This calculator estimates what a car accident injury claim could be worth under Iowa law. It applies Iowa’s 51% bar rule, the two-year deadline to file suit and the insurance that usually pays, then shows the math line by line, including what you might take home after a lawyer’s fee.
Move the fault slider to 51% and the estimate drops to $0, which is what Iowa’s rule does in court.
Fault. Iowa uses modified comparative fault with a 51% bar. If you are found 20% at fault, your award drops by 20%. At 51% or more, you recover nothing. Insurers know this, so expect them to argue your share up.
Deadline. You have two years from the crash to file a lawsuit in Iowa. A claim against a city, county or state agency usually needs written notice much sooner, sometimes within months. Missing the deadline almost always ends the claim, and with it your leverage to settle.
Insurance. Iowa is an at-fault state, so the at-fault driver’s liability insurance pays your claim. Drivers must carry at least $20,000 per injured person, $40,000 per crash and $15,000 for property damage, written 20/40/15.
Damage caps. No cap on injury damages. Medical malpractice and punitive damages can have separate limits.
Their insurer will usually pay no more than $20,000 for your injuries. Your own underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage can pay the difference up to your limit. Enter both above to see the ceiling.
Yes, as long as you were 50% or less at fault. Your award is reduced by your percentage, and at 51% or more you recover nothing.
two years from the crash to file a lawsuit. Report the claim to the insurers within days.
No. Iowa is an at-fault state, so you claim against the at-fault driver’s liability insurance, or your own coverage if theirs is too low.
Not in most injury cases. No cap on injury damages. Medical malpractice and punitive damages can have separate limits.