Brian Galligan is the recipient of the Verne Lawyer Outstanding Member Award for 2022 from the Iowa Association of Justice. The IAJ presented the award to Brian at its recent convention for his leadership in working to create and sustain the organization’s grassroots...
For the Injured And For A Safer Iowa
Year: 2022
Road deaths are dropping worldwide, but not in the US. Why not?
You may have read the stories that traffic fatalities actually rose during the pandemic even though far fewer people were driving. That’s true, and it needs to be addressed. Yet it’s also part of a larger trend. During the 90s, before standard air bags and safer car...
Iowa agencies’ new focus on rural road traffic safety: How to help
Rural roads are just more dangerous. The crash rate on rural roads is twice that on state roads, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT). Unfortunately, despite the many hazards and relative lack of safety equipment on rural and gravel roads, many...
Just how common is medical malpractice in Iowa?
Medical malpractice is surprisingly common in Iowa and across the U.S. Statistics are somewhat hard to come by, in part because the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) doesn’t separately list medical error as a cause of death in its annual report. Beyond...
The 100 Deadliest Days of Summer
The Iowa State Patrol issued an urgent plea for motorists to be extra careful over the coming weeks as we are in the midst of the “100 Deadliest Days.” It’s the time between Memorial Day and Labor Day when fatal crashes involving teenagers escalate. The Centers for...
Safety tips for ATV riders in Iowa
All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) are a popular choice by many for enjoying Iowa’s great outdoors. Farmers and others also rely on the larger UTVs (utility task vehicles) for accessing crops, pastures and other vast stretches of land as well as for recreation. But along...
Medical staffing shortages increase risk of malpractice
Despite record-low unemployment numbers, the U.S. Department of Labor reports that more than 11 million job openings remain across the country as of May 31. Worker shortages impact nearly every industry, but health care remains one of the hardest-hit sectors. Staffing...
Does posting death tolls on highway signs help or hurt safety?
We have all seen the big electronic signs suspended above the highway that display safety messages, such as reminders to buckle up or admonitions against risky behavior like drunk driving or texting while driving. Sometimes these signs display the number of traffic...
3 big ideas for improving rural healthcare in Iowa
One of the biggest problems facing rural America today is lack of access to healthcare in the area. While not every rural area is experiencing a shortage in doctors and nurses, shortages are much more pronounced in rural areas than urban ones. According to federal...
How effective are seat belt reminders?
When people get in their cars, they often do a few things without putting much thought into them. They start the ignition, check the mirrors and pick something to listen to. Hopefully, they also put on their seat belt. If this last part doesn't happen, drivers can...