Indianola, Warren County, Iowa. What started as an OWI accusation ended with a Not Guilty verdict and then the cherry on top was a total settlement of $195,000 for GRL’s client. No, it was not because of police misconduct.
A vehicle being driven by a person whose driver’s license was barred and who was high on methamphetamine, crossed the center line and struck a vehicle being driven by GRL’s client. Because alcohol was found on scene and because the person who caused the accident died on impact, law enforcement focused their attention on the driver of the vehicle who was not in anyway at fault for the accident. This resulted in a search warrant being granted for a blood draw as GRL’s client he lay injured in a hospital bed. The results were reported to be over the legal limit so GRL’s client was prosecuted for operating while intoxicated.
GRL was not about to plead a victim of a serious car accident guilty to operating while intoxicated. We teed the case up and elected to see what the good people of Warren County thought about the prosecutions case. After a two day jury trial, a Warren County Jury found GRL’s client Not Guilty.
With the criminal case resolved, GRL pursued a personal injury claim against the owner of the vehicle. Under Iowa law, the owner of a vehicle is civilly responsible for injuries caused by the negligence of a person driving their vehicle with the owner’s consent. GRL brought that claim and also an underinsured motorist claim because the damages suffered by GRL’s client far exceeded the available insurance limits of the at-fault driver’s insurance. Ultimately, the case was finally resolved with a total settlement for GRL’s client of $195,000.00.
Some attorneys settle for mediocrity if the client is unwittingly satisfied. GRL is never satisfied with good enough. We want everyone we have the privilege of representing to know that we have done everything legally possible to secure superior results. We are a relentless group of attorneys highly motivated to balance the scale of justice in our client’s favor.
