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Your West Des Moines Personal Injury Attorney
An injury changes the pace of your days. Medical visits, paperwork and worry about money can crowd out everything else. If you were hurt in West Des Moines because of another person’s actions, this page explains how Iowa treats injury claims so you can plan your next step.
Nothing on this page is legal advice, and NeedAnAttorney.net is not a law firm. It is a service that connects injured people with attorneys. The rules described here are quoted or summarized from Iowa’s own statutes so that you can check them yourself.
Questions Worth Asking In West Des Moines
Whoever you speak to, a few answers tell you a lot:
- If you were partly to blame. Ask what happens to your award if the jury assigns you a percentage of fault. Damages are diminished in proportion to it (Iowa Code 668.3).
- The deadline. Ask for the specific last day to file. Actions founded on injuries to the person must be brought within two years after the cause of action accrues (Iowa Code 614.1(2)).
- Any ceiling. Ask which limits could apply. A five million dollar limit on noneconomic damages covers some commercial truck cases, and recoverable medical expenses are tied to amounts paid or owed (Iowa Code 668.15A, Iowa Code 668.14A).
- Fees and costs. Ask what the fee is, when it is paid, and which expenses are deducted from a settlement.
- Who will work on it. Ask who handles your file day to day and how fast messages are answered.
Injury Claims People Ask About
Vehicle crashes
Vehicle injuries start with the same few steps: medical care first, then photographs of the scene, names and numbers of anyone who saw it, the other driver’s insurance information and any estimates for repairs.
Pedestrian and bicycle injuries
Walkers and cyclists hurt by a vehicle should write down the location, the time of day, the lighting and the signals as soon as they can. Witnesses who stopped are valuable, so ask for their contact details before they leave.
Falls and unsafe property
Slips, trips and falls come from spills, uneven surfaces, poor lighting and broken stairs. What matters is who controlled the place and how long the problem was there, so document the hazard and tell the owner or manager promptly.
Wrongful death
If someone you love died because another person was careless or at fault, the law treats it separately. Iowa law treats money recovered for a wrongful death as property of the deceased person’s estate, except that damages for the loss of services and support of a deceased spouse, parent or child are apportioned by the court among the surviving spouse, children and parents (Iowa Code 633.336). You do not have to sort this out alone or quickly; an attorney can explain who is allowed to act and what the dates are.
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How Shared Fault Is Counted
Shared blame is common in injury cases, and Iowa has a rule for it. A claim is barred only if the claimant’s fault is greater than the combined fault of the defendants, third party defendants and released persons. Below that point the damages are diminished in proportion to the claimant’s fault (Iowa Code 668.3).
The percentages also decide who pays what. Under Iowa Code 668.4, a defendant below fifty percent of the total fault is not jointly and severally liable, and a defendant at fifty percent or more is jointly and severally liable for economic damages only. Ask an attorney how that could play out when more than one person was at fault.
Damage Rules You May Hear About
Medical bills work differently in Iowa than many people expect. In an action for personal injury, the damages for the cost or value of medical care cannot exceed the amounts actually paid by or for the injured person to the providers plus any amounts actually necessary to satisfy charges that have been incurred but not yet satisfied (Iowa Code 668.14A). That rule does not apply to actions governed by Iowa Code 147.136.
A separate rule applies to commercial trucks. Noneconomic damages against the owner or operator of a commercial motor vehicle that requires a commercial driver’s license are limited to five million dollars per plaintiff, with exceptions for the situations the statute lists (Iowa Code 668.15A).
Filing Deadlines For Injury Claims
In Iowa, an action founded on injuries to the person must be brought within two years after the cause of action accrues (Iowa Code 614.1(2)). The type of claim and the defendant can change the date, so ask any attorney to name the last day in your case.
If a city, county or other municipality may be responsible, the action must be commenced within two years after the alleged wrongful death, loss or injury (Iowa Code 670.5). For a claim against the State, the claim has to be made in writing and filed with the director of the department of management within two years after it accrued, or it is forever barred (Iowa Code 669.13).
Coverage Limits Behind a Crash Claim
Iowa requires a driver to have financial liability coverage in effect for the vehicle and to carry proof of it (Iowa Code 321.20B). Under Iowa Code 321A.21, an owner’s policy carries limits of $20,000 for bodily injury or death of one person in an accident, $40,000 for two or more people, and $15,000 for injury to or destruction of the property of others. Those are minimums, and a serious injury can cost much more.
Your own policy matters too. Iowa Code 516A.1 says a liability policy delivered in Iowa must include uninsured, hit and run and underinsured motor vehicle coverage with limits at least equal to those figures, unless the named insured rejects the coverage in a signed written rejection.
Trauma Care in West Des Moines
On the state’s list of verified trauma centers, updated September 2025, West Des Moines is shown with MercyOne West Des Moines Medical Center, a Level IV trauma center verified by the state. According to the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services list of verified trauma centers, updated September 2025, UnityPoint Health Methodist West Hospital is a Level IV trauma center verified by the state in West Des Moines. The Census Bureau lists West Des Moines in more than one county: Dallas County, Madison County, Polk County and Warren County.
Ask every provider for your full records and an itemized bill, and keep a running list of appointments. A transfer between hospitals leaves two sets of records, so request both.
What Happens When You Send The Form From West Des Moines
Fill in the form at the top of this page. NeedAnAttorney.net reviews your details and works to match you with an attorney in our network who may handle cases in Iowa. The form is free to use, and sending it does not mean you have hired anyone.
Until someone calls, make a simple record: what happened, the date and time, names of anyone who saw it, the treatment you have had, and the days you missed from work. Keep every bill and letter in one place.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Iowa bar me from recovering if I share the blame?
Not unless your share is greater than the combined fault of the defendants, third party defendants and released persons. Below that point you can recover, reduced in proportion to your fault (Iowa Code 668.3).
Is there a limit on damages for an injury in Iowa?
Iowa law sets a limit of five million dollars per plaintiff on noneconomic damages in cases against the owner or operator of a commercial motor vehicle that requires a commercial driver’s license, with listed exceptions (Iowa Code 668.15A). Recoverable medical expenses are limited to amounts paid or still owed (Iowa Code 668.14A). Ask an attorney whether either rule applies to your case.
What are Iowa’s minimum auto insurance limits?
At least $20,000 per person and $40,000 per accident for bodily injury or death, and $15,000 for property damage (Iowa Code 321A.21).
What should I save for my claim?
Save treatment records and bills, photographs, the report number if there is one, pay stubs that show lost work, estimates for repairs, and every letter or email from an insurance company.
Do I have to give the other insurer a recorded statement?
Not right away. You may decline a recorded statement until you have talked to someone about your options, and saying so is fine.
Are there special deadlines for claims against the government?
There are. The deadline is two years for an action against a municipality (Iowa Code 670.5) and two years to file a written claim against the State (Iowa Code 669.13).
How long will my injury claim take?
There is no fixed time. Claims often wait until you finish treatment so the total losses are known, and cases that go to court take longer than ones that settle.
What is the Iowa statute of limitations for an injury claim?
Generally two years (Iowa Code 614.1(2)). A minor has one year after reaching the age of majority, and a person with mental illness one year after the disability ends (Iowa Code 614.8).
If You Were Hurt Somewhere Else In Iowa
The same matching service covers more of Iowa. Pick the community closest to where it happened.
