Do I Qualify For The Second Injury Fund?

In response to American GIs returning from World War II with injuries, Iowa adopted a unique law referred to as the second injury fund. The second injury fund was set up to compensate workers who have suffered an injury to an extremity, like an arm or leg, and who also had a prior injury or condition involving another extremity. The prior injury does not need to be work-related.

Over time, this law has been expanded to all workers in Iowa, not just veterans of World War II. Two conditions need to be satisfied before a worker can recover compensation under the second injury fund. These conditions are:

• First: The worker must have a permanent injury to an extremity that’s mentioned in the law – which includes eye, arm, hand, leg or foot. This injury does not necessarily have to be the result of a workplace accident.
• Second: If this first condition is met, in order for the second injury fund to apply, the workplace accident must cause an injury to a different extremity mentioned in the law.

An example of this would be if a person had suffered some sort of injury that resulted in limited use of his or her left arm. If a subsequent workplace accident then made it impossible for that person to use his or her right arm, it is possible to pursue a claim under the second injury fund.

Many attorneys are unaware of Iowa’s second injury fund. The second injury fund is available as a means to increase the settlement amount.

If you were injured on the job in Iowa, make sure your workers’ compensation lawyer knows how to help you get the maximum monetary settlement you are entitled to. Talk to an attorney at Loney & Schueller. From offices in West Des Moines, our lawyers represent injured workers in communities throughout the state.

If you have been injured multiple times, call us. Remember – you pay NO attorneys’ fees unless we help you recover money in a settlement or verdict.