Des Moines Personal Injury Lawyers

When someone else’s negligence leaves you injured, the aftermath extends far beyond physical pain. Medical bills accumulate while you’re unable to work. Insurance adjusters pressure you to accept inadequate settlements.

Unfortunately, the legal system feels overwhelming when you’re focused on recovery. These challenges compound during an already difficult time, making professional legal representation essential rather than optional.

At MSMC Injury Lawyers, our Des Moines personal injury lawyers understand that behind every case is a person whose life has been disrupted. We’ve helped thousands of injured Iowans navigate complex claims while securing the compensation needed to rebuild their lives.

The path to justice doesn’t require upfront costs or financial risk. Our contingency fee structure means you pay nothing unless we win your case, allowing you to focus entirely on healing while we handle the legal complexities. If you need legal help after suffering a serious injury, contact our team today for a free consultation.

What Is a Personal Injury Claim?

A personal injury claim is a legal process that allows people who have been harmed due to someone else’s negligence, intentional actions, or liability to seek compensation for their losses. These claims are designed to hold the at-fault party accountable while providing financial relief for the victim’s medical expenses, lost income, and other damages.

Common Grounds for Claims

Personal injury claims are most often based on negligence, such as when a driver causes an accident while texting or a property owner fails to address hazardous conditions. Claims may also arise from intentional harm, like assault or battery, as well as strict liability, like cases involving defective products where negligence doesn’t need to be proven.

How the Process Works

Filing a personal injury claim begins with an investigation into the incident. This includes gathering evidence, such as medical records, witness statements, and accident reports, to build a strong case.

The next step involves negotiating with the at-fault party’s insurance company to reach a fair settlement. If a settlement cannot be reached, the case may proceed to trial, where a judge or jury determines liability and awards damages.

Types of Personal Injury Cases We Handle

• Car Accidents: Injuries caused by negligent drivers can lead to significant medical expenses, lost wages, and emotional distress. We help car accident victims secure the compensation they deserve.
• Truck Accidents: Due to commercial trucks’ massive weight and size, truck accidents often result in life-altering injuries. Our team fights to hold trucking companies and drivers accountable.
• Motorcycle Accidents: Motorcycle riders face unique risks on the road, and the resulting injuries can be severe. We advocate for fair compensation to help motorcycle accident victims rebuild their lives.
• Premises Liability: Property owners have a duty to keep their premises safe. When they fail to do so, resulting in injuries, we hold them responsible for their negligence.
• Slip and Fall Accidents: A common type of premises liability case, slip and fall accidents often result from wet floors, uneven surfaces, or poorly maintained property.
• Nursing Home Abuse: Elderly residents deserve to live in safety and dignity. We help families seek justice and compensation when their loved ones are harmed by nursing home neglect or abuse.
• Catastrophic Injuries: Severe injuries, such as spinal cord or traumatic brain injuries, require extensive medical care and can lead to lifelong challenges. We ensure victims get the financial support they need.
• Wrongful Death: Losing a loved one due to someone else’s negligence is devastating. We help families pursue justice and recover compensation to ease their financial burden during this difficult time.
• Social Security Disability: When injuries prevent individuals from working, we assist in navigating the complexities of Social Security Disability claims to secure vital benefits.

What Compensation Can Personal Injury Victims Recover in Des Moines?

Iowa law recognizes that injuries create both financial hardships and intangible losses that deserve compensation. Understanding the full scope of recoverable damages ensures you don’t settle for less than your case’s true value.

Economic Damages Cover Measurable Financial Losses

Economic damages compensate for concrete, calculable expenses (both past and future) resulting from your injuries. Medical expenses represent the most obvious category, including:

• Emergency treatment
• Hospitalization
• Surgery
• Rehabilitation
• Prescription medications
• Medical equipment
• Future medical care

Lost income extends beyond wages missed during initial recovery. If injuries prevent you from returning to your previous employment or reduce your earning capacity, you can recover compensation for diminished future earnings. This calculation might include considerations such as your career trajectory, education, skills, and how your injuries impact your ability to work.

Property damage compensation covers repair or replacement costs for:

• Vehicles
• Clothing
• Personal electronics
• Other belongings damaged in the incident

In vehicle accidents, you’re entitled to your vehicle’s fair market value if it’s totaled, not just what the insurance company initially offers.

Non-Economic Damages Address Intangible Harm

Pain and suffering compensation acknowledges the physical discomfort you’ve endured and will continue experiencing. Chronic pain, permanent disability, and ongoing limitations to physical activities all factor into these damages. Unlike economic damages with clear dollar values, pain and suffering requires a persuasive presentation of how injuries affect your daily life.

• Emotional distress damages compensate for psychological impacts, including anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and sleep disturbances, resulting from your accident and injuries. Mental health treatment records, expert testimony, and personal accounts establish these damages.
• Loss of enjoyment of life damages recognize that injuries often prevent participation in activities that previously brought joy and fulfillment. If you can no longer play with your children, pursue hobbies, maintain your home, or engage in recreational activities, you deserve compensation for these losses.
• Loss of consortium claims, available to spouses of injured parties, compensate for the impact injuries have on marital relationships, including loss of companionship, affection, and intimacy.

Calculating Fair Settlement Values

Insurance companies use formulas that typically undervalue claims, particularly non-economic damages. They may offer one to three times medical expenses for pain and suffering, but this approach ignores case-specific factors, including injury severity, recovery duration, permanent impairment, and how injuries affect your particular circumstances.

Experienced personal injury attorneys leverage past verdicts and settlements in similar cases, expert testimony regarding damages, and thorough documentation of all losses to demand compensation that truly reflects your case’s value. We’ve consistently achieved results that exceed insurance companies’ initial offers, sometimes by multiples of their original proposals.

Want to understand what your case might be worth? We provide honest case evaluations based on decades of experience.

Resources for Accident and Injury Victims in Des Moines

Des Moines, as Iowa’s capital and largest city, experiences a variety of personal injury cases ranging from car accidents to slip and falls, and workplace injuries. The city’s busy roadways, industrial areas, and growing population contribute to the frequency of these incidents.

Local Accident and Injury Statistics

Polk County reported more than 10,000 car crashes in 2025, with thousands of injuries ranging from minor to severe. Common causes of injury include vehicle collisions at busy intersections and pedestrian accidents, including:

• University Avenue & 42nd Street: Frequent rear-end and T-bone collisions due to heavy traffic and signal timing
• Interstate 235 (I-235) near Merle Hay Road: Known for multi-vehicle pileups during rush hours
• Grand Avenue & 6th Avenue: Congestion and poor visibility contribute to frequent crashes
• Ingersoll Avenue & 42nd Street: A hotspot for speeding-related accidents and rollovers

Top Hospitals and Medical Facilities

These trauma centers serve Des Moines residents, providing critical care for accident victims and maintaining detailed medical records essential for personal injury claims.

• Broadlawns Medical Center
  1801 Hickman Road, Des Moines, IA 50314
  Level IV Trauma Center

• Iowa Methodist Medical Center (UnityPoint Health)
  1200 Pleasant Street, Des Moines, IA 50309
  Verified Level I Adult Trauma Center

• Blank Children’s Hospital (Pediatric Trauma Center)
  1200 Pleasant Street, Des Moines, IA 50309
  Level II Pediatric Trauma Center

Local Support Resources

• Support groups such as the Iowa Trauma Survivors Network and the Iowa Brain Injury Association provide community and recovery assistance.
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Iowa provides education, support, and advocacy for individuals and families affected by mental health conditions, including trauma from accidents.

Why Choose MSMC Injury Lawyers?

Decades of Experience

With a long-standing history of successfully handling personal injury cases in Des Moines and throughout Iowa, our firm has earned a reputation for skilled and effective representation. We’ve represented thousands of injured individuals, fighting tirelessly against insurance companies to ensure our clients receive the compensation they deserve.

Proven Results

Our team has secured significant verdicts and settlements for clients, helping them recover damages for medical bills, lost wages, and other losses. Whether negotiating a fair settlement or taking a case to trial, we are committed to achieving the best possible outcome for every client.

Client-Centered Advocacy

At MSMC Injury Lawyers, we prioritize personalized attention and open communication. From your free initial consultation to the resolution of your case, we ensure you’re informed and supported every step of the way. We even travel across Iowa to meet with prospective clients, making legal representation accessible no matter where you are.

No Recovery, No Fee

Our contingency fee structure means you don’t pay us unless we win your case. This ensures our clients can focus on recovery without worrying about upfront legal costs.

When you choose MSMC Injury Lawyers, you’re not just hiring an attorney—you’re gaining a dedicated partner in your fight for justice. Contact us today to schedule your Free Consultation* and learn how we can help.

Proud to Represent Des Moines

At MSMC Injury Lawyers, we’re committed to serving the Des Moines community and the people who live here. Our commitment extends beyond representing clients—we’re dedicated to helping make Des Moines a safer and stronger place for everyone.

Getting to Our Office

MSMC Injury Lawyers’s Des Moines office is located at 213 13th St, Des Moines, IA 50309.

Heading West on I-235 W:

• Take exit 6 for 31st St. toward Terrace Hill Historic Site.
• Turn left onto 31st St.
• Turn left onto Grand Ave.
• Turn left, and our office is on the left.

Heading East on I-235 E:

• Take exit 5B for 42nd St.
• Turn right onto 42nd St.
• Turn left onto Grand Ave.
• Turn left, and our office is on the left.

Parking Options

We offer free parking at our office, which we encourage you to take advantage of. There are also many other parking options available in Des Moines should you need them. You can learn more about parking options in Des Moines by visiting the Parking DSM website.

Government Offices

At MSMC Injury Lawyers, we assist our clients with every aspect of their injury claims, including filing paperwork and attending hearings. If a visit to a government office in Des Moines is required, we’ll let you know in advance. For your convenience, here are some important local office locations:

• S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa – 123 E Walnut St., Des Moines, IA 50309
• Des Moines City Hall – 400 Robert D. Ray Dr., Des Moines, IA 50309

Contact Our Des Moines Personal Injury Lawyers Today

If you’ve been injured due to someone else’s negligence, you don’t have to face the legal process alone. At MSMC Injury Lawyers, we’re here to guide you every step of the way, providing compassionate support and aggressive advocacy to help you secure the compensation you deserve.

Don’t wait to take action—your recovery and future are too important. Schedule a Free Consultation* with our experienced Des Moines personal injury lawyers today, and let us help you make things right. There are no upfront costs, and you won’t pay unless we win your case. Contact us now to get started.

Free Consultation*