Iowa Legal Issues Blog

Negligence in hospitals is never acceptable, protect yourself

On behalf of Ball, Kirk & Holm on Friday, October 11, 2019.

Patients in the hospital count on medical teams to keep them safe. Even individuals who are inpatient at top-rated medical centers should know what steps they can take to protect themselves. It isn't their job to make sure that the staff members follow protocol, but knowing some basic information is greatly beneficial.

Doctors and nurses aren't infallible. They should never become upset that you are taking steps to protect yourself. As long as they are acting in your best interests, there shouldn't be a problem with you asking questions about what's going on.

5 ways that children can be affected by car accidents

On behalf of Ball, Kirk & Holm on Thursday, September 12, 2019.

Car accidents are one of the leading causes of death for children. The dangers of car accidents can be mitigated by the proper use of car seats for infants and toddlers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this can reduce the risk of death by 71% in infants and by 51% in toddlers.

There are many ways that children can be affected by a car accident, even if they were not seriously injured. If a child was negatively affected by a car accident in any way, it may be possible to file a personal injury claim in Iowa to seek damages. The following are five ways that children can be affected by car accidents.

How back injuries can affect your quality of life

On behalf of Ball, Kirk & Holm on Monday, August 12, 2019.

Being involved in a car accident can alter your life profoundly. One of the most common injuries that occur as a result of a car accident are back injuries, and these can lead to chronic pain as well as mobility difficulties. Pain in the back can also be accompanied by paralysis if the spinal cord has been injured. If you or a loved one has been suffering from back pain after a car accident in Iowa, action must be taken so that the deserving amount of compensation is sought.

By understanding the nature of different types of back pain and the way that such pain can affect the patient's quality of life, you will likely feel more empowered to fight for compensation and make sure that fault is correctly attributed regarding the car accident.

5 types of motorcycle accidents

On behalf of Ball, Kirk & Holm on Monday, July 29, 2019.

Riding a motorcycle is a risk. Nothing guarantees you won't get into an accident. If you have been riding for a while, you probably understand that risk better than most. Even if you haven't gotten hit yet, you have seen how other drivers cause near-misses and make critical mistakes.

Even so, understanding how accidents happen may help you prepare yourself mentally to avoid them. You may see the signs early and take evasive action. It can help. With that in mind, here are five common types of crashes:

3 medical conditions that are commonly misdiagnosed

On behalf of Ball, Kirk & Holm on Monday, July 15, 2019.

It's easy to put all your faith in your medical team. You assume that they know best, so you follow their every suggestion.

Unfortunately, even the most experienced and knowledgeable medical professionals make mistakes. Depending on what goes wrong, a mistake can have a major impact on your health.

Why you should always see a doctor after a car accident

On behalf of Ball, Kirk & Holm on Friday, June 28, 2019.

Everyone who experiences a car accident should receive a medical assessment from a doctor, even if they do not have visible injuries. Some victims emerge from the wreck without any visible injuries and feeling no pain, which they assume means the accident didn't hurt them. Unfortunately, many injuries that do not cause immediate pain can cause serious long-term complications. Worse than that, some injuries that do not cause pain can even become fatal.

Delayed pain injuries can include head injuries, neck and back injuries, muscle damage, internal blood loss and organ damage, among others. Some of these injuries can develop long-term symptoms that leave victims with lasting pain, but early detection by a doctor can sometimes reduce recovery time and even avoid some serious results of the injuries entirely.

Teenage drivers have many risk factors for car wrecks

On behalf of Ball, Kirk & Holm on Thursday, June 13, 2019.

The summer months are often busy on the roads in Iowa. The uptick in traffic can be very dangerous. One significant hazard, especially within the city, is teenage drivers. Some of these drivers have just gotten their driver's licenses and don't have the wherewithal to handle some of the driving duties that come with operating a vehicle on busy streets.

There are many reasons besides inexperience that can lead to accidents caused by teen drivers. Understanding these risks might help parents to ensure their new drivers are taking steps to remain safe. It can also help the public to realize some important points about these drivers.

Top 5 causes of distracted driving

On behalf of Ball, Kirk & Holm on Thursday, May 30, 2019.

Many people consider distracted driving the single biggest problem facing drivers on the road today. That spot used to go to drunk driving, which is still a serious issue, but you now have a lot of distracted drivers who make the same mistakes: running red lights, drifting into oncoming traffic, not stopping in time, not reacting to traffic ahead of them and much more.

In order to really understand how and why distracted driving got this bad, you need to consider some of the top causes of distraction in the car. Here are five of them:

6 ways you can decrease your risk of a car wreck

On behalf of Ball, Kirk & Holm on Friday, May 17, 2019.

Have you ever driven through Waterloo on your way to work or to the supermarket and had to dodge another vehicle that didn't yield the right-of-way or ran a red a light? If the answer to this question is yes, you are not alone. Car accidents happen all over the city and even the country every day. If you have not been in a car accident yet, you may be wondering if your luck will one day run out.

Fortunately, avoiding a car accident doesn't solely require luck. Here are a few tips to help you stay safe on the road.

Prenatal care and medical malpractice

On behalf of Ball, Kirk & Holm on Tuesday, April 30, 2019.

Prenatal care is the type of medical assistance that a woman begins when she is pregnant. Expectant women usually begin prenatal care as soon as they learn that they are pregnant, and starting this process as early as possible tends to prevent health risks.

Prenatal care has an educational purpose and a health management purpose. Medical professionals have the duty to advise a pregnant woman about medications they should avoid, as well as the importance of avoiding alcohol, smoking and drugs for the duration of the pregnancy. They will also monitor other conditions and take precautions to manage them.