Ankeny Car Accident Lawyer
Car Accident Lawyer Ankeny, IA
If you’ve been hurt in a crash, the Law Group of Iowa provides experienced legal representation to accident victims throughout Ankeny and the surrounding communities. Our Ankeny, IA car accident lawyers have recovered millions of dollars for injured clients over two decades of practice. We offer free consultations and charge no fees unless we win your case.
Why Choose Law Group of Iowa for Your Ankeny Car Accident Case?
Decades of Trial Experience
Christopher Johnston began practicing law in 2001. He holds bar admissions in Iowa, Minnesota, and federal courts including the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. Minnesota Law and Politics named him a Rising Star in 2011, and he received the Up and Coming Attorney of The Year award in 2007. Chris handles car accidents, semi-truck crashes, motorcycle collisions, and wrongful death claims.
Christopher Martineau has practiced since 2003 and maintains bar admissions in Minnesota and Wisconsin, along with the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota. He earned membership in the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, which restricts admission to attorneys who have obtained million-dollar verdicts or settlements. Fewer than 1% of American lawyers qualify for this organization. Both founding partners belong to the American Association for Justice and the Minnesota Association for Justice.
Results That Matter
The Law Group of Iowa has secured millions of dollars in compensation for clients injured in automobile accidents. Insurance companies recognize which attorneys prepare thoroughly and which ones accept lowball offers. Our track record influences how adjusters approach settlement negotiations from the very first conversation. When insurers know a firm will take cases to trial if necessary, they offer more reasonable settlements.
Direct Attorney Communication
Large firms assign cases to junior associates or paralegals. You might meet a senior partner during your initial consultation, then never speak with that attorney again. At the Law Group of Iowa, you work directly with an experienced personal injury lawyer in Ankeny, IA who knows your case, understands local courts, and communicates with you personally throughout the process. When you call our office with questions, you get answers from the lawyers handling your matter.
No Upfront Costs
We take car accident cases on contingency. You pay nothing unless we recover compensation on your behalf. This arrangement allows anyone to access quality legal representation regardless of their current financial situation. Medical bills pile up quickly after an accident, and lost wages strain household budgets. The last thing you need is worry about paying a lawyer by the hour while you’re trying to recover.
Client Reviews
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I cannot express enough how pleased and satisfied I am with the service I received. Attorney Chris Johnston is EXCEPTIONAL. He is extremely attentive and worked very hard to reach a settlement that exceeded my expectations. The whole staff made me feel welcomed and were very patient with all of my questions and concerns.”
Read additional reviews on our Google Business Profile.
Types of Car Accident Cases We Handle in Ankeny
Ankeny’s rapid expansion creates traffic patterns that change constantly as new subdivisions open and commercial development continues. Roads that handled light traffic a decade ago now see thousands of vehicles daily. Our Ankeny auto accident attorneys represent clients injured in crashes involving:
- Rear-end collisions. Stop-and-go traffic along Ankeny Boulevard and Delaware Avenue leads to frequent rear-end impacts. Following too closely remains one of the leading causes of crashes in suburban areas with heavy commuter traffic. These crashes commonly cause whiplash and soft tissue injuries that may not produce symptoms until days after the collision. What feels like minor soreness on day one can develop into chronic pain requiring months of physical therapy.
- Intersection accidents. T-bone crashes at Ankeny’s busiest intersections expose vehicle occupants to direct side impacts with minimal protection from doors and pillars. Side-impact collisions often cause more severe injuries than front or rear crashes because vehicles offer less structural protection on the sides. Red-light runners and drivers who misjudge gaps in traffic cause many of these devastating crashes.
- Truck accidents. Interstate 35 carries heavy commercial traffic through Ankeny. Collisions with semi-trucks and 18-wheelers often result in catastrophic injuries requiring investigation of federal regulations, driver logs, and company safety protocols. The size and weight differential between commercial trucks and passenger vehicles means occupants of cars and SUVs absorb tremendous force in these crashes. Trucking companies and their insurers deploy teams of investigators immediately after serious accidents, and injured victims need legal representation that can match those resources.
- Head-on collisions. When vehicles collide head-on, the combined force causes devastating trauma. A crash between two vehicles traveling 45 miles per hour creates the same impact as hitting a wall at 90 miles per hour. These crashes frequently result in fatalities or permanent disabilities including traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord damage.
- Distracted driving accidents. Despite Iowa’s new hands-free law, drivers continue using phones behind the wheel. Cell phone records and other evidence can establish that a driver was texting or otherwise distracted at the time of the crash. A driver looking at a phone for just five seconds at 55 mph travels the length of a football field without watching the road.
- Hit-and-run accidents. When drivers flee accident scenes, victims still have legal options through uninsured motorist coverage and investigative efforts to identify responsible parties. We work with law enforcement and use available evidence to track down hit-and-run drivers whenever possible.
- Motorcycle accidents. Riders face heightened vulnerability in any collision. Without the protective shell of a vehicle surrounding them, motorcyclists suffer severe injuries even in relatively low-speed crashes. Drivers often fail to see motorcycles or misjudge their speed, pulling out in front of riders or changing lanes into their path.
- DUI accidents. Impaired drivers cause approximately 37% of fatal crashes in Iowa. Drunk and drugged driving cases may support claims for punitive damages in addition to compensatory damages. These cases often involve criminal proceedings running parallel to civil claims.
Iowa Legal Requirements for Car Accident Cases
Two-Year Filing Deadline
Iowa Code § 614.1(2) establishes a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims. Miss this deadline and you lose your right to sue, regardless of how clear the other driver’s fault was or how severe your injuries are. The clock starts running on the date of your accident.
Comparative Fault System
Under Iowa Code Chapter 668, your compensation decreases proportionally based on your percentage of fault. If you’re found 30% responsible for causing the accident, you recover 70% of your damages. But there’s a critical threshold: if your fault reaches 51% or higher, you recover nothing at all. Insurance adjusters understand this rule and often try to shift blame onto injured parties.
Minimum Insurance Coverage
Iowa requires drivers to carry liability insurance with minimum limits of $20,000 per person for bodily injury, $40,000 per accident, and $15,000 for property damage. A single emergency room visit with imaging can exceed these minimums before any surgery or ongoing treatment. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage provides additional protection when at-fault drivers carry inadequate policies.
What Damages Can Be Recovered in Ankeny Car Accident Cases?
Iowa law permits recovery across several categories of damages. Understanding what compensation may be available helps you evaluate settlement offers realistically.
Economic Damages
These carry specific dollar values supported by documentation. Medical expenses encompass emergency care, hospitalization, surgery, physical therapy, prescription medications, medical equipment, and anticipated future treatment. A serious car accident can generate hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills, particularly when injuries require surgery or extended rehabilitation.
Lost wages compensate for income missed during recovery. If injuries prevent you from returning to your previous occupation, lost earning capacity addresses future income you would have earned over your working life. An accountant who suffers a traumatic brain injury preventing return to work loses not just current wages but decades of future earnings.
Vehicle repair or replacement costs, rental car expenses, home modifications for disability accommodation, and related out-of-pocket costs complete the economic calculation. The Iowa courts require documentation for all economic damages, so preserving receipts and records is essential.
Non-Economic Damages
Physical pain disrupts daily life. Anxiety about driving creates ongoing distress. Inability to participate in activities you once enjoyed diminishes quality of life. Strain on family relationships compounds emotional suffering. Sleep disruption, depression, and post-traumatic stress commonly follow serious accidents.
These subjective losses often constitute the largest portion of total recovery in serious injury cases, sometimes exceeding economic damages by multiples.
Iowa does not cap non-economic damages in most personal injury cases, unlike many other states that limit pain and suffering awards.
Punitive Damages
Reserved for cases involving extreme misconduct, punitive damages punish and deter rather than compensate. Iowa courts rarely award them, typically only in cases involving intoxicated drivers with very high blood alcohol levels or similarly egregious conduct demonstrating willful disregard for others’ safety.
What Steps Should I Take After a Car Accident in Ankeny?
Your actions immediately following a collision affect your ability to recover compensation months later.
- Move out of traffic if possible. Activate hazard lights to warn approaching vehicles.
- Call 911. Request police even for minor crashes. The police report documents the incident and often contains the officer’s preliminary assessment of fault.
- Get medical attention promptly. Adrenaline masks pain. Soft tissue injuries, concussions, and internal bleeding often produce delayed symptoms appearing 24 to 72 hours later. If you wait weeks to seek treatment, insurers will dispute whether the accident caused your injuries.
- Document everything. Photograph all vehicles from multiple angles. Capture license plates, damage patterns, traffic signals, weather conditions, and any visible injuries.
- Exchange information. Get names, addresses, phone numbers, driver’s license numbers, insurance carriers, and policy numbers from all drivers.
- Find witnesses. Bystanders often notice details that involved parties miss. Get contact information before they leave.
- Notify your insurer. Most policies require prompt reporting. Provide only basic facts and avoid speculation about fault.
- Preserve records. Keep all medical bills, receipts, correspondence with insurers, and employment documents showing missed work.
- Avoid discussing fault. Limit your statements to factual information and let investigations determine responsibility.
- Consult an attorney before signing anything. Insurance companies make early settlement offers designed to close claims cheaply before you understand their full value.
Car Accident Statistics in Ankeny
Understanding local traffic patterns helps contextualize the risks Ankeny drivers face daily.
Polk County records the highest number of traffic fatalities of any county in Iowa year after year. The combination of Interstate 35, Interstate 80, and dense suburban development creates conditions where serious crashes occur regularly. The Des Moines metropolitan area continues expanding outward, and Ankeny absorbs much of that growth.
Statewide, Iowa recorded 357 traffic fatalities in 2024 and 379 in 2023, according to Iowa Department of Transportation data. The 2023 total represented the worst year since 2016, when 402 people died on Iowa roads. Iowa bucked the national trend that year; while most states saw decreases in traffic deaths, Iowa experienced one of the largest year-over-year increases in the nation per NHTSA data.
The Iowa Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau reports that approximately 60% of Iowans killed in crashes were not wearing seatbelts. This single variable accounts for a substantial portion of preventable deaths. Impaired driving contributes to roughly 37% of fatal crashes statewide. Distracted driving caused over 9,200 crashes in 2022 alone, resulting in 20 deaths.
In 2025, Iowa recorded 260 traffic deaths, the lowest total in the state’s 100-year history of tracking fatalities. The improvement coincided with implementation of Iowa’s new hands-free driving law, which took effect July 1, 2025. During the initial six-month period, law enforcement issued warnings rather than citations. Beginning January 1, 2026, violations carry a $100 fine, increasing to $500 if the violation causes injury and $1,000 if it results in death.
Intersection crashes and lane departures account for a disproportionate share of fatalities, with both patterns suggesting distracted driving as a contributing factor. When drivers look away from the road, they drift from their lanes or fail to notice traffic control devices.
Ankeny Car Accident Lawyer FAQs
How much does hiring a car accident lawyer cost?
Nothing upfront. We work on contingency, meaning our fee comes from a percentage of your recovery. If we don’t win, you don’t pay attorney fees.
How long will my case take?
Timelines vary substantially. Straightforward cases with clear liability and documented injuries might settle in four to six months. Complex cases involving disputed fault, serious injuries requiring extended treatment, or uncooperative insurers can take 18 months or longer.
Should I accept the insurance company’s first offer?
Almost never. Initial offers arrive quickly because insurers want to close claims before you understand their actual value. First offers rarely account for ongoing treatment, future complications, or appropriate compensation for pain and suffering.
What if the other driver doesn’t have insurance?
Your own uninsured motorist coverage may apply. Iowa requires UM coverage on all policies. We also investigate whether other parties bear responsibility, including vehicle owners, employers, or bars that served alcohol to impaired drivers.
Can I still recover compensation if I was partly at fault?
Yes, as long as your fault doesn’t exceed 50%. Iowa’s comparative fault law reduces your damages proportionally. At 40% fault, you recover 60% of damages. At 51% fault, you recover nothing.
What if my symptoms didn’t appear right away?
This happens frequently with whiplash, concussions, and internal injuries. Seek medical attention as soon as symptoms develop and make sure medical records document the connection to your accident.
Do I need a lawyer for a minor accident?
If you weren’t injured and damages were minimal, probably not. But if you sustained any injury, or if the insurer disputes liability or offers inadequate compensation, consulting an attorney protects your interests. Consultations cost nothing.
How do I prove the other driver was at fault?
Evidence. Police reports establish initial findings. Witness statements provide independent observations. Photos document damage patterns. Cell phone records may show distracted driving. In complex cases, accident reconstruction analysis establishes vehicle speeds and movements.
What makes truck accident cases different?
Truck accidents involve federal regulations, multiple potential defendants, and higher insurance limits. The driver, trucking company, cargo loaders, and equipment manufacturers may all share liability. These cases require investigation of driver hours, maintenance records, and company safety policies.
Can family members sue if someone was killed?
Iowa law permits wrongful death claims by surviving family members or the decedent’s estate. Recoverable damages include funeral expenses, lost income the deceased would have provided, and loss of companionship.
What if the at-fault driver was working at the time?
Employers may bear liability for accidents their employees cause while working. Commercial policies typically provide substantially higher coverage limits than personal auto insurance.
How do I obtain the police report?
Contact the Ankeny Police Department at 411 SW Ordnance Road or call (515) 289-5240 for city crashes. For accidents on highways outside city limits, contact the Iowa State Patrol or Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Will my case go to trial?
Probably not. Most car accident claims settle before trial. However, insurance companies negotiate more reasonably when they believe the claimant will proceed to court if necessary. We prepare every case for trial from day one.
What shouldn’t I tell insurance adjusters?
Don’t admit fault. Don’t speculate about your injuries. Don’t provide recorded statements without consulting an attorney first. Everything you say may be used to reduce your claim.
Can I change lawyers if I’m unhappy with my current representation?
Yes. You may change attorneys at any time.
Most Dangerous Locations for Car Accidents in Ankeny
Ankeny’s explosive growth has outpaced road infrastructure in several areas. Traffic engineering that made sense when the population was 30,000 no longer works for a city approaching 80,000 residents.
Ankeny Boulevard and First Street. The Iowa DOT identified this as one of the state’s top ten intersections needing safety improvements. Two westbound left-turn lanes but only one eastbound left-turn lane creates sight distance problems and offset turning movements. The intersection design made sense 15 years ago but no longer accommodates current traffic volumes. Drivers making left turns struggle to see oncoming traffic, leading to angle collisions.
Ankeny Boulevard and SE Magazine Road. Another intersection on Iowa DOT’s priority list for safety improvements based on crash frequency, crash rate relative to volume, and crash severity. Commercial development along this corridor generates high turning volumes throughout the day.
Ankeny Boulevard and Third Street. This completes the trio of Ankeny intersections appearing on the state’s most dangerous list. The concentration of three top-ten intersections in a single city of Ankeny’s size reflects how rapidly traffic has increased relative to infrastructure capacity.
Interstate 35. The highway passes directly through Ankeny, and the interchanges see heavy volumes mixing local traffic with long-distance travelers. Winter conditions create particular hazards with blowing snow and ice. The section of I-35 near Ankeny experiences crash rates significantly above the statewide average during winter months.
Oralabor Road and Delaware Avenue. High traffic volumes and commercial development generate constant turning movements that increase crash exposure. Shopping centers and restaurants along this corridor create steady traffic throughout daylight hours.
SE Delaware Avenue and SE Corporate Woods Drive. Business park development brings significant weekday traffic, with crashes occurring frequently during morning and evening commutes.
Highway 69 corridor. This route connects Ankeny to communities north and south. Speed differentials between passenger vehicles and slower-moving farm equipment create hazards, particularly during planting and harvest seasons.
What Are Important Local Resources for Ankeny Car Accident Victims?
After an accident, you may need assistance from local agencies and medical facilities.
Important: The Law Group of Iowa does not endorse these organizations. This information is provided for reference only.
Ankeny Police Department
411 SW Ordnance Road, Ankeny, IA 50023
Administrative: (515) 289-5240
Non-Emergency Dispatch: (515) 286-3333, Option 5
Polk County Sheriff’s Office
5995 NE 14th Street, Des Moines, IA 50313
Non-Emergency: (515) 286-3333
Iowa State Patrol
Crash Reports: accidentreports.iowa.gov
MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center
1111 6th Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50314
Emergency: (515) 247-3211 24-hour emergency services, Level II Trauma Center
MercyOne Ankeny Urgent Care
800 East First Street, Suite 1500, Ankeny, IA
Iowa Insurance Division
For complaints regarding insurance claim handling
Contact a Car Accident Attorney in Ankeny
Vehicle collisions create immediate problems that compound over time. Medical bills arrive while you’re unable to work. Insurance adjusters call repeatedly, hoping you’ll accept inadequate compensation before consulting an attorney.
The Law Group of Iowa offers free consultations for personal injury victims in Ankeny and throughout Polk County. Our contingency fee arrangement means no upfront payment. You pay attorney fees only when we recover compensation.
Contact our office to discuss your case with an Ankeny car accident lawyer.
