Kearney, Nebraska

Help for Kearney families after a fatal crash

Fatal personal injury hotline

About Demerath Law Office

I am Larry Demerath, a Nebraska native, a veteran and a Nebraska farmer. For over 50 years I have represented families in motor vehicle cases, and fatal car accident cases are where my experience counts most.

I have recovered more than $50 million for clients in Nebraska courtrooms, including $1,062,500 in a wrongful death case, $1,025,000 for a passenger killed in a crash and $670,000 after an I-80 crash that killed two children.

I earned my law degree at the University of Nebraska College of Law and I am admitted to the Nebraska State Bar, the federal district court, the 8th Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court. I handle your case myself, by phone, with no travel and no waiting room. You pay nothing unless I win.

How I help families who lost someone

When a crash takes someone you love, you should not have to fight an insurance company alone. I guide your family through the legal process, protect your rights and pursue the compensation Nebraska law allows.

Investigate the crash, gather evidence and identify key witnesses
Uncover every insurance policy that may apply
Deal with the insurance companies so your family does not have to
File a Nebraska wrongful death claim on your family's behalf
Explain the deadlines that apply to your claim
Seek compensation for funeral and medical expenses, lost income and lost support
Take your case to trial if the insurance company will not pay a fair amount
Answer your questions by phone in plain language
Handle everything on a contingency fee, so you pay nothing unless I win

Tell Larry what happened

Send a message and Larry will contact you. There is no cost to ask.

Expert help in Kearney, Nebraska for fatal crash injuries

If a crash takes someone you love in Kearney, Nebraska, the days that follow can feel unreal. You may be sitting in a hospital hallway, planning a funeral and answering questions from an insurance company. You should not have to carry all of that alone. I am Larry Demerath, and I have practiced in Nebraska for more than 50 years. I help Kearney and Buffalo County families bring wrongful death claims after a fatal crash. I work by phone, so there is no drive and no waiting room. Call me when you are ready, and I will listen first.

Kearney, Nebraska

Kearney is the county seat of Buffalo County, in the middle of Nebraska along the Platte River. The Census Bureau counts 34,362 people here in 2023, and the 2020 census made it the fifth largest city in the state. Many people know it as the Sandhill Crane Capital of the World. History is easy to find here. The Trails and Rails Museum sits on the old Mormon Trail, and the Museum of Nebraska Art is in a post office built in 1911.

The town began with the trails. Settlers moved along the Mormon and Overland trails in the late 1840s, and the Army built Fort Kearny in 1848 to protect them. Fort Kearny State Historical Park still stands near town and tells that story. The city later took its name from the fort. The extra letter e came from a spelling mistake that stuck. Kearney was incorporated in 1873 and became the county seat in 1874.

Interstate 80 still carries travelers through the middle of the state, and the Great Platte River Road Archway spans the highway near Exit 275. The Archway tells the story of travel along the Platte, from slow covered wagons to cars and big trucks. Many visitors stop for a night, then drive on, so the interstate exits stay busy. Locals also enjoy the Kearney Water Trail, where people paddle or tube through the city canal.

The city is also a college town. The University of Nebraska at Kearney opened in 1905 as a state normal school and joined the University of Nebraska system in 1991. The university and Good Samaritan Hospital are both major employers, and Baldwin Filters is the largest manufacturer in town. Students, workers, farm trucks and travelers all share Kearney streets, so a local crash can reach many families.

AI illustration: Sandhill cranes flying over the Platte River near Kearney Nebraska at sunrise

Events in Kearney

Kearney fills up for crane season, ballgames and campus celebrations. Out-of-town drivers who do not know the streets add to the traffic on Interstate 80 and in the city.

AI illustration: Thousands of sandhill cranes standing in the shallow Platte River at sunrise near Kearney

Sandhill crane migration at Rowe Sanctuary

Each spring hundreds of thousands of sandhill cranes rest on the Platte River near Kearney. Rowe Sanctuary, a 3,000-acre Audubon preserve near Gibbon, offers tours and programs. Visitors come from around the world to watch the birds, and many drive in before sunrise or after dark.

AI illustration: Children in bright costumes exploring a park trail among autumn trees in Kearney

Fall Nature Festival

The Fall Nature Festival is a family event at Yanney Heritage Park. Children come in costumes and join nature activities. Rowe Sanctuary and Kearney Parks and Recreation run it together. Parents and kids from across the area arrive in a short window, so parking lots and nearby streets fill.

AI illustration: Colorful parade floats and a marching band moving down a Kearney downtown street

UNK Homecoming Parade

The UNK Homecoming Parade rolls through downtown Kearney during homecoming week at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Students, alumni and local families line the streets to cheer on floats and marching groups. Roads close and reroute, and many people arrive from out of town.

AI illustration: Hockey players skating on a bright indoor ice rink in a Nebraska arena

Tri-City Storm hockey at the Viaero Event Center

The Viaero Event Center in Kearney hosts concerts and is home to the Tri-City Storm hockey team. Game nights bring fans from across central Nebraska into town in the evening. Drivers leaving after dark are often tired, and the lots empty onto the same few streets.

Event information: Audubon Rowe Sanctuary, Visit Kearney, Visit Kearney, Wikipedia. Dates change each year, so check the organizer before you go. The pictures on this page are AI-generated illustrations, not photographs of the events.

How Demerath Law Office can help you in Kearney, Nebraska

If your family lost someone in a crash in Kearney, Nebraska, I am sorry. I have been helping Nebraskans for more than 50 years, and I know this is not a time for paperwork. It is a time to be with your family. Let me carry some of that weight.

My practice is Nebraska motor vehicle crashes and wrongful death claims. When you call, I will ask simple questions. What happened, who was driving, and where did it happen? Whether the crash was on Interstate 80, on a city street in Kearney, or on a country road in Buffalo County, I start by collecting the police report, the medical records and any photos. Then I work to learn who was at fault.

I work by phone. There is no travel, no waiting room and no need to take time away from your family. I will talk with you in the evening if that is easier. If you have a hard time reaching the right people, I will help with that too. Many families in central Nebraska have farms or businesses to run, and I understand that life does not stop. I am a Nebraska farmer myself.

Your first call to me is a free consultation. I take these cases on a contingency fee, which means you pay nothing unless I win. I will explain the fee before you decide anything. I will also tell you honestly whether I think your case is strong.

Please do not wait too long. Nebraska families generally have two years from the date of death to file a wrongful death claim. Evidence can disappear quickly. Vehicles get repaired or sold, and memories fade. Calling early gives me more to work with. I will be plain about what I can do.

I am a veteran and a Nebraska native, and I have recovered more than $50 million for clients across the state. Whenever you are ready, call me at 402-677-5656. Tell me about your loved one, and I will listen.

AI illustration: The Great Platte River Road Archway spanning Interstate 80 near Kearney under a bright sky

Fatal car accidents I handle in Kearney

No two crashes are the same. Here are eight kinds of fatal crash, and what each can mean for a Kearney family.

Truck crash

Interstate 80 brings a steady line of freight through Kearney, and trucks also use city streets to reach businesses. A truck crash can involve the driver and a trucking company. Save every letter you receive, and call me before you talk to any insurer.

Motorcycle crash

Nebraska summers bring riders out on the roads around Buffalo County. Drivers sometimes pull out in front of a motorcycle because they never saw it. A rider has little protection. If you lost a rider, I can review what happened and explain your family's options.

Drunk driver crash

Crashes caused by a drunk driver often happen late at night, after a game or a party. Police reports and test results matter. I can explain how a criminal case and a wrongful death claim are different, and what to do in the meantime.

Head-on collision

A driver who drifts over the center line on a two-lane country road can cause a head-on crash in a heartbeat. Highway speeds make these crashes severe. Tell me about the scene early, because skid marks and vehicle data can fade quickly.

Intersection crash

Kearney streets near the interstate exits and the university stay busy with students and travelers. A driver who runs a red light or ignores a stop sign can cause a fatal crash. Names of witnesses and photos of the intersection help your family later.

Rear-end collision

Interstate traffic can slow without warning, especially near exits, construction or crane season crowds. A distracted driver can hit a stopped car at full speed. Please do not give a recorded statement to the other insurer before you speak with me.

Pedestrian or bicycle strike

Students, joggers and cyclists share Kearney streets and trails with cars. People on foot have nothing to shield them when a driver is not paying attention. If someone you love was hit while walking or riding, I will listen first and then explain your options.

Single-vehicle or rollover crash

A rollover can follow a swerve to avoid a deer, a patch of winter ice or a long, tiring drive across the state. Even when no other vehicle was involved, a defect or a road hazard may have played a part. I look at the whole picture.