Personal Injury Attorneys in Des Moines, IA
Hurt in Des Moines because someone else was careless, whether on the road, at a store, or on a job site? A licensed Iowa personal injury attorney will look at your case for free.
- Free to use — no fee unless you win
- Matched with an Iowa attorney in 24 hours
- 30,000+ plaintiffs served nationwide
Free Des Moines personal injury case review
A Iowa attorney will take a look. Or call 1-833-WELEGAL.
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How we match your Des Moines personal injury case
When you submit a Des Moines personal injury matter, we route it through a national network of independent partner firms and put it in front of the one that fits best — based on the kind of case it is, what it is likely to involve, where it has to be handled, and who has capacity to take it on now.
Case type
A personal injury matter needs someone who handles personal injury work day to day, not a generalist. Practice area is the first filter.
Size and complexity
Some firms are built for catastrophic injury and multi-party litigation; others resolve straightforward claims quickly. We weigh what your matter is likely to involve against how each firm actually works.
Jurisdiction and licensing
Your matter is decided under Iowa law, so it goes to an attorney licensed in Iowa who regularly appears where your case would be heard.
Capacity and fit
Availability, conflicts of interest and language all matter. If the best-fit firm cannot take your case, we route it to the next one that can — or tell you plainly when no one in the network is the right answer.
Every partner reviews your case for free. Injury and workers’ compensation matters are handled on contingency — no fee unless you win. Other matters are quoted upfront, before you commit to anything.
DearLegal provides marketing and matching services and is not a law firm. Submitting a case does not create an attorney-client relationship. Matches depend on case type, jurisdiction and firm availability.
Personal Injury cases in Des Moines
More about legal help in Des Moines →A fall at an icy skywalk entrance, a collision with a delivery truck on I-235, a dog bite on a trail, an injury at a concert or fair: personal injury in Des Moines takes many forms, and each raises the same questions about fault and deadlines. Iowa allows two years to file and bars recovery above half fault, so documenting the scene early matters. Claims are decided in Polk County courts. DearLegal matches you with an Iowa-licensed attorney who handles personal injury cases in Des Moines, and the review is free.
- Injury claims arising in Des Moines are filed in Polk County courts, Iowa’s busiest civil docket.
- Large events, downtown nightlife, and interstate traffic contribute to the volume of local injury claims.
- Iowa reduces compensation by your share of fault and bars it entirely above fifty percent.
Iowa personal injury rules at a glance
Des Moines cases run under Iowa law. The full walkthrough — timeline, when to call, case types, and what a recovery can include — is on the Iowa page.
Read the full Iowa personal injury guide →- Statute of Limitations
2 years
2 years from the date of injury (Iowa Code § 614.1(2))
- Fault Rule
51%
Modified comparative fault, 51% bar (Iowa Code § 668.3) — no recovery if your fault is greater than the combined fault of all defendants
- Damages Cap
No cap
No general cap on compensatory damages in standard PI. Medical malpractice non-economic cap under Iowa Code § 147.136A. State tort claims subject to Iowa Tort Claims Act limits.
- Government-Claim Notice
Tort Claims
Iowa Tort Claims Act (Iowa Code Ch. 669) — claim filed with the State Appeal Board, 6-month presuit waiting period; municipal claims under Iowa Code Ch. 670 with 60-day notice rules in many cases.
- Joint and Several Liability
50%
Modified — defendants 50% or more at fault are jointly liable for economic damages; less than 50% are severally liable only (Iowa Code § 668.4).
- Typical attorney fee
33%
33%–40% contingency — no fee unless you win
Exhibit D
How much do Des Moines personal injury attorneys cost?
Sample settlement statement
Iowa · Personal Injury
Illustrative only. Your fee terms are set in a written agreement with your attorney and may include costs and expenses regardless of outcome.
Most Iowa personal injury attorneys work on contingency: the fee is a share of what they recover, and nothing if they don’t.
Personal injury attorneys in Iowa work on a contingency fee basis — typically 33% to 40% of the total recovery. Case expenses are typically advanced by the firm and deducted from the final recovery.
A good attorney walks through every number at your free consultation — before you sign anything.
Exhibit F
Des Moines personal injury questions, answered
Still unsure? Tell us what happened and a Iowa attorney will review it for free.
Personal Injury attorneys by city in Iowa
Same Iowa rules and the same attorneys — with what’s local to each city.
