IOWA GUIDE 17
Iowa Comparative Fault & Crash Liability
Iowa uses modified comparative fault. Under Iowa Code § 668.3, a claimant is barred only when the claimant’s fault is greater than the combined fault attributed to defendants, third-party defendants and released persons; otherwise damages are reduced in proportion to the claimant’s fault.
- A claimant at 50% fault is not barred by the statutory greater-than standard; a claimant above 50% is barred.
- Identify all potentially responsible parties, including persons already released.
- Preserve vehicle data, photographs, video, witness testimony and roadway evidence before fault is allocated.
- Separate causation analysis from percentage allocation.
Primary Iowa Source
Iowa Code ch. 668 — Liability in Tort — Comparative Fault
Current-law review: September 16, 2026. Apply the statute together with current Iowa appellate authority and the facts of the crash.
VictimsGuide 