Sigourney Car Accident Injury Attorneys

Car accidents remain a serious threat on Iowa roadways, and Sigourney families are not immune to the risks. Understanding how to stay safer behind the wheel, recognizing the warning signs of a traumatic brain injury, and knowing what insurance companies do not want you to find out can all help protect you and your loved ones if the worst happens.

At Walker, Billingsley & Bair, our Sigourney car accident attorneys want residents to understand both how to prevent serious crashes and what to do if they or a loved one is injured in one. Below, we cover Iowa's rising motor vehicle fatality numbers and how to protect your family, what to watch for after a traumatic brain injury, and the tactics insurance companies use that you deserve to know about.

Protecting Your Sigourney Family as Iowa Motor Vehicle Fatalities Continue to Rise

In 2024, 357 people died in car crashes in Iowa. In a staggering 46 percent of these deaths the person was not wearing a seat belt, and in another 17 percent seat belt use could not be determined. Of these deaths, people were not in cars in a significant number of cases, including pedestrians, motorcycle riders, and bicycle riders. These are sobering statistics, but there are steps Sigourney families can take to stay safer on the road.

Wear a Seatbelt

169 of the motorists killed in 2024 in Iowa were not wearing a seatbelt. For most of us, it is a habit to put on your seat belt anytime you get into a car. If it is not a habit for you and your family, you can make it a habit by putting a sticky note on your steering wheel to remind you every time you get into your car. It is also the law in Iowa to wear a seat belt, and if you are found guilty you face a fine plus court costs and surcharges. Another thing to consider is that if you are in a car crash that is the other driver's fault and you are not wearing a seat belt, you can be assigned up to 25 percent fault for not doing so, which would reduce the compensation you are entitled to receive. Wearing a seat belt is a simple way to avoid physical and financial harm.

Drive Defensively

Statistics show that distracted driving is the cause or at least a contributing factor in 25 percent of all motor vehicle crashes. It may very well be true that the other driver on a Sigourney road is on their phone and not paying attention. Driving defensively can mean keeping at least three car lengths between yourself and the vehicle in front of you, having your foot near the brake as you approach an intersection when you see another vehicle that may pull out in front of you, and generally trying to anticipate others not paying attention or following traffic laws.

Pay Attention and Avoid Distracted Driving

Distracted driving takes several forms, with cell phone use at the top of the list. It seems that many Iowans continue to ignore the law that prohibits texting while driving. This is not only very dangerous, but it is also illegal. Please set a good example for younger drivers and put your phone away while driving. No call or text is worth a life of misery or death.

Slow Down and Avoid Aggressive Driving

Each year approximately one third of the total traffic deaths in the United States are caused by speeding. It is much better to be late for something than not arrive at all. If you feel like you are always late for appointments, make it a habit to give yourself at least 15 extra minutes in case you run into traffic. Driving fast is a recipe for an accident. Aggressive driving, like cutting in and out of traffic to gain a few spots, is also dangerous. If you encounter an aggressive driver on the road, the best thing to do is ignore them rather than provoke them further. If you feel threatened, call 911, take a video or picture of the driver, and proceed to a safe location such as a police station.

Traumatic Brain Injuries After a Sigourney Car Accident

What is often referred to as a head injury is really a traumatic brain injury. While you may have sustained cuts, abrasions, or even a skull fracture, what is inside your head, your brain, is much more important than your head. If you have been diagnosed with a concussion, this is also a form of brain injury. If you have sustained a significant brain injury that doctors could see on a CT scan or MRI, which may require surgery, then your brain will likely never be the same again. Thankfully, most concussions are mild in nature, such that the brain heals within a few weeks leaving no ongoing problems, though sometimes even a mild injury can have lifelong consequences.

Changes to Watch For After a Brain Injury

It is well known that the person who sustained the brain injury often will not notice or understand that they have changed after the trauma. This is why another person who knew the Sigourney victim before the car accident should look for signs of long-term problems. Three things to watch for include changes in memory, such as forgetfulness or losing your train of thought and in severe cases not knowing who a friend or family member is; changes in hygiene, such as forgetting to shower, brush teeth, or comb hair; and changes in character, such as a normally calm person becoming easily angered. If someone tells you that you or your loved one has changed since the car accident, it is best to get help.

Steps to Take After Noticing These Warning Signs

If you notice any of these warning signs of a long-term brain injury, do not wait. Immediately seek specialized medical care with a concussion clinic. A family doctor can diagnose a concussion, but they are not specifically trained in detail about how a patient can make the best recovery possible following a brain injury. Concussion clinics can offer specialized medical care including speech therapy, physical therapy, medications, counseling, and much more to assist a person who sustained a head injury. If you are experiencing what is called post-concussive syndrome, you may be dealing with headaches, forgetfulness, memory loss, and more, and it is recommended that you seek the expertise of a concussion specialist to make the best recovery possible.

If you or a loved one sustained a head injury in a Sigourney auto accident, you may be confused and scared about what to do next. Suffering from the aftermath of a car accident should not stand in the way of pursuing justice and fair compensation.

What Insurers Don't Want Sigourney Accident Victims to Know

Insurance companies are some of the richest and most powerful corporations in the country, and they invest heavily in reducing the rights and compensation available to hardworking Iowans so they can increase their own profits. However, what they don't control are the judges and juries that ultimately decide the amount of compensation if you have been hurt in a car accident. There are several things the insurance company does not want you to know.

The Insurance Company Is Legally Allowed to Mislead You

There is no law requiring the insurance company for the other side to tell you the truth or do anything in your best interests. This is why an adjuster will sometimes act like a friend and try to build trust, a routine that is especially common when injuries are serious. It is a bad idea to trust an insurance adjuster, since their job is to pay you as little money as possible. They are not required to treat you fairly, and in fact may receive promotions and bonuses for building a track record of paying less than cases are worth.

You Do Not Have to Give a Recorded Statement

The insurance adjuster may tell you they need a recorded statement to evaluate your claim, but you have no obligation to give the insurance company for the other side one. The reason they want a recorded statement is so they can ask you questions in a way that lets them later use your answers against you. Your credibility is very important in any injury case, which is why the insurance adjuster will try to damage it right away.

Their Final Offer Is Usually Not Their Best Offer

Often during negotiations, the insurance company will tell you this is their final offer, but experience shows that most of the time it really is not their best offer. It is highly unlikely they will refuse to make another proposal. Sometimes you may have to go through the process of filing a lawsuit to really get their best offer.

They Will Intentionally Frustrate You

This is a tactic insurance adjusters sometimes use when the friendly routine does not work. A very low initial offer may make you angry and frustrated, and a certain percentage of people will take a low-ball offer just to avoid dealing with the adjuster any longer. Do not let them win this game. If you have sustained a serious injury with potential lifelong effects, you should consider turning things over to an experienced injury attorney, who deals with insurance adjuster tactics every day and can handle the insurance company on your behalf while you focus on healing.

They Will Not Pay Your Medical Bills as You Incur Them

The insurance adjuster may tell you to send your medical bills to them, but this does not mean they will actually pay them. This is a strategy used to get you to settle your case for less later, once you start receiving collection calls from creditors, hospitals, and doctors. In car accident and personal injury cases, it is best to have medical bills paid by your health insurance or medical payments coverage under your own car insurance policy, since it could be years before your case against the other side is resolved.