Personal Injury Attorney

Personal Injury Attorney in Des Moines, IA

Personal injury law is a broad area of the law. It encompasses many types of cases that involve events like car accidents, bicycle accidents, slip and fall accidents, medical malpractice, security negligence, and more. Although each accident type is different, the common thread that unites each successful suit is some form of negligence that might otherwise have been prevented. Have you been injured in an accident that was caused by someone else’s carelessness, recklessness, or wrong-doing? Under Iowa law, you may be eligible for compensation. But in order to seek damages, you need to have a strong advocate on your side.

Rouse Law P.C. has been practicing personal injury law in Des Moines, IA, for nearly a quarter of a century. Attorney Ward A. (Sam) Rouse is a former prosecutor who launched his private practice in the mid-1990s in order to fulfill his desire to help people. Accidents happen out of the blue in the blink of an eye. A serious accident can completely change the course of a life. You have a right to seek damages for what you’ve suffered if your accident was caused by someone else. Contact Rouse Law P.C. to schedule your free initial consultation.

Mr. Rouse: Experience Personal Injury Attorney in Des Moines, IA

Personal injury cases can be complex. If you want to seek damages for your injuries, you need the services of an experienced personal injury attorney like Mr. Rouse. Our Des Moines, IA, law firm has been devoted to helping accident victims for more than two decades. We have won millions in damages over the years on behalf of our clients. Whether at the negotiation table or in the courtroom, Mr. Rouse will aggressively pursue justice on his clients’ behalf. He will carefully assess the particulars of your case in order to provide you with sound legal advice and diligent representation.

What about Legal Fees?

Aside from the physical and mental pain and suffering that accident victims endure, they must also contend with relentless medical bills and lost wages. How on earth, they must wonder, will they ever be able to afford a high-quality personal injury attorney? Mr. Rouse and his associates understand that toll that serious injuries take on individuals as well as their families. That’s why he will not charge his legal fees unless he is successful in winning your case. Only if he is able to achieve an agreeable settlement or compensation award will he send you his bill. And even then, you can expect fair, transparent fees for his services. Mr. Rouse is dedicated to helping accident victims—and he stakes his pay on his ability to win your claim.

Rouse Law Personal Injury Practice Areas

Mr. Rouse focuses on certain types of personal injury cases. These include:

If you’ve been injured in association with these types of accidents, Mr. Rouse can closely examine your claim. If you don’t see your accident type listed, contact the firm anyway. Over the past two decades, Mr. Rouse has represented clients in many different types of personal injury cases and may be able to take on yours. If he can’t, he’ll be able to recommend a Des Moines personal injury attorney who can.

How Long Will My Case Take to Resolve?

Most clients are understandably anxious about the time frame their case will involve. Sometimes these cases can be resolved in a matter of weeks or a few months. These generally involve straightforward circumstances. Usually negotiated claims are faster to resolve than cases that land in court. Even so, complex cases can last upwards of a year—even two. While most cases are resolved by that year mark, it all depends on the particulars of a case. Mr. Rouse can provide you with his opinion of your case based on his experience practicing personal injury law, but no lawyer can say definitively how long it may take to resolve a personal injury claim.

Is There A Deadline for Filing a Personal Injury Claim?

Yes. There is a deadline for filing your claim in Iowa. In most cases, claimants will have two years from the date of their accident to file their claim in court. If you choose to pursue your claim for damages, Mr. Rouse can handle all the filing of court documents on your behalf.

How Will Attorney Rouse Represent Your Claim?

Mr. Rouse is a highly skilled and experienced personal injury attorney who takes time to get to know each client and their situation. He examines each claim detail by detail in order to provide client with the most reliable legal counsel. Throughout the course of each claim, Mr. Rouse and the firm typically offers services such as:

Evaluate your claim: Mr. Rouse will assess your claim detail by detail to understand its merits and challenges.
File court documents: Mr. Rouse handles all court filings and case-related paperwork.
Investigate: Mr. Rouse and his team will try to procure evidence that supports your claim. This can include video footage, photos, or witness accounts.
Procure professional services: sometimes it’s helpful to obtain advice or services from other professionals like medical experts, an actuary, or accident reconstructionist.
Communicate with at-fault party: no need to worry about saying or doing the wrong thing. Mr. Rouse will communicate with the insurers as well as the at-fault party’s attorneys on your behalf.
Negotiate or litigate your claim: Mr. Rouse is an experienced negotiator and litigator. He will aggressively pursue your right to fair compensation for what you’ve endured.

Clients can also expect Mr. Rouse to regularly communicate, answering questions and addressing concerns in a timely manner. His associates are extremely helpful to clients and are also dedicated to providing them with professional service at all times.

What Happens during a Case Evaluation?

If you believe that your accident was caused by the fault of another, you may be eligible for fair compensation. Bring your claim to Rouse Law. Mr. Rouse will examine your case and discuss its merits and challenges, as he sees them, with you. Having some preliminary legal advice will help you make an informed decision about how to proceed. If you choose to pursue your claim for damages and decide to hire Mr. Rouse, you can expect an unparalleled level of dedication to pursuing justice on your behalf. Mr. Rouse values each client and the trust they place in his care. He will do everything he can to win a lucrative settlement or compensation award for you.

Proving Negligence

To win a claim along with monetary compensation, it’s necessary to prove that the defendant was in some way negligent, careless, or reckless. For example, Mr. Rouse will attempt to show that:

The defendant owed a legal duty to the victim
The defendant breached that duty
The breach resulted in the victim’s injuries
The victim suffered injuries as well as damages

These basic tenets govern most personal injury cases in some way, shape, or form. The point is, if your accident was caused by someone else, Mr. Rouse will work to demonstrate that the fault was, indeed, theirs.

Negotiating a Claim

Did you know that most personal injury claims are resolved through negotiation measures? This isn’t like negotiating a car loan; the stakes are high, and Mr. Rouse is always aware of what’s at stake for his clients. Before sitting down with the defendant and their lawyers or insurance company representatives, he will examine the claim to determine what a fair compensation sum should look like. Sometimes negotiations begin over the phone or in letter form and often wind up in a conference room with a pot of coffee. Regardless of where negotiations take place, you can count on Mr. Rouse to press your claim in order to achieve a fair settlement.

Negotiation is seldom a cut-and-dry process. Mr. Rouse demand what he (and you as the client) believe to be an acceptable amount for what has transpired. The insurance adjuster may point out a problem with the claim (i.e. may question why the client visited multiple physical therapists rather than one—and why so long?). Mr. Rouse will respond to the adjuster’s comments whatever they happen to be. Often, the insurance company will make an offer in the hopes that the client will accept in order to be done with the whole legal aspect of their situation. Clients have the right to agree or decline. If the client declines, Mr. Rouse will suggest a different amount, with comments that justify the sum in question.

The process can go on for weeks. Often, the matter is resolved by this process, but not always. Some defendants are reluctant to accept any liability for the accident. They may simply refuse to negotiate any type of settlement and deny their culpability outright. In these cases, Mr. Rouse can escalate the case to litigation.

The Litigation Process

Litigation means that the dispute will be resolved through the courts. If Mr. Rouse is unable to achieve an acceptable settlement at the negotiation table, he will bring your case before a judge and jury. He has substantial experience in the courtroom as both a prosecutor and defense attorney. During the court proceedings, Mr. Rouse will present your case, describe the defendant’s negligence or error, and enumerate on your damages—including pain and suffering and economic losses like missing work wages and medical expenses. He is an aggressive litigator and will pursue justice on your behalf. Unless he is able to achieve a compensation award, he will not charge you his fees.

Compensation

Iowa personal injury victims may claim both economic and non-economic damages in association with their injuries. Economic damages may include:

Medical costs (past and future)
Lost work wages (past and future)
Lost bonuses
Lost sales
Lost pension
Funeral expenses and more

Medical costs include a wide array of expenses that often involve multiple surgeries, doctor visits, tests and scans, home nursing, rehabilitation center stays, hospital stays, emergency room costs, counseling, medical equipment, medication, and physical therapy. For complicated personal injury cases, Mr. Rouse may consult medical experts who can discuss the nature of the client’s injuries in detail and the likely medical care they will need in the future. Mr. Rouse may also wish to obtain the services of an actuary or accountant to help calculate the lost wages and benefits associated with an individual’s claim and lost work earnings.

Non-economic damages include the physical and psychological pain and suffering that accident victims experience in association with their injuries. When considering this amount, Mr. Rouse might ask a client: how much would you charge to endure these injuries now that you understand what they involve and the impact they’ve had on your life? Of course, this type of question is inappropriate in some types of cases, but he does need to arrive at a fair sum to request for pain and suffering. He understands how much his clients suffer as a result of their serious and sometimes life-changing injuries. They didn’t ask to be hurt in an accident. They were unwittingly injured by another and they deserve compensation for the pain and suffering they were forced to endure.

Types of Accident Injuries

There are many types of accidents that cause life-changing accidents. In Iowa, accidents like car collisions and slip and fall accidents may include:

Traumatic brain injury
Concussion
Organ damage
Internal bleeding
Broken bones and fractures
Spinal injuries
Disfigurement
Amputation
Road rash
Cuts and lacerations
Post-traumatic stress disorder

If you are involved in any type of accident, you should seek medical care right away. Without treatment, serious injuries can be life threatening. Sometimes, victims of accidents don’t understand the extent of their injuries. They may not realize that they’ve suffered a neck fracture or concussion. It’s important to visit a hospital emergency room or urgent care center to get evaluated by medical experts.

When you visit a medical center, staff will document your injuries and the care you receive. This document, part of your medical record, is going to be evidence should you decide to pursue a claim for damages. Keep all your medical records—all receipts for medical supplies like equipment and medication—in a safe place. This evidence is vital for supporting your claim.

Also, it’s a good idea to call police to the scene of a serious accident so they can produce an accident report. This report may be helpful evidence in support of your claim.

Contact Attorney Rouse and his Des Moines law firm if you need an Iowa personal injury attorney. He and his associates have the skills needed to pursue your claim. Call to schedule your initial consultation, and remember, we will not charge you any legal fees unless we’re able to win your case.