"When did you first get a doctor to say this crash made your old condition worse?" That is the adjuster's next question, and your answer matters because Iowa claims are often attacked as preexisting-condition cases when there is any gap in treatment or no clear medical opinion tying the worsening to the crash.

The common mistake is waiting for the insurance company's doctor, nurse reviewer, or IME doctor to be "fair." In Iowa, that delay can cost you evidence even if it does not automatically bar the claim. The correct approach is to get your own treating specialist's opinion now, especially if a Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, or Thanksgiving crash on I-380, Highway 30, or U.S. 151 sharply aggravated an old back, neck, hip, or neurologic problem.

For a Cedar Rapids crash claim against the at-fault driver, Iowa's general deadline is 2 years from the injury date under Iowa Code section 614.1(2). If a city, county, or state vehicle is involved, do not assume the same practical timeline; government claims need faster evidence preservation and agency-specific notice handling.

What to do immediately:

• Ask your current doctor or a specialist for a written opinion using words like "caused," "aggravated," or "substantially worsened" by the crash.
• Get records from before and after the wreck so the change is documented.
• Do not rely only on an insurance medical exam. An IME is not your treating doctor.
• If different doctors conflict, the most useful record is usually the provider who has compared your prior baseline with your post-crash decline.
• If you are changing lawyers mid-case, do it before the 2-year filing deadline so the new lawyer can review records and file on time in Linn County if needed.

If the crash was recent and symptoms worsened after being sent home from the ER, that timing needs to be documented now, not after the adjuster locks in your statement.