Franz Becker has already taken on a Des Moines property owner in front of a jury — and won a $1,000,000 result for his client. If you were injured in Des Moines or the surrounding metro because someone else failed to act responsibly, Franz brings the same preparation and persistence to your case.
$1,000,000 Result Against a Des Moines Landlord
In a slip-and-fall premises liability case against a Des Moines landlord, Franz prepared the case for trial and took it in front of a jury. The case settled for $1,000,000 on the third day of trial. Franz has also obtained a $785,000 personal injury settlement for another client.
The lesson from that case applies to every injury claim: insurers make better offers when they know your attorney is ready, willing, and able to go to trial.
Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case is different and is evaluated on its own facts.
Premises Liability and Unsafe Rental Properties
Property owners and landlords have a duty to keep their premises reasonably safe. Iowa’s landlord-tenant law (Iowa Code chapter 562A) also requires landlords to maintain rental units and common areas. When they ignore known dangers, people get hurt. Franz handles cases involving:
- Slip-and-fall injuries on icy walkways, wet floors, and uneven surfaces
- Broken stairs, railings, and balconies in apartment complexes
- Poor lighting in parking lots, hallways, and stairwells
- Injuries caused by inadequate security where an attack was foreseeable
- Unsafe conditions in stores, restaurants, and other businesses
Car and Truck Crashes Across the Metro
Des Moines is where I-35 and I-80 meet, and I-235 carries heavy commuter traffic straight through the heart of the city. Busy interchanges, construction zones, and a steady flow of commercial trucks contribute to serious crashes. Franz represents people hurt in:
- Rear-end and intersection collisions on I-235, Merle Hay Road, Euclid Avenue, and other busy routes
- Semi-truck and delivery-vehicle crashes on the interstates
- Pedestrian and bicycle accidents downtown and along the metro’s trail crossings
- Crashes with uninsured or underinsured drivers, where your own policy may provide coverage
Truck cases deserve particular attention. Iowa changed its law in 2023 to limit some damages in lawsuits involving commercial motor vehicles, which makes careful evaluation of every available claim — against the driver, the trucking company, and others — more important than ever.
Know the Deadlines
- Two years is the general deadline to file a personal injury lawsuit in Iowa.
- Claims against the City of Des Moines, Polk County, DART, or the State can involve additional procedural requirements.
- Under Iowa’s comparative fault rules, your recovery is reduced by any share of fault assigned to you, and barred if your fault is greater than that of the parties you’re pursuing — so insurers often try to shift blame early. Don’t give them the chance.