When another party’s negligence causes catastrophic injury or the death of a loved one, our attorneys bring decades of trial experience to fight for the full compensation your family deserves — in Iowa, Minnesota, and across the country.
FEATURED RESULT – NOVEMBER 2025
Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Verdict against Mayo Clinic — among the largest medical malpractice verdicts in Iowa history
Every case is different. Speak with our attorneys directly — it’s free and confidential.
At Hixson & Brown, P.C., and through our co-counsel partnership with Trial Lawyers for Justice, we bring decades of experience to personal injury cases of all complexity levels — from straightforward accident claims to high-stakes litigation against large corporations, hospitals, and government entities. We represent adults and children injured throughout Iowa, Minnesota, and nationally.
Our team has a well-respected record of verdicts in favor of our clients. We are one of the few firms in Iowa willing to pursue the most complex personal injury litigation — including state tort claims against the University of Iowa Hospitals and other government bodies — and we are prepared to take cases to trial when a fair settlement cannot be reached.
All cases are handled on a contingency fee basis. There are no upfront costs and no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you.
Every personal injury case comes with a uniquely human story that deserves attorneys who care and are committed to building a strong, results-oriented strategy. We handle:
Iowa statute of limitations for most personal injury claims
Notice deadline for Iowa State Tort Claims — missing this bars your case
On economic damages in Iowa personal injury cases
Our attorneys represent seriously injured individuals and their families in a wide range of cases. We apply the same depth of preparation and commitment to every case we accept — whether it settles or goes to trial.
We also handle cases involving medical malpractice and surgical errors, birth injuries, and motor vehicle accidents. See our dedicated practice area pages for complete information on those matters.
Personal injury laws vary significantly across state lines — including statutes of limitations, comparative fault rules, damage caps, notice requirements for government claims, and expert witness standards. Our firm’s experience handling cases in multiple states, combined with our co-counsel partnership with Trial Lawyers for Justice (TL4J), allows us to represent clients wherever they need us.
For complex cases involving catastrophic injuries, government entity defendants, or claims that require significant expert resources — life care planners, economic experts, accident reconstruction specialists, or medical experts — our TL4J partnership provides access to a national network with the depth to build the strongest possible case.
We also have extensive experience navigating the Iowa Tort Claims Act — a procedural framework that requires early action, specific notice filings, and familiarity with sovereign immunity doctrine. Our attorneys know these rules and have successfully pursued claims under them.
Iowa’s legal framework for personal injury claims includes critical rules on filing deadlines, how fault is allocated, and what categories of compensation you can pursue. Understanding these rules — and acting before critical deadlines pass — is essential to protecting your rights.
Most personal injury claims in Iowa must be filed within two years from the date of injury (Iowa Code § 614.1(2)). For wrongful death claims, the two-year period runs from the date of death. Missing these deadlines will bar your claim permanently, regardless of its merit.
State Tort Claims — 60-day notice requirement: Claims against Iowa government entities — including the State of Iowa, the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, cities, and counties — require a formal notice of claim typically within 60 days of the incident. This is not the filing deadline for the lawsuit itself — it is an administrative prerequisite. Missing it bars the claim entirely. If a government employee or entity caused your injury, contact an attorney immediately.
Injured minors: Iowa generally allows injured minors until two years after reaching age 18 to file a personal injury claim, subject to certain exceptions. However, the 60-day government notice requirement may still apply to minors in state tort cases — another reason to consult an attorney promptly regardless of the victim's age.
Discovery rule: In some cases, the two-year period does not begin until the injured party knew or reasonably should have known about the injury and its cause. This is particularly relevant in cases involving gradual harm or delayed diagnosis of injury. An attorney can evaluate how the discovery rule applies to your specific situation.
Iowa applies modified comparative fault under Iowa Code § 668.3. You can recover compensation even if you contributed to your own injury — but your recovery is reduced proportionally by your percentage of fault.
The 51% bar: If you are found to be 51% or more at fault, you cannot recover any compensation from other liable parties. If you are 50% or less at fault, your total damages are reduced by your percentage of responsibility. For example, if your damages total $500,000 and you are found 25% at fault, you recover $375,000.
Multiple defendants: In cases with multiple negligent parties — such as a slip-and-fall at a property with both a negligent owner and a negligent maintenance contractor — fault is allocated among all liable parties. Each defendant is responsible for their proportionate share. Iowa uses a "several liability" approach in some multi-defendant cases, meaning you may need to pursue each defendant separately for their share.
Insurance companies and defense attorneys routinely attempt to assign more fault to injured parties than the evidence supports — through recorded statements, selective evidence presentation, and hired experts. An experienced attorney builds the independent factual record needed to accurately attribute responsibility and counter these tactics effectively.
Iowa does not cap economic damages in personal injury cases. There is no legal limit on compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, future care costs, and other financial losses — no matter how large those amounts may be. This is particularly significant in catastrophic injury cases where lifetime medical and care costs can reach millions of dollars.
Economic damages you can pursue: past and future medical expenses (emergency care, surgery, hospitalization, physical and occupational therapy, medications, future treatment, and home care); past and future lost wages; diminished earning capacity if your injuries affect your ability to work long-term; property damage; and the cost of in-home assistance, adaptive equipment, or home modification.
Non-economic damages — including pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of consortium — are uncapped in standard personal injury cases. This differs from Iowa's medical malpractice framework, which imposes specific non-economic damage caps under 2023 legislation ($1 million against individual providers, $2 million against hospitals).
Punitive damages are available in cases involving willful or wanton misconduct — such as a drunk driver with prior DUI convictions, a property owner with documented knowledge of a dangerous condition who refused to fix it, or a company that knowingly concealed a product defect causing serious injury.
The information on this website is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as legal advice. You should consult a qualified attorney regarding your specific situation.
Contacting Hixson & Brown, P.C. by phone, email, or contact form does not create an attorney-client relationship. Such a relationship is only established through a signed engagement letter.
Please do not send confidential or sensitive information until an attorney-client relationship has been formally established. Information sent prior may not be protected by attorney-client privilege.
Every case is different. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome in your case.
Questions? Call (515) 222-2620