Other than fire claims, no type of insurance claim generates more insurance suspicion than a claim that property has been stolen. Why is that? What should you do if you’re the victim of theft and need to make a property claim under your insurance policy? Let’s discuss. Insurance companies investigate stolen property claims with scrutiny and skepticism. Insureds must jump through many hoops to prove they played no role in the theft or loss of their own property. Insurance companies demand multiple years worth of tax returns, employment records, cell phone records, bank records, and anything els ..read more

After an accident involving only property damage or seemingly no or only minor injuries, it can be tempting to simply exchange information with the other driver and leave the scene without calling or waiting for the police. That’s a bad idea for your possible future negligence claim against the other driver. We explain why. If you’re the victim of another driver’s negligence and you believe that the accident may warrant a negligence claim against the other driver or the other driver’s insurance company, it’s imperative that you make a non-emergency call to the appropriate local law enforcement ..read more

The interior of grocery stores can be an adventure for shoppers. That’s especially true for modern stores with onsite food and beverage options that are essentially combination restaurants, bars, and grocery stores. A shopper can encounter wooden pallets, stacks of boxes, floors wet from cleaning, grease and other substances from spilled food, liquid from spilled beverages, snow, slush, and water tracked in by customers and employees, the list goes on and on. Meanwhile, shoppers are wandering around looking at shelves and displays and not necessarily watching where they’re walking. As a result ..read more

We’re asked to help with personal injury claims, including car accidents and motorcycle accidents, every week. We then advocate for our clients against insurance companies or in court. One key point that we’ve learned as a result of those efforts is that timely and consistent medical treatment is crucial to a personal injury claim. Insurance companies and the courts are very much concerned with whether an accident victim has received medical treatment and, if so, how much. Personal injury claims can include compensation for, among other things, medical expenses, pain and suffering, loss of fun ..read more

It seems to be a standard practice for employees to provide “two-weeks notice” before quitting. That’s not necessarily a good idea. Let’s review the reasons why. Consider this in the overall employment picture. Iowa’s an at-will employment state. That means that either the employer or the employee can terminate the employment relationship without warning or notice for any reason or for no reason at all. Employers rarely provide any notice of an employee’s firing. They just fire the employee and tell them to immediately leave or not come back. Employers certainly don’t normally tell employees t ..read more

Many homeowners contact us about concerns that the sellers of their home didn’t disclose major issues with the house. A recent decision from the Iowa Court of Appeals covered two issues that frequently arise in such cases. First, proving that the homeowner’s liable for the nondisclosure. Second, establishing that the undisclosed problem has caused or will cause meaningful damage to the new owner. Let’s review. The case is Michael Browne v. Christoper Roth and Debra Roth. Michael Browne bought a home from the Roths, with the intent to gut and remodel it before moving in. While he was stripping ..read more

There are common misconceptions about what a former employer can say about you to potential employers, or to anyone for that matter. Employers aren’t limited to confirming dates of employment. They can even disclose the circumstances surrounding the end of your employment. Although many employers adhere to confidentiality restrictions as a matter of internal policy, Iowa law recognizes very little in the way of such employment confidentiality. Let’s discuss those laws. Two Iowa statutes are the primary sources of legal restrictions against employers in these situations. The first is Iowa Code ..read more

Tubing down Iowa’s rivers is a popular summer activity. It’s also potentially dangerous, even deadly. Let’s discuss ways to remain safe while river tubing: Wear a lifejacket. You should be wearing one at all times while on the water. Most drowning victims weren’t wearing a lifejacket. Have proper footwear. Good footwear can provide traction when getting in and out of the water or walking in shallow water, helping you keep your balance. It can also protect you if you fall into the water and have to push off any obstacles. Know the river. Understand the dangers of the river you’re floating ..read more

It’s estimated that 10% of all vehicles on Iowa’s roads are uninsured. And many of the vehicles that are insured have minimal insurance coverage, often the minimum required by Iowa law. Let’s discuss how you can protect yourself from such drivers. If you’re injured in an accident that’s not your fault, you’ll look to the other driver to pay your medical expenses, lost wages, and other types of damages that are recoverable in personal injury claims. That’s usually handled by the other driver’s auto insurance. Iowa requires all vehicles to have liability coverage in the minimum amount of $20,000 ..read more

On February 16, 2022 the Iowa Court of Appeals determined that a murder victim’s family members couldn’t sue the owner of the farm where the murder happened or an employee of the farm. We discuss why the farm owner and his employee couldn’t be sued for negligence. Lee Christensen shot and killed Thomas Bortvit. Bortvit was dating Christensen’s former girlfriend. The shooting happened at a farm owned by Christensen’s relatives. Christensen was convicted of second degree murder. Bortvit’s parents and sister sued Christensen’s uncle, Roger Christensen, and grandfather, Donald Christensen, allegin ..read more