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Hastings, Nebraska

Help for Hastings families after a fatal crash

Fatal personal injury hotline

402-677-5656

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.

Your information is sent securely and goes only to Larry. You pay nothing unless I win.

Expert help in Hastings, Nebraska for fatal crash injuries

Losing someone in a car crash changes every day that follows. If your family is grieving in Hastings, Nebraska, you may also be facing insurance calls, funeral bills, and questions nobody prepared you to answer. I am Larry Demerath, and I have helped Nebraska families through this for more than 50 years. I handle fatal crash and wrongful death claims by phone, so you can stay close to home. You do not need to travel or sit in a waiting room. Call me when you are ready. The first conversation is free, and I will explain your options in plain words.

Hastings, Nebraska

Hastings is the county seat of Adams County, in south-central Nebraska. About 24,896 people live here, which makes it one of the larger cities in the state. Interstate 80 runs about 14 miles to the north, so much of the traffic that reaches town has already traveled a long way.

The city began in 1872, where two railroads met, and it took its name from Colonel D. T. Hastings. In 1878 the county seat moved here from Juniata. In 1927 a local man named Edwin Perkins invented Kool-Aid in Hastings, and the town still celebrates that with a festival each summer. During World War II a large naval ammunition depot was built here, and the city grew fast.

Today U.S. Routes 6 and 34 run east and west through Hastings, and U.S. Highway 281 runs north and south. Burlington Avenue is the main north-south street and leads toward Highway 281. Amtrak's California Zephyr still stops in town. Hastings College, founded in 1882, and Central Community College bring students and staff onto local streets every school day. Central Community College now occupies part of the old depot grounds, so the city's wartime story is still part of daily life.

Families in Hastings drive these roads to work, to school, to the fairgrounds, and to the Hastings Museum. Farm trucks, delivery trucks, and visitors on their way across the state all share the same highways. When a crash happens on one of them, the whole community feels it. Many of these roads were laid out for slower, lighter traffic than they carry today. That is why a serious crash in Hastings is rarely a simple accident. It often raises real questions about speed, road design, and who was at fault. I want local families to know that help is available.

AI illustration: Rainbow Fisher Fountain in Highland Park in Hastings, Nebraska, with colorful water jets and green trees

Events in Hastings

Hastings fills with visitors for these four events. More people on the roads means more crowded intersections and more chances for a serious crash.

AI illustration: Families and children enjoying colorful Kool-Aid drinks at a summer festival stand in Hastings, Nebraska

Kool-Aid Days

Kool-Aid Days celebrates the drink that Edwin Perkins invented in Hastings. The festival includes a parade, the World's Largest Kool-Aid Stand, the Kwickest Kool-Aid Drinking Contest, and the Kool-Aid Kardboard Boat Races. Local families and visitors from out of state come for the fun and the history.

AI illustration: Rodeo rider on a bucking horse in a dusty arena under stadium lights at the Adams County Fairgrounds

Oregon Trail Rodeo

The Oregon Trail Rodeo is held at the Adams County Fairgrounds in Hastings during Kool-Aid Days. It features stunt riders and roping cowgirls. Organizers say the shared weekend lets visitors who came for Kool-Aid see another Nebraska tradition, and many people drive in from outside the area.

AI illustration: Carnival rides and livestock barns lit up at the county fairgrounds in Hastings on a summer evening

Adams County Fairfest

Adams County Fairfest is held at the Adams County Fairgrounds. It brings 4-H and open class exhibits, livestock shows, a craft and vendor show, a carnival, and grandstand concerts. Families from across the county bring animals and trailers, and fans from other towns arrive for the music.

AI illustration: Teenage rodeo competitor roping a calf in a dirt arena at the Adams County Fairgrounds in Hastings

Nebraska High School Finals Rodeo

The Nebraska High School Finals Rodeo is a state-level competition for young rodeo athletes. It is held at the Adams County Fairgrounds, and the Hastings and Adams County visitors bureau welcomes it. Hastings has hosted it for many years, so contestants and their families drive in from around Nebraska.

Event information: Visit Nebraska, KSNB Local 4, Central Nebraska Today, Sports Nebraska. 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 Hastings, Nebraska

After losing someone in a crash near Hastings, you do not have to sort this out alone. I have spent more than 50 years helping Nebraska families after fatal motor vehicle crashes, and I know how heavy the first weeks feel. My job is to take the legal work off your shoulders so you can focus on your family. Grief is hard enough without a stack of forms and a stranger from an insurance company asking for a recorded statement.

I handle everything by phone. You do not have to drive to Omaha, and you do not have to sit in a waiting room. You and I talk when it suits you, and I handle the paperwork. I gather the crash report, speak with the insurance companies, and review the records that show what happened on the road, whether that was Highway 281, Highway 6 or 34, or a county road outside the city.

I take cases on a contingency fee. You do not owe me anything unless I win your case. The first consultation is free, and there is no pressure to decide that day. You can ask me anything, take your time, and talk it over with your family before you choose what to do. I will tell you honestly what I think and what you can expect. If your case is not one I can help with, I will say so plainly and point you in a better direction.

Time matters. Nebraska generally gives a family two years after the date of death to file a wrongful death claim. Waiting can make it harder to find witnesses and records. Tire marks fade, vehicles get repaired or sold, and memories blur. I am a Nebraska native and a veteran, and I have farmed in this state, so I understand how much rural families depend on their roads. Please call me at 402-677-5656. I will listen, and I will explain your options for Hastings and Adams County families.

AI illustration: The art deco Hastings Museum building on North Burlington Avenue in Hastings, Nebraska, under a bright blue sky

Fatal car accidents I handle in Hastings

Fatal crashes happen in many ways. These are eight kinds I see, and what Hastings families should know about each one.

Truck crash

Interstate 80 sits about 14 miles north of Hastings, and trucks move through the area on the highways that feed the city. A loaded truck is hard to stop. These cases often involve several companies, so records must be saved early.

Motorcycle crash

Warm weather brings riders onto the open roads around Adams County. Drivers often fail to see a motorcycle at a turn or a crossroad. If your loved one was a rider, I will look closely at what the other driver did.

Drunk driver crash

Events like Kool-Aid Days and the county fair bring crowds and long evenings to Hastings. A driver who drinks and then gets behind the wheel can end a life in seconds. Families may have claims beyond the driver's own insurance.

Head-on collision

On two-lane county roads near Hastings, one driver crossing the center line can cause a head-on crash. Fatigue, phones, and passing at the wrong moment are common causes. Skid marks and vehicle data can show what happened.

Intersection crash

U.S. 6, U.S. 34, and U.S. 281 meet city streets in Hastings, and drivers must judge speed and gaps quickly. Red-light running and rolling through stop signs cause many deadly wrecks. Witness names matter, so write them down if you can.

Rear-end collision

Traffic slows near the fairgrounds and downtown when events draw a crowd, and a driver who looks away for a moment can slam into the car ahead. Rear-end crashes can be deadly at highway speed. Please keep every medical and funeral bill.

Pedestrian or bicycle strike

Hastings College and Central Community College put students on foot and on bikes near busy streets. People walking in the evening are hard to see. If a loved one was struck, the driver's insurer may blame them. I will check the facts.

Single-vehicle or rollover crash

Gravel county roads, ditches, and farm field entrances around Adams County can lead to a rollover. Wet, icy, or dusty conditions add to the danger. Even when no other car was involved, a road defect or a vehicle fault may be to blame.