Get A Des Moines Car Accident Lawyer To Fight For Your Compensation

When another driver causes an accident that results in your injury, you deserve compensation for your pain and suffering, medical bills, and other costs. You cannot trust an insurance company to look out for your best interests, but you can trust me.

I am attorney Michael Norris, founder of Norris Injury Law Group. For over 20 years, I have represented personal injury clients in Des Moines in all types of accidents. This includes motor vehicle accidents involving motorcycles, cars, commercial trucks and pedestrians.

As a passionate motorcyclist, I understand how a single moment of distraction on the road can change your life. I provide the direct representation you need so you can focus on getting healthy while I handle the legal battle.

What Constitutes Distracted Driving Under Iowa Law?

In Iowa, distracted driving is any activity that takes a driver’s eyes off the road, hands off the wheel or mind off driving. Everyday behaviors that constitute distracted driving include:

• Texting while driving: Reading or typing a text message pulls a driver’s eyes away from the road.
• Talking on handheld cell phones: Holding a phone while talking can reduce a driver’s ability to react quickly.
• Emailing: Composing emails requires visual, manual and cognitive attention, which is a significant distraction when driving.
• Using navigation systems: Entering destinations or adjusting routes while driving can cause drivers to miss potential hazards, such as a pedestrian crossing the road.
• Changing radio stations or MP3 players: Reaching for controls or scrolling through playlists can significantly take the focus away from driving.
• Eating and drinking: Handling food or beverages requires taking one’s hands off the steering wheel.
• Grooming: Applying makeup or performing other personal maintenance tasks can take visual focus away from driving.

If you believe a distracted Iowa driver caused you injuries, I am the right lawyer to fight for your justice.

Understanding Iowa’s Hands-Free Driving Law

The Iowa hands-free law became effective July 1, 2025, with full enforcement beginning Jan. 1, 2026. Under this law, drivers are prohibited from holding any electronic device while operating a vehicle.

The only permitted action is using hands-free technology such as Bluetooth, voice commands or a properly mounted device. A driver may use a single tap or swipe to activate hands-free features, but cannot hold the device. If you believe a driver failed to observe the hands-free law, causing your injuries, I can help you seek legal recourse.

Stricter Hands-Free Laws For Iowa Drivers Under 18

Iowa law imposes even stricter rules on drivers under the age of 18, as part of the Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) system. These drivers are completely prohibited from using any electronic device while driving, regardless of whether it is hands-free. The only time they can use an electronic device is when the vehicle is stopped and off the roadway.

If you are a parent, you should encourage your under-18 children who drive to enable the “Do Not Disturb” option on their phones and keep them out of reach to focus entirely on the road.

Evidence To Gather After A Des Moines Car Accident

Gathering strong evidence after a Des Moines car accident can make a significant difference in proving what occurred and supporting your claim under Iowa law. The information you collect early on helps preserve details that may otherwise be lost, disputed or even forgotten.

One of the most effective ways to document the scene is through visual evidence. Take photos and video of your vehicle, the other vehicles, the surrounding roadway and any injuries you sustained. These images help show the position of the vehicles, the condition of the road and the immediate impact of the crash.

Footage from nearby sources can also provide valuable insight. Look for security cameras that may have recorded the collision or captured activity near the scene. Businesses, homes and traffic systems often store footage for only a short period, so identifying these cameras quickly is important.

Official documentation adds another layer of support to your claim. Complete a police accident report and request a copy for your records. Your report can include diagrams, statements and observations that help clarify how the crash occurred.

Accurate information from the other driver is essential for insurance and legal purposes. Collect the driver’s name, license plate number, registration details and insurance information. Having complete and correct details ensures that your attorney and insurers can contact the appropriate parties.

Financial records help demonstrate the extent of your losses. Save receipts for vehicle repairs, towing, medical treatment and transportation, including any ambulance charges. These documents help establish the financial impact of the car accident and support your claim for damages.

Your own recollection can also serve as a powerful tool. Write down or record your memory of the crash so you do not have to rely on fading memories later. Noting weather, traffic and driver behavior can help preserve important facts.

Independent accounts can further strengthen your case. Identify witnesses, gather their names and ask for their description of what they observed, including whether they captured photos or video. Witness statements help clarify disputed issues and provide support for your version of events.

As your attorney, I can organize the evidence you collected to build a clear narrative that shows how the crash occurred and who is responsible. This allows you to present a strong claim supported by detailed and credible documentation.

How Do You File A Claim After Your Car Accident?

After your accident, you may have many questions about filing a personal injury claim. I will work with you personally to assist you with this process, which generally includes:

• Contacting your insurance: Start the claim with your own provider first, but do not speak with the other driver’s insurance company without a lawyer present.
• Seeing a doctor: Document your injuries immediately. Even mild pain can worsen over time, and you need a medical record to prove your claim.
• Call Norris Injury Law Group: Iowa law requires you to file a lawsuit within two years of the accident date. The sooner we start, the better we can preserve evidence.

The legal process is not always simple and is rarely quick. The more severe your injuries, the longer your case is likely to take, but for good reason. You want to make sure your claim reflects the full extent of your injury and the medical care you will need now and in the future. Severe injuries from truck crashes or other major accidents, such as traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries and amputations, can take time for a doctor to fully diagnose. Once your medical situation is clear, I begin the negotiating process.

If your medical situation unexpectedly deteriorates or new evidence comes to light later, a claim may still be possible within that two-year window. Once your situation is clear, I begin the negotiating process to secure the resources you need.

Understanding The Risks Of Whiplash Injuries

Whiplash ranks among the most frequently seen injuries in car accident cases. It occurs when the impact of a collision throws the neck into a rapid forward and backward motion, straining the soft tissues that support it. What makes whiplash particularly challenging from a legal standpoint is that symptoms do not always show up right away. Some people feel fine at the scene and do not notice anything wrong until hours or days later. Signs that you may have sustained a whiplash injury include:

• Neck pain and stiffness that worsens with movement
• A reduced ability to turn or tilt your head comfortably
• Headaches that begin at the base of the skull and radiate upward
• Tenderness or aching in the shoulders, upper back or arms
• Tingling or numbness running down into the arms or hands

Seeing a doctor promptly after your accident does two things at once. It gets you the care you need and it creates a medical record that documents your condition from the beginning. That record becomes critical if your case goes to trial, because a consistent history of treatment and diagnosis is far more persuasive than a claim made after a long gap in care.

Uninsured And Underinsured Accident Claims In Iowa

Iowa law requires drivers to carry a minimum of $20,000 for bodily injury to one person and $40,000 for an entire accident. Unfortunately, many drivers carry only the bare minimum or no insurance at all.

I help clients secure compensation even when the at-fault driver lacks coverage through:

• Uninsured motorist (UM): This covers you if the other driver has no insurance or if you are a victim of a hit-and-run where the perpetrator cannot be found.
• Underinsured motorist (UIM): This applies when the at-fault driver’s policy is not large enough to cover your total medical bills and damages.

Dealing with your own insurance company for a UM or UIM claim can be just as difficult as dealing with a stranger’s. I cut through the confusion to help you get the full payout from your own coverage and pursue alternate sources of value when necessary.

Understanding Iowa’s Car Insurance Requirements

Iowa law sets minimum standards for auto insurance coverage that every driver on the road must carry. Knowing what those minimums are and how they apply to different driving situations matters when you are trying to recover compensation after an accident.

Under Iowa law, drivers must carry at least the following liability coverage:

• $20,000 for bodily injury or death of one person in a single accident
• $40,000 for bodily injury or death of two or more people in a single accident
• $15,000 for damage to another person’s property in a single accident

These are minimums and many drivers find they are not enough to cover the real cost of a serious accident. Carrying only the bare minimum can leave both at-fault drivers and injury victims in a difficult financial position when damages exceed the policy limits.

Requirements For Rental Vehicles

When you rent a vehicle, the rental company typically offers insurance policies at the time of pickup. Whether those policies make sense for your situation depends on what your personal auto policy and credit card already cover. If you are injured in an accident involving a rental vehicle, identifying which policy applies is an important early step.

Requirements For Rideshare And Transportation Network Companies

Uber, Lyft and other app-based ride services operate under a specific set of insurance rules in Iowa that differ from standard auto coverage. When a driver is actively using the app to pick up or transport a passenger, their personal auto policy steps aside. It does not cover accidents that happen during that window. Iowa legislation passed in 2016 addressed this gap by requiring TNCs to carry commercial coverage that protects passengers and by mandating that drivers receive clear disclosures about what the company’s policy covers and when it kicks in.

If you were injured as a passenger in a rideshare vehicle, the compensation you are entitled to comes from the TNC’s commercial policy, not the driver’s personal insurance. Those commercial policies often carry higher limits than a standard personal auto policy, which matters when injuries are serious. I help injured passengers cut through the insurance complexity, identify the right coverage and move forward with a claim.

Discuss Your Case With Me

Contact my firm as soon as possible to start investigating your accident and preparing your claim. I offer free initial consultations with my no-fee guarantee, and I only charge a fee if we win. You can call to schedule your appointment at 515-297-7482 or send an email. Talk to a lawyer who handles your case personally and gives you the straight answers you deserve.