Information and Insight for Injured Iowans

5 Documents for the Responsible Adult

Are you prepared for the unexpected? Many people never consider the following five documents until it is too late. Think about getting the following documents which may assist your family in a time of need:

Ø  Medical Directive. No one is immune from a life-threatening disease or serious accident. If a situation arises where you can’t communicate with your doctor, a medical directive serves as a substitute. A medical directive includes two things: a living will and medical health-care proxy. A living will instructs the doctor how to care for you if you are not able to decide for yourself, and a medical health-care proxy names surrogates (such as a spouse or sibling) who can make decisions on your behalf. Although medical directives are legal documents, a lawyer is not needed to complete one.

Ø  Will. If you pass away before making a will, your assets will be divided according to state law. The only way to guarantee that your assets will be divided according to your wishes is to make a will. It is never too early to write a will.

Ø  Disability Insurance. Studies show that you are much more likely to be disabled in an accident than killed. Unfortunately, most people fail to buy disability insurance when they buy life insurance.

Ø  Umbrella Policy. Your regular home and auto policies will protect you but they may not be enough if you or a family member causes serious injury. An umbrella insurance policy is there to cover the expenses that a regular insurance policy cannot.

Ø  Life Insurance. Experts recommend purchasing life insurance as soon as you buy a house to cover the cost of the mortgage. Another piece of advice from the experts: each household should carry an insurance policy worth five to 10 times their annual income.

Smartmoney.com

Doctor’s Recommendations vs. Insurance Companies’ Restrictions: How to Get the Treatment You Need as a Truck Accident Victim

It can be difficult to understand the intricacies of your insurance policy. The elusive fine print continues to stifle its clients, especially those who seek medical treatment. Unfortunately, not all insurance companies assist their clients with understanding their policy as well as they should. In some cases, insurance companies will try and deceive you about your legal circumstances. One example of this occurs during medical treatment of truck accident victims.

As practicing Cedar Rapids, IA truck accident attorneys, we have seen the different types of treatment that doctors have recommended to injured truck accident victims.  While doctors may recommend different types of treatment and have your best interests at heart, it is not in the interest of insurance companies to pay more for specialized treatment (often treatment from a specialist of a chiropractor). That is why, when an insurance company representative learns about the type of medical treatment that a truck accident victim is receiving, he or she may suggest that his or her insurance company will not reimburse you for that type of treatment.  That is simply not true.

Under Iowa law, the at-fault driver (or his or her insurance company) is responsible for paying all “reasonable and necessary” medical expenses caused by the truck accident. What constitutes “reasonable and necessary” medical treatment should be decided by your doctors and other medical providers – not by an insurance adjuster. In most situations, truck accident victims should seek medical treatment until they are healed or a doctor tells them that their condition is as good as it is going to get (this is often referred to as the patient achieving “maximum medical improvement”).

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.

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.

     As Cedar Rapids, Iowa car accident attorneys, we understand the importance of choosing the right representation for your claim. The best way to determine the credentials and qualifications of an attorney is to ask.  The problem is that many people don’t know what questions to ask. One such question is “Are you eligible under Iowa Rule DR 2-105(C) to advertise that you practice primarily in personal injury law?”

This is a question that only a legal insider would likely know to ask. In order for an Iowa attorney to advertise that he or she “practices primarily” in personal injury law, the lawyer must file an annual written report with the Iowa Supreme Court’s Commission on Continuing Education swearing that:

·         The greater of 400 hours or 40% of the lawyers time in the preceding year was spent doing personal injury cases; and

·         The lawyer has attended 15 hours of continuing legal education in personal injury matters in the preceding year.

     Do not be fooled if a lawyer tells you that he or she is eligible under Iowa Rule DR 2-105 (B) rather than (C)! Iowa Rule DR 2- 105 (B) requires only 100 hours or 10% of the lawyer’s time in the preceding year was spent doing personal injury cases. This question – “Are you eligible under Iowa Rule DR 2-105 (C) to advertise that you practice primarily in personal injury law?” – is the fastest way to find out whether you are talking to an experienced Iowa car accident attorney who is making an effort to stay informed of the latest medical and legal trends. Relatively few Iowa attorneys can answer this question with a “Yes.”

     To discover other questions to ask potential car accident attorneys, go to Iowa Car 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 no fee for an initial consultation.

     Are you looking for a qualification that can easily set attorneys apart? A sure sign of experience and knowledge is the ability to teach others. Attorneys who teach at law schools can be an easy way to help you select a quality attorney.

     Law schools will often invited distinguished lawyers and judges to teach classes to their law students. A good number of lawyers volunteer their time to judge law student competitions or give guest lectures. Very few lawyers and judges are asked by a law school to teach an entire course. Lawyer who teach entire courses at a law school, but also practice law, are often described as “adjunct professors” or “adjunct faculty.” Adjunct professors are typically selected by a law school for their expertise in a particular area of law.

     Find out other questions to ask your potential attorney by going to Iowa Car 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 no fee for an initial consultation.

     While it is true that semi-truck accidents are very different from small vehicle crashes, there is a misconception about who can handle these types of cases. It is not true that any attorney who handles a car accident case can also handle a truck accident case.

     Many people (including some lawyers) mistakenly think of truck accident as simply larger automobile accidents. Not only are the vehicles involved very different, but the law and regulations governing semi-truck and the people who drive them are also very different than the basic rules of the road. Many of these laws and regulations are uniquely designed to protect other motorists from the negligence of trucking companies. Located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, our office believes that understanding the crucial details of commercial motor vehicle law is essential to handling a serious trucking case. Without that kind of knowledge, an attorney could very well make any one of the mistakes that can be found in our free 35-page guide by going to Iowa Truck Accident Facts.

     If you have any related questions or any 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 charge for an initial consultation.

As an Iowa personal injury lawyer located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa I am often asked:  Do I need a Lawyer?   Simple question – not such a simple answer.   If you have a minor injury that does not result in permanent problems and the insurance company is being fair, you may not need a lawyer.  But you should always talk to a lawyer and do so early on.   Believe it or not, you need a lawyer to help you know if you’re going to need one for the long haul.  Most good attorneys are not going to steer you wrong or charge you any fee for an initial consultation.   How do you know whether you are talking to a competent Iowa Personal Injury Lawyer?  Make sure they practice primarily in personal injury law and are not a general practitioner.  Simply ask “do you practice primarily in personal injury law?”  and they must be honest with you.   You should also make it clear what kind of accident you were involved in and ask the lawyer if they have handled such a case.  Ask them if they have ever tried a case to jury on similar issues in the last few years.  If they haven’t you should at least contact other attorneys and look at your options.   We’re in Cedar Rapids, Iowa but go all over Iowa on various cases.  We have tried to develop some helpful legal guides addressing various kinds of personal injury or malpractice cases.  Go to our site  www.riccololaw.com to check them out or give us a call if you have any questions, toll free: 1 -888-546-6529.   

     Closed Head Injury or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) cases are different than your run of the mill personal injury case and require that you hire the right personal injury lawyer.  Our Iowa lawyers have worked on dozens of closed head injury negligence cases and have learned what to look for and perhaps more importantly, what to look out for.  In fact, many other lawyers refer us cases involving closed head injuries becuase of our experience. Whether caused in a tractor-trailer, motorcycle, construction, or car accident, a closed head injury case is automatically different than any other personal injury case even if it might have been caused in a similar matter.  This is because the medicine and science is different.  We have found, regardless of whether we are in trial in  Davenport, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Des Moines  - the jury needs to hear from the right experts.   There is a clear need for medical specialists when one suffers a closed head injury.  Likewise, there is a clear need to be working with a lawyer that understands the issues in a closed head injury case, has access to the best experts in the field, and knows how to advise you of the risks you face in your unique case.  You shouldn’t have to face the difficulties of a closed head injury claim without having a chance to know your rights and risks.       
 

Visit our website  www.riccololaw.com to learn what questions to ask your potential  attorney, depending on what caused the head injury.   We have downloadable, free guides on motorcycle, trucking and car accident cases or you can always call without charge or obligation and ask us questions  1-888- 546-6529.