Iowa Code § 668.3 - Comparative fault — effect — payment method

1. a. Contributory fault shall not bar recovery in an action by a claimant to recover damages for fault resulting in death or in injury to person or property unless the claimant bears a greater percentage of fault than the combined percentage of fault attributed to the defendants, third-party defendants and persons who have been released pursuant to section 668.7, but any damages allowed shall be diminished in proportion to the amount of fault attributable to the claimant. b. Contributory fault shall not bar recovery in an action by a claimant to recover damages for loss of services, companionship, society, or consortium, unless the fault attributable to the person whose injury or death provided the basis for the damages is greater in percentage than the combined percentage of fault attributable to the defendants, third-party defendants, and persons who have been released pursuant to section 668.7, but any damages allowed shall be diminished in proportion to the amount of fault attributable to the person whose injury or death provided the basis for the damages. 2. In the trial of a claim involving the fault of more than one party to the claim, including third-party defendants and persons who have been released pursuant to section 668.7, the court, unless otherwise agreed by all parties, shall instruct the jury to answer special interrogatories or, if there is no jury, shall make findings, indicating all of the following: a. The amount of damages each claimant will be entitled to recover if contributory fault is disregarded. b. The percentage of the total fault allocated to each claimant, defendant, third-party defendant, person who has been released from liability under section 668.7, and injured or deceased person whose injury or death provides a basis for a claim to recover damages for loss of consortium, services, companionship, or society. For this purpose the court may determine that two or more persons are to be treated as a single party. 3. In determining the percentages of fault, the trier of fact shall consider both the nature of the conduct of each party and the extent of the causal relation between the conduct and the damages claimed. 4. The court shall determine the amount of damages payable to each claimant by each other party, if any, in accordance with the findings of the court or jury. 5. If the claim is tried to a jury, the court shall give instructions and permit evidence and argument with respect to the effects of the answers to be returned to the interrogatories submitted under this section. 6. In an action brought under this chapter and tried to a jury, the court shall not discharge the jury until the court has determined that the verdict or verdicts are consistent with the total damages and percentages of fault, and if inconsistencies exist the court shall do all of the following: a. Inform the jury of the inconsistencies. b. Order the jury to resume deliberations to correct the inconsistencies. c. Instruct the jury that it is at liberty to change any portion or portions of the verdicts to correct the inconsistencies. 7. When a final judgment or award is entered, any party may petition the court for a determination of the appropriate payment method of such judgment or award. If so petitioned the court may order that the payment method for all or part of the judgment or award be by structured, periodic, or other nonlump-sum payments. However, the court shall not order a structured, periodic, or other nonlump-sum payment method if it finds that any of the following are true: a. The payment method would be inequitable. b. The payment method provides insufficient guarantees of future collectibility of the judgment or award. c. Payments made under the payment method could be subject to other claims, past or future, against the defendant or the defendant’s insurer. 8. In an action brought pursuant to this chapter the court shall instruct the jury to answer special interrogatories or, if there is no jury, shall make findings on each specific item of requested or awarded damages indicating that portion of the judgment or decree awarded for past damages and that portion of the judgment or decree awarded for future damages. All awards of future damages shall be calculated according to the method set forth in section 624.18. 84 Acts, ch 1293, §3; 86 Acts, ch 1211, §39; 87 Acts, ch 157, §5, 6; 97 Acts, ch 197, §10 – 12, 16 Referred to in §321.445, 657.1, 668.5, 668.6, 668.7, 668.13