Information and Insight for Injured Iowans

10 ways to save on prescription drugs

In 2007, Americans spent over $287 billion on prescription drugs. This number is daunting to many, especially those who need medication but cannot afford it. Approximately one-fourth of Americans are taking cost-saving measures into their own hands by not filling prescriptions, skipping dosages, and cutting their pills in half. Experts say that this could be dangerous to your health. The following are suggestions for saving money on prescription drugs.

1. Tell your doctor that you cannot afford what is prescribed. Ask for alternatives.
2. Ask your doctor if a generic drug works just as well.
3. If the doctor cannot think of any alternative, ask the pharmacist for a less-expensive drug.
4. Use mail order for long-term medicines. This may not be manageable with prescriptions that you need to fill immediately.
5. Seek out prescription assistance programs.
6. Take caution when accepting free samples. Often times, samples are the most expensive drugs.
7. Avoid asking your doctor for drugs you see on television since medicine on television is commonly very expensive.
8. Discuss the topic of cutting drugs in half with your doctor.
9. Shop around at different pharmacies and search for better prices if you do not have insurance.
10. Respectfully ask your doctor for a review of the drugs that you are taking. You may be taking drugs that you no longer need to take.

5 Mistakes that Lead to Medical Debt

According to Access Project, a non-profit healthcare advocacy group, two-thirds of people who fall into medical debt have insurance. Why, then, are the insured at risk of plummeting into medical debt overnight? Medical debt often springs quickly on people in communities across the country who regrettably commit the following mistakes:

1.      You ignore your bills. Do not assume that doctors and hospitals will look the other way even if you no longer can afford to pay your bills.

2.      You do not look for errors within your bill. Do not presume that hospitals and insurance companies are perfect and never make mistakes. Request an itemized bill every time you are required to pay for any medical-related expenses.

3.      You do not negotiate the price down. Doctors and hospitals will, at times, negotiate alternative prices with you; remember that the amount on the bill is not always the final amount that you will be required to pay.

4.      You are too embarrassed to ask for financial assistance. Numerous organizations are willing to help with your medical finances, but you must seek them out. Also, browse the internet to find programs which help patients afford treatments for specific illnesses.

5.      You do not work out a payment plan. Similar to their willingness to negotiate prices, some doctors and hospitals will occasionally work out interest-free monthly payment plans. Be honest with your doctor and hospital about your financial situation, and ask them if they will accept a payment plan.

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People will travel hundreds of miles to find the best possible car for their own situation. Some people are willing to travel a few extra miles to find a quality house that they can afford. For some, reason, though, many people seem hesitant to travel or commit to an attorney outside of their hometown. Finding an attorney is an investment and should be handled as such. As Cedar Rapids, IA car accident attorneys, we have seen people try to find an attorney doing all the wrong things. One important thing to remember is that the closest attorney is usually not the best attorney for your case. You have to look around.

What are the odds that you just happen to live minutes away from one of the relatively few Iowa lawyers who practice primarily in serious car accident cases? The sad truth is that most people are willing to drive several hours for a good deal on a new car but they do not look beyond their hometown for a lawyer. Don’t get us wrong – if you were injured in Iowa, you will likely need a lawyer with a license to practice in Iowa. But what many people don’t realize is that a car accident attorney who is licensed to practice law in Iowa can file a lawsuit in an Iowa county.

You should not focus on picking the nearest attorney – you should focus on picking the best and most qualified one for your case. That kind of choice can and should involve a statewide search.

To find out more tips for finding and hiring an experienced car accident attorney, go to Iowa Car Accident Facts to download a free 35-page guide.

           An unexpected car accident can lead to a frantic situation. Numerous thoughts may sprint through your mind. Was it my fault? Should I report this to the police? Does my insurance company need to know? To assist car accident victims, we created a guide for those who are involved in a car accident. The following points are key steps you should take after an accident:

• First, seek medical attention. It is better to seek medical treatment even if you are unsure whether you were injured or not. Often times, injuries from car accidents go unnoticed for hours or even days.
• Call your insurance company even if you are not near your home. Ask your insurance agent which forms or documents you need to fill out. If you do not report your accident to your insurance company after a certain amount of time, you may lose protection from your insurance company.
• Write down everything you remember from the scene including a drawing of the scene, the time of day, weather conditions, road conditions, what you saw, and what you heard.
• Arrange for photos to be taken. Take photos even if the investigating officer and insurance company already took photos. Take photos of the accident, your vehicle, your injuries, and your medical treatment.
• Get permission before having your vehicle repaired. Your insurance company may not cover your bills if you fail to clear the maintenance with them. Also, if anyone was seriously injured or killed in the accident, talk to an attorney before you have your vehicle repaired.
• Avoid contact with the other driver’s insurance company. Ask the insurance company to send you everything in writing. If you have questions about documents that you are being asked to sign, talk to an attorney.
• Consult an attorney before you pay a traffic fine or ticket. Paying a fine or ticket may be used against you as an admission of guilt.
• If you suffer car-accident related injuries, settle your claim or file a lawsuit within two years of the date of the car accident. Iowa law requires lawsuits to be filed within a short period of time after the accident. If you need assistance filing documents, contact an attorney to assist you with the process.

To learn more about safe and smart ways of protecting yourself after a car crash, call 1-800-IOWA-JUSTICE (toll free) to receive a free copy of “8 Simple Steps to Protecting Yourself After a Car Accident in Iowa.”

MISTAKE #1: Losing Your Right to Iowa Workers’ Compensation Benefits Because You Missed an Important Legal Deadline

The most costly error you can make as an injured worker in Iowa is failing to inform your employer that you were injured on the job. Generally, under Iowa law, once a worker discovers that an injury was the result of work-related activities, the injured worker has only 90 days to notify his or her employer. While some exceptions exist, failure to notify an employer within 90 days of a work injury can result in the loss of your entitlement to Iowa Workers’ Compensation benefits for that injury.

The next important legal deadline to be aware of is the 2-year anniversary of the date of a work injury. In Iowa, if an injured worker has not received a workers’ compensation weekly benefit check for a work injury (payment for medical treatment alone does not count), that worker must either settle his or her case or file a claim with the Iowa Workers’ Compensation Commissioner within two years or face the loss of his or her entitlement to Iowa Workers’ Compensation benefits for that injury.

A third important legal deadline an injured worker should be aware of is the 3-year anniversary of the date of his or her last workers’ compensation weekly benefit check. If you believe that you may be entitled to more than what you have been paid by the workers’ compensation insurance corporation, you must either settle your case or file a claim with the Iowa Workers’ Compensation Commissioner within three years of the date of your last weekly benefit check or face the loss of your entitlement to any additional benefits for that injury.

You cannot rely upon your employer or its insurance company to make you aware of these legal deadlines; knowing these deadlines and taking necessary action is your responsibility.

     It’s easy to forget details as time passes and in most occasions that won’t cause a problem. But after a motorcycle accident, details are essential. After the accident, it is important to know as many facts as possible, including some specific factors.

     Write down everything you remember about the crash as soon as you get home. Draw a diagram of the scene and the vehicles involved. Make note of the following information about the accident:

·         The time of day

·         The weather

·         The road conditions

·         What you saw

·         What you heard

     Put the notes in a safe place so they are available if you have to speak with an attorney or go to trial.

     To download a free 35-page guide that can help protect you after a motorcycle accident, go to Iowa Motorcycle Accident Facts.

      If you have questions or immediate concerns, do not hesitate to contact us toll-free: 1-888-546-6529.  We will do our best to answer your questions and there is no fee for an initial consultation.

     There are many factors that should be considered when deciding on a medical malpractice attorney. Some factors can be evaluated on paper while others can only be judged in person. After making a list of potential attorneys and comparing their written materials, the final step is meeting with the few attorneys left on that list.

     Call each of the offices on your short list of potential attorneys and schedule an appointment to speak with an attorney. There is absolutely no substitute for sitting down with an attorney to decide if he or she will be a good fit for you. In order for an attorney to represent you well, you have to be comfortable with the attorney and trust him or her. In addition to your general feeling about each attorney, it is also important that you ask each of them the right questions. We have included some important question in a free 35-page guide for medical malpractice victims, which can be ordered at Iowa Malpractice Facts. They are not the only questions to ask, but they are questions that reveal important information about an attorney’s expertise and experience in medical malpractice.

     If you have any questions or immediate concerns, do not hesitate to contact us toll-free: 1-888-546-6529.  We will do our best to answer your questions and there is not fee

for an initial consultation.

     The success of a medical malpractice claim can often rest on your choice of an attorney. The public should know that attorneys have specialties and areas of expertise.
     As Cedar Rapids, Iowa medical malpractice attorneys, we suggest you avoid the common mistake of taking a malpractice case to the only lawyer you know, without knowing whether the lawyer has experience in this area of the law.

     Just because a lawyer did a good job on your cousin’s drunk driving charge or your neighbor’s will does not mean that he or she is qualified to handle a medical malpractice case. In fact, some of the best Iowa malpractice attorneys have highly focused practices – you are not likely to find one who also handles family law, criminal law, and probate matters. A lawyer who you already know and trust can be a useful resource in finding a qualified malpractice attorney but your search should not necessarily end there.

     For a step-by-step guide to finding the right malpractice attorney for you, go to http://www.iowamalpracticefacts.com/ to download a free 35-page guide.

     If you have any questions or immediate concerns, do not hesitate to contact us

toll-free: 1-888-546-6529.  We will do our best to answer your questions and there is no fee for an initial consultation.

     Truck accidents can cause a lot of unforeseen expenses. With mounting medical costs, car repairs, and insurance costs, a quick settlement offer can sound very appealing. It is important to consider all the future expenses you must pay (including some to your own insurance companies) before accepting a quick settlement.                       

      Insurance company representatives will often try to convince a truck accident victim to quickly settle his or her personal injury claim by throwing out a settlement figure that—at first glace—seems fair. What they often do not mention is that the truck accident victim may not be entitled to keep all of that money.

Often a truck accident victim has had medical bills or lost wages paid by his or her:

·         Health insurance company

·         Auto insurance company (“medical payment coverage”)

·         Short-term disability insurance company

·         Employer’s workers’ compensation company

     Almost all of the insurance policies described above require an accident victim to pay back any amounts received if the accident victim reaches a settlement with the negligent driver or his or her insurance company. This legal obligation, which is known as “subrogation”, can leave an accident victim with little or nothing after a settlement. We protect our clients from the shock of subrogation by always advising our client about how much of any settlement off they will actually be able to put in their pockets. We also work to reduce our client’s subrogation obligations whenever possible before a settlement is reached.

     To learn about other tactics insurance companies use against truck accident victims, go to Iowa Truck Accident Facts to download a free 35-page guide.
     If you have any questions or immediate concerns, do not hesitate to contact us
toll-free:  1-888-546-6529.  We will do our best to answer your questions and there is not fee for an initial consultation.