Trial Lawyer Nick Rowley, founder of Trial Lawyers for Justice, his partners at Trial Lawyers for Justice, Dominic Pechota and Matt Reilly, and referring counsel James Van Dyke announced a $3.5 million settlement with the State of Iowa in a car crash case involving a state owned snow plow. According to the State of Iowa’s legal counsel, it is the largest personal injury settlement ever entered into by the State of Iowa in a civil case.
Client Nathan Thompson was driving westbound on U.S. Highway 30 in Carroll County, Iowa around 8:30am when a State of Iowa snowplow traveling in the opposite direction failed to raise his wing snowplow before crossing Storm Creek Bridge, causing the plow to strike the guard rail of the bridge, pushing the plow into the path of Nathan’s car.
The crash resulted in Nathan drifting in and out of consciousness and needing to be removed from his vehicle by the Jaws of Life. He was taken to the hospital with a cerebral hemorrhage as well as multiple fractures including his ankle, foot, toe, and wrist. Nathan sustained a mild traumatic brain injury in the crash. By the time of the settlement, Nathan had returned back to work but continued to suffer from the effects of his mild traumatic brain injury and other physical ailments.
“This is a clear cut case in which a plow operator failed to perform his job duties in accordance with policy and training,” said Nick Rowley, lead trial lawyer. “This resulted in Nathan’s vehicle being struck by a massive snow plow causing tremendous pain and suffering, economic damages, and life-long physical and mental injuries. I am very pleased for Nathan. This was a contested liability case. The State of Iowa’s position, up until the day we reached settlement, was that Nathan was traveling too fast for conditions. The State of Iowa made a smart move by paying the settlement because they would have paid a lot more after trial.”
Settlement was reached less than two weeks prior to trial.