Iowa Edict - Commentary on Injury & Accident Law

To answer that question let’s look at some of the recent accidental deaths while on the job.

• In the first case out of Salt Lake City a worker identified as Kelton Lee (55) a construction worker who was lifting a heavy piece of pipe when his legs gave out and the pipe struck him in the head. Although he regained consciousness he later died of the head injuries. Read more here from the Vernal Express.
• Next we go to South Dakota where an article discusses the number of deaths in that state. It’s interesting that all workers killed in South Dakota last year were men; men must be taking more jobs with higher risk of injury. Here is a quote from that article. “All but one of those killed in South Dakota last year were men. The Labor Statistics bureau groups farming with forestry, fishing and hunting, and that sector had the highest number of worker deaths, 14. The construction industry followed with seven.
• Every year since 2003, driving associated with work has been as dangerous as or more dangerous than fatal accidents involving equipment or objects and falls. Among fatalities last year, 16 were caused by transportation accidents, including nine highway deaths and seven nonhighway accidents.
• Ten deaths occurred in accidents involving objects and equipment and five were caused by falls.
• South Dakota closely tracks a national trend regarding transportation fatalities. Nationwide, 21 percent of the 4,547 people killed on the job last year died in highway accidents. The nine highway deaths in South Dakota represents 25 percent of the total work-related deaths.
• Nationwide last year, 11 percent of those killed at work were murdered. South Dakota had no such cases.”
• You can read that article from the Argus Leader here. 

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Here is a trial tip: The lawyer with an intersection collision case should get a copy of the video from the intersection traffic camera. Which means we have to learn where these cameras are located. As for clients who are in an intersection collision it’s better to get a lawyer onboard sooner rather than later. This is also a reason for the lawyers to get out to visit the accident scene. You just never know where a camera may be recording the events. The camera may be on a nearby building used as a security camera.

For a list of locations see below.

Traffic Camera Proves A Reliable Witness In Crashes, AP provided by KCCI-Channel 8

• Iowa Department of Transportation – Des Moines Area Traffic Speedmap and Cameras Link
• Iowa Traffic Webcams from Leonards Worlds
• Traffic Cameras by State – USA Russia Style link.
• Iowa Webcams link.
• Des Moines area links.
• Iowa Red Light Cameras Map link. 

Before talking to the insurance adjuster or defense attorney or the case mismanager remember this from I Claudius, don't touch the figs.

The premise held by most clients is that this system of law is fair. They'll say they want only to be treated fairly. When representing themselves they make the assumption that when defense lawyers talk to you they will be fair. Well I'm here to tell you, you had better not trust in being treated fairly. I mean exactly that and it has nothing to do with whether or not the defense lawyer or the insurance company is dishonest. They don’t have to be “honest” and they aren’t trying to be “fair”. Fact is they are hoping you aren’t smart enough to ask the right questions so they don’t have to not answer you. You think I’m kidding? Hell no. I’m not and I can prove I’m right. Here let me prove it to you.

Defense work has nothing to do with treating people fairly. If it did you could come up with the name of at least one defense lawyer who has said in the past, "I don't think you're asking for enough, can I pay you more?" Or, "Did you know you're entitled under the law to be paid more for your damages?” Go ahead find me one insurance company representative that has said that in the entire history of insurance. Go ahead, think real hard; I can wait, go ahead and think harder.

Umnnn dee dum, dee-dum... Have you remembered one? No? I didn't think so. I've not heard anything like that in 30 years.

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To put this case in perspective I need ask only one question. Can road conditions, including snow and ice, really cause a car accident?

A few years ago I blogged about Iowa news reports blaming Old Man Winter for causing accidents; which by-the-way on behalf of my client we emphatically deny he can cause an accident!

Back in the day I thought we’d won this case, but apparently not, because once again my client is being libeled. Today I’m here, again to defend OMW. Let us say, we categorically deny the charges and on his behalf I say, “He didn’t do it! He's not the perp!” Lately, every news source seems to be taking cheap shots at my client while needlessly blaming him for every accident that occurs. You wouldn’t do that if he were a woman, now would you? It’s totally outrageous. I’m seeing multiple articles in the Des Moines Register and on KCCI News Center 8 blaming OMW for causing car and truck accidents. Semi’s on the interstate running pelmel into cars, ladies spinning out on the state highways and men crashing on streets and avenues within the city limits. Teens ending up rolling over and in dozens of fender benders: all blamed on OMW. It’s slanderous, libelous, calumnious and downright defamatory; and on behalf of OMW I demand a retraction!

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Like everyone else I’m reading the Des Moines Register story about the UPS worker who while making a delivery at Des Moines’ International Airport was run over and killed. The worker is Daniel Raber who they describe as opening a gate to make a delivery when he was run over by the rear duals. The news report is difficult to comprehend and appears to say another driver was involved or a second truck was involved; it’s just difficult to decipher from the way the article is written.  Like you I’ll have to await the follow-up reporting or the OSHA investigative reporting. Right now it’s as clear as Delhi Lake.

Even without all the facts what’s the likely cause of this death on the job?

Today's feature video is from Russia. I did like Russia, it's an interesting country and people although I would never want to live there. Listen as you read because today's post is another example of the more we rush the father behind we get.  As personal injury lawyers we continuously see the worse. So listening to beautiful music is one way to escape. Listen as you read; and I should mention, the name is Russian, and should be spelled VIAgra or Via Gra and it means a cappella.

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A 49-year-old worker fell and died last Wednesday while working on the U of I Boyd Law Building in Iowa City. I was lucky enough during my 3 years at Iowa to have met Willard Boyd, the President whose name graces the law school.  But what happened that allowed tom Fosdick, a 49-year-old man from Cedar Rapids to fall to his death. The general contractor (GC) on the job is noted to be Miron Construction of Neenah, Wisconsin. Fosdick was working Swanson Glass, a subcontractor on the exterior renovation project.

Today let's look at job site safety and fall protection for construction site and maintenance workers.

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Today in the email bag was a question and although it’s a bit before 7:00 a.m. as I’m trying to understand what the person is asking me I have to wonder if I’m 30-years younger and going through the experience of once again being a 1-L. A 1-L is how we refer to first year law students. Scott Turow made a similar term popular in his book by that same name. Here is the question. Read it and see how far you can get before scratching you head and wondering, “What is he asking me?”

If a company providing services, in which those services are paid for and terms of service are placed in which the paying parties have signed an agreement to and said company does not deal with violators whom breech these terms of service where everyone is expected to adhere to in a timely fashion. Is said company in breach of contract due to negligence of protecting those very people who agreed to said company's contract?

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The Fourth of July parade in Iowa’s Bellevue was upended when runaway horses trampled 24 people, killing one and injuring the other 23. It is said to have to do with the bridle of one horse rubbing another. The driver lost control and the rest is history.

Related media coverage:

• Caught on Tape: Horses' Rampage at Parade Kills 1, Injures Others - Chicago Tribune
• July 4th Horse Stampede Saddens Iowa - Injury Board Blog Network: St. Cloud, MN

They will loudly proclaim that no one should sue! No way, no how; after all that would be un-American! Wouldn't it?

Well that’s exactly what I’m going to suggest. After all who considers going to a parade to get killed or maimed by a stampede of horses? Hell, no one does. To those who say horses do unexpected things I say, so what, who cares and what difference does it make that a horse acts without reason? The object that acted without control was entered into a parade and within a few feet of people sitting in lawn chairs. And, it was predictable.

Think this is the first time horses have stampeded the crowd at a parade?

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