license as well as facing potentially serious criminal charges.

  • Get Medical Attention

    The adrenaline triggered by an accident can mask serious injuries. If medical personnel are called to the scene, do not refuse treatment. Allow them to make sure that you are not hurt.

  • Exchange Information

    Information to collect includes the person’s name, licence number and insurance information, and contact information of any witnesses to the accident.

  • Do Not Admit Fault

    Realize that it is not up to you to determine who is at fault in an accident; it is up to our judicial system. Even if you believe you were responsible, there may be factors of which you are not aware.

  • Take Notes

    As soon as you have talked to the police and medical personnel, sit in a quiet place and take notes. You may be surprised at how quickly your memory of the details will fade.

What are my rights to monetary compensation?

Iowa law provides strong remedies if you're injured in a car accident. You may be able to recover money damages for, among other things, past and future medical expenses, past and future physical and mental pain and suffering, and past and future disability or loss of function of the body. If the accident caused a death, an additional series of money damages for wrongful death may also be applicable.

We can help if you miss work or lose your job because of a car accident

We can help in two ways if a car accident causes you trouble at work or results in your firing. First, Iowa law allows you to recover economic damages for lost wages or loss of earning capacity caused by an auto accident. Second, our firm also handles employment law matters, including claims under the Family and Medical Leave Act, a federal law that may protect your job if you have to miss work to deal with your own or a loved one's injuries stemming from an accident.

How we can help:

Our Des Moines law firm can help with all types of car accident claims, including:

Handling your own car accident claim

People sometimes prefer to handle their accident claim and deal with the other driver's insurance company on their own. But often dealing with the other driver's insurance company on your own can be very difficult. Endless letters, interviews, and questionnaires, and other insurance company actions can be time consuming, exhausting, and confusing and can jeopardize your legal rights against the other driver. We can help eliminate some of the stress, take some of the weight off your shoulders, and ensure that your legal rights are fully protected. 

"Friendly and helpful" insurance claims people who work for the other driver do not have any of your best interests in mind. Dealing with the opposing insurer without a lawyer by your side and standing up for you may result in you getting shortchanged by the other driver's insurer. In addition to assisting with the insurance claims process, we can help identify your various potential claims for damages that can be sought. Please be aware that if the other driver's insurer offers you a fast, early settlement, you're likely getting that offer because the insurer hopes that you'll take it before you have a chance to "lawyer up" and become fully educated about the extent of your legal rights. And once you settle, that's it, no matter how unfair the settlement may later seem to be, so insurance companies have every reason to get you to settle for as little as possible and extinguish your legal rights.

Your attorney is waiting.

If after reviewing this information, you’d like to speak with us about your case, please reach out.

We make every effort to provide a same-day response to all communications received during weekday business hours. Initial telephone calls are always free. If it looks like we can help, it’ll be our pleasure to meet with you, learn more about your situation, and lend you a hand. We handle as many of our cases as possible on a contingent fee basis, meaning that there’s no fee unless we make a monetary recovery for you.

We are conveniently located near downtown Des Moines, and take pride in serving the state of Iowa.