In 1997, Jay and Lorrie Lala, husband and wife, created a limited liability company, Parker House, to hold various investment and personal properties, including a farmhouse that was purchased for investment purposes. The farmhouse was kept furnished although no one lived there. The Lalas occasionally used it to host business and public events. They also […]
On March 6, 2019, Aaron Lindebak obtained a defense verdict for his client. Lindebak represented the defendant (a hotel) in the lawsuit. The plaintiff, who was a guest at the hotel, slipped and fell in a shower. The plaintiff alleged the hotel was negligent. Following the presentation of the plaintiff’s case, Lindebak moved for directed […]
Investors may be excited to learn that annual contribution limits to IRAs increased this year for the first time since 2013. Last fall, the IRS announced that beginning in 2019, the annual contribution limit to IRAs would increase to the lesser of one’s earned income for the year or $6,000 ($7,000 for individuals age 50 […]
Many business owners choose to organize their businesses as separate legal entities such as corporations or LLCs. There are many advantages for doing so, but one of the primary advantages a corporation or an LLC provides a business owner is limited liability protection. This means that, generally, if a plaintiff wins a lawsuit against a […]
Plaintiff brought suit on behalf of decedent’s estate following decedent’s death. Decedent received care for a fracture and, following placement of screws in her ankle, developed MRSA. As a result of the infection, the physicians amputated the leg. Plaintiff alleges medical malpractice due to failures with the surgery, monitoring of the ankle, and failing […]
Plaintiffs purchased a home in Council Bluffs, Iowa in June 2015. They purchased insurance coverage for the home through Defendant. In September 2015, Plaintiffs’ newly purchased home developed serious foundational deficiencies. After Plaintiffs informed Defendant of the damage, Defendant sent representatives to the home to conduct an investigation. Upon completion of their investigation, Defendant sent […]
Ben Erickson recently obtained a defense verdict on behalf of two local clients. The case stemmed from an auto accident with disputed liability. At trial, Erickson presented evidence that the defendant driver was not at fault, and that the plaintiff’s own actions caused the accident. A Polk County jury agreed, and returned a verdict in […]
On May 22, 2013, plaintiff’s vehicle was struck from behind by defendant at an intersection. The evidence showed defendant had not applied the gas pedal and was traveling less than five miles per hour. Neither vehicle showed physical damage. The evidence further showed plaintiff had “multiple musculoskeletal problems” prior to the accident at issue. Plaintiff […]
On November 16, 2018, the Iowa Supreme Court issued a ruling concerning the compensability of idiopathic injuries. The case involved a restaurant employee who had a seizure and fell backwards on a level floor while handling a customer’s order. The Commission declined to award benefits on the grounds that, as a matter of law, idiopathic […]
One of the many changes that went into effect with the tax overhaul earlier this year was the deductibility of interest accruing from home-equity debt. Previously, homeowners could deduct the interest from up to $100,000 of home-equity debt borrowed for any purpose. For example, if you borrowed $20,000 against your home to pay for a […]
