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Iowan hurt in semi-truck crash advocates against bill that would limit crash victim compensation

Iowan hurt in semi-truck crash advocates against bill that would limit crash victim compensation
NOW. RIGHT NOW IN IOWA, MAN IS SPEAKING DIRECTLY TO STATE LAWMAKERS, HOPING TO CHANGE THEIR MIND ABOUT ONE SPECIFIC BILL. IT LIMITS HOW MUCH MONEY CERTAIN CRASH VICTIMS CAN RECEIVE. vlog CHIEF POLITICAL REPORTER AMANDA ROOKER IS LIVE AT THE STATE HOUSE TONIGHT. AMANDA, WALK US THROUGH WHAT THIS MEANS FOR IOWANS. WELL, STEVE, STACY, THIS BILL WOULD IMPACT THE LAWSUITS THAT ARE FILED BY IOWANS WERE SIGNIFICANTLY INJURED OR KILLED BECAUSE OF CRASHES WITH TRUCKS OR OTHER LARGE VEHICLES. IF PASSED THIS BILL WOULD PUT A LIMIT ON HOW MUCH MONEY THOSE VICTIMS COULD RECEIVE FOR THEIR PAIN AND SUFFERING. IT WOULD CAP THAT AWARD AT $2 MILLION. NOW, THIS BILL PASSED THE SENATE LAST WEEK. IT STILL NEEDS FULL HOUSE APPROVAL IN ORDER FOR IT TO BECOME LAW. AND SUPPORTERS ARGUE IT’S NECESSARY TO RECRUIT AND KEEP TRUCK DRIVERS IN OUR STATE. BUT ONE IOWAN WHO WE TALKED WITH TODAY SAYS HE WAS CRUSHED IN BETWEEN TWO SEMI TRUCKS AND HE WANTS LAWMAKERS TO KNOW WHAT HIS DAILY PAIN AD SUFFERING LOOKS LIKE. AND HE ARGUES THAT THIS BILL WOULD TAKE JUSTICE AWAY FROM VICTIMS LIKE HIM. IT WAS A DECEMBER DAY IN 2019 WHEN BRIAN LAW WAS TRAVELING FOR WORK ON HIGHWAY 59, JUST SOUTH OF HARLAN IN WESTERN IOWA. POLICE REPORTS SHOW LOSS STOPPED FOR CONSTRUCTION, BUT THE DRIVER BEHIND HIM DID NOT STOP BEHIND A SEMI AND SEMI BEHIND HIS BRAKES SMASHED BETWEEN TWO SEMI-TRUCK WRECKS. LAW WAS AIRLIFT IT TO A NEARBY HOSPITAL. HE SPENT A WEEK IN A COMA BEFORE WAKING UP, SIGNIFICANTLY INJURED 18 STAPLES IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD AND GOT MY FOREHEAD PRETTY GOOD, MY NOSE PRETTY GOOD. MY SPINE WAS BROKEN. SIX PLACES, THORACIC NUMBER 11 WAS CRUSHED. MY SHOULDER WAS CRUSHED AS WELL. HIS SHOULDER BACK AND RIBS NOW HELD TOGETHER BY METAL SCREWS, PLATES AND RODS. IT FEELS LIKE SOMEBODY PUT A CAST IRON SKILLET IN MY BACK AND WITH EVERY STEP I MAKE, EVERY MOVE I MAKE, EVERYTHING I LIFT. IT JUST BUILDS AND BUILDS AND BUILDS AND BUILDS. AND BEYOND THE DAILY PAIN, LAW SAYS HE’S LOST THE ACT OF LIFE HE LOVED BECAUSE OF SOMEONE ELSE’S DECISION WHILE DRIVING. IT TOOK ME 20 YEARS TO TALK. MY WIFE INTO SHOOTING ARCHERY AND HUNTING, AND WE GOT FOUR YEARS OF IT AND I’M NEVER GOING TO STAND WITH HER AGAIN. WE’LL NEVER RIDE ON THE RAGBRAI AGAIN. WE’RE NEVER GOING TO SKI DOWN BRECKENRIDGE AGAIN. HE NOW WORRIES ABOUT A NEW BILL MOVING TO THE STATE HOUSE THAT WOULD LIMIT SOME AWARDS FOR PAIN AND SUFFERING. YOU’RE ALLOWING FOR LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND LACK OF PROTECTION FOR THE PEOPLE. AND LAWS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE MADE FOR THE PEOPLE, NOT THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY. ALTHOUGH ECONOMIC DAMAGES WOULD NOT BE IMPACTED, THE HIGHEST AMOUNT THAT CERTAIN CRASH VICTIMS LIKE LAW COULD RECEIVE FOR THEIR PAIN AND SUFFERING WOULD BE $2 MILLION. LAWS NOW SPEAKING OUT, HOPING TO CHANGE MINDS AT THE STATE HOUSE BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE. YOU CAN’T PUT A NUMBER TO CERTAIN THINGS.
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Iowan hurt in semi-truck crash advocates against bill that would limit crash victim compensation
On Monday, an Iowan spoke out against a bill at the Statehouse that would limit how much money certain crash victims can receive.The bill would impact lawsuits filed by Iowans who are significantly injured or killed in crashes involving trucks or other large vehicles.If passed, the highest amount those victims could receive for their pain and suffering is $2 million.The Senate passed the bill last week, with some lawmakers arguing the plan is necessary to recruit and keep truck drivers in our state. But one Iowan who was crushed between two semi-trucks wants lawmakers to know what his daily pain and suffering is like and argues the bill would take justice away from victims.In December 2019, Bryan Law was traveling for work on highway 59 just south of Harlan, in western Iowa. Police reports show Law stopped for construction, but the driver behind him did not."I was stopped behind a semi and the semi behind me never hit his brakes," Law said.Law was smashed between two semi-trucks and airlifted to a nearby hospital. He spent a week in a coma before waking up."Staples in the back of the head. Got my forehead pretty good. My nose pretty good," Law said. "My spine was broken in six places. Thoracic number 11 was crushed... My shoulder was crushed as well."Law experiences daily pain. He says he has lost the active life he loved, because of someone else's decision while driving."It took me 20 years to talk my wife into shooting archery and hunting, and we got for years of it and I'm never gonna sit in the tree stand with her again. We'll never ride on RAGBRAI again. We're never gonna ski down Breckenridge again," Law said.Law worries about the bill that would limit awards for pain and suffering."You're allowing for lack of accountability and lack of protection for the people. And laws are supposed to be made for the people, not the trucking industry," Law said.Although economic damages would not be impacted, the highest amount that certain crash victims like Law could receive for their pain and suffering would be $2 million. Law is now speaking out, hoping to change minds at the Statehouse before it's too late."You can't put a number to certain things," Law said. "Pain and suffering is one of them."

On Monday, an Iowan spoke out against a bill at the Statehouse that would limit how much money certain crash victims can receive.

The bill would impact lawsuits filed by Iowans who are significantly injured or killed in crashes involving trucks or other large vehicles.

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If passed, the highest amount those victims could receive for their pain and suffering is $2 million.

The Senate passed the bill last week, with some lawmakers arguing the plan is necessary to recruit and keep truck drivers in our state.

But one Iowan who was crushed between two semi-trucks wants lawmakers to know what his daily pain and suffering is like and argues the bill would take justice away from victims.

In December 2019, Bryan Law was traveling for work on highway 59 just south of Harlan, in western Iowa.

Police reports show Law stopped for construction, but the driver behind him did not.

"I was stopped behind a semi and the semi behind me never hit his brakes," Law said.

Law was smashed between two semi-trucks and airlifted to a nearby hospital. He spent a week in a coma before waking up.

"Staples in the back of the head. Got my forehead pretty good. My nose pretty good," Law said. "My spine was broken in six places. Thoracic number 11 was crushed... My shoulder was crushed as well."

Law experiences daily pain. He says he has lost the active life he loved, because of someone else's decision while driving.

"It took me 20 years to talk my wife into shooting archery and hunting, and we got for years of it and I'm never gonna sit in the tree stand with her again. We'll never ride on RAGBRAI again. We're never gonna ski down Breckenridge again," Law said.

Law worries about the bill that would limit awards for pain and suffering.

"You're allowing for lack of accountability and lack of protection for the people. And laws are supposed to be made for the people, not the trucking industry," Law said.

Although economic damages would not be impacted, the highest amount that certain crash victims like Law could receive for their pain and suffering would be $2 million.

Law is now speaking out, hoping to change minds at the Statehouse before it's too late.

"You can't put a number to certain things," Law said. "Pain and suffering is one of them."