Scottsbluff, Nebraska

Phone help for Scottsbluff families after a deadly 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 Scottsbluff, Nebraska for fatal crash injuries

Nothing prepares a Scottsbluff family for the call that says a loved one died on the road. Grief comes first, and then the practical questions pile up. Who pays the funeral costs? What do you say to an insurance adjuster? My name is Larry Demerath, and I have practiced law in Nebraska for more than 50 years. I help families in Scottsbluff and the Panhandle when a crash takes someone they love. I will listen closely, explain your options in plain words, and take on the legal work. You pay no fee unless I win. Call me today for a free consultation.

Scottsbluff, Nebraska

Scottsbluff is the largest city in the Nebraska Panhandle. It lies in Scotts Bluff County, along the North Platte River, and the Census Bureau counts 14,305 people here in 2023. The county seat is Gering, a smaller town just across the river, so the two towns share many of the same roads, shops and neighbors.

The city was founded in 1899 by the Lincoln Land Company, a subsidiary of the Burlington Railroad. Tracks reached the town by 1900, which made it the first town in the region on a rail line. Some older businesses moved over from Gering when the railroad arrived, and the new town grew around the tracks. The city is named for the great bluff that rises across the river. Downtown also holds the Lincoln Hotel and the Scottsbluff Carnegie Library, and Scottsbluff Public Schools serves the area's children.

That bluff is now Scotts Bluff National Monument. It towers about 800 feet above the North Platte River and was a landmark for travelers on the Oregon Trail. Covered wagons once rolled through Mitchell Pass between two bluffs. Today visitors drive Summit Road, a 1.6-mile route to the top, and hike nearly four miles of trails.

U.S. Route 26 runs east and west through Scottsbluff. Nebraska Highway 71 runs north and south, and Nebraska Highway 92 runs west to the Wyoming border. Western Nebraska Community College has its main campus here, and the Midwest Theater is on the National Register of Historic Places. The University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing, Chadron State College and a University of Nebraska-Lincoln research and extension center also offer programs in the city, which brings students and staff onto local roads. Students, visitors, workers and farm families all use these roads, and a crash on any of them touches the whole community.

AI illustration: Scotts Bluff National Monument rising above green fields near Scottsbluff under a vivid blue sky

Events in Scottsbluff

Scottsbluff and nearby Gering hold events all summer that draw visitors from far away. More cars on the roads, many of them driven by people who do not know the area, raise the risk for everyone.

AI illustration: Colorful small town parade with floats and families lining a sunny Nebraska street

Oregon Trail Days

Oregon Trail Days takes place in nearby Gering and is described as the longest continuously running celebration in Nebraska. The page calls it a fun-filled weekend for western Nebraska. Families from the whole Panhandle travel to take part in the tradition.

AI illustration: Bright carnival ride and fairgrounds at dusk during a county fair in western Nebraska

Scotts Bluff County Fair

The Scotts Bluff County Fair has been a local tradition for over 134 years and is held each July. It offers concerts, tractor pulls, a carnival, 4-H events, a beer garden and rodeos. Farm families and visitors from across the area attend.

AI illustration: Many colorful hot air balloons rising over the Nebraska Panhandle at sunrise

Old West Balloon Fest

Old West Balloon Fest is Nebraska's premier hot air balloon event, held each summer in Scotts Bluff County. It features more than 80 balloons, an evening Nightglow kickoff, a craft fair, food trucks, a cornhole tournament and a wiener dog race.

AI illustration: Live band playing on an outdoor stage in a downtown plaza on a summer evening

Bands on Broadway

Bands on Broadway is an eight-week summer concert series held on Thursday evenings in June and July at 18th Street Plaza in downtown Scottsbluff. Local and regional musicians play while crowds enjoy food and drinks, so downtown streets fill up.

Event information: Visit Scottsbluff, Twin Cities Development, Twin Cities Development, Twin Cities Development. 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 Scottsbluff, Nebraska

If someone you love dies in a crash near Scottsbluff, the legal side can feel like too much on top of the grief. I am Larry Demerath, and I take that weight off families so they can focus on each other.

I handle cases by phone. There is no drive to Omaha and no waiting room. You can call from home in Scottsbluff or Gering, tell me what happened, and I will explain where your family stands. The first talk is free. I have served Nebraskans for over 50 years, and I have recovered more than $50 million for clients across the state.

Whether the crash happened on U.S. Route 26, Nebraska Highway 71 or Nebraska Highway 92, I begin by gathering the facts. I ask for the crash report, the medical records and the insurance policies. I deal with the insurers directly, so you do not have to answer their calls. I will talk with you about funeral costs, lost income and the loss to your family, and I will tell you honestly what I think the claim is worth, even if the answer is hard to hear.

Many families are not sure they even have a case. I will tell you plainly whether the law gives your family a claim, and I will not charge for that answer. I will also keep you informed at each step, in plain words, by phone, whenever you have a question or a worry.

Time matters. Nebraska generally requires a wrongful death claim within two years of the date of death. Please call well before that, because evidence and memories fade.

I charge on a contingency fee. You pay nothing unless I win. I am a Nebraska native and a veteran, and I still farm, so I understand the families of the Panhandle. I belong to the Nebraska State Bar and the federal district court, the 8th Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court. If your family needs help in Scottsbluff, call me at 402-677-5656.

AI illustration: Historic Midwest Theater marquee on a sunny downtown street in Scottsbluff Nebraska

Fatal car accidents I handle in Scottsbluff

Fatal crashes in and around Scottsbluff come in many forms. Here are eight kinds and what a family should know about each.

Truck crash

Trucks use U.S. Route 26 and Nebraska Highway 71 to move through the Panhandle. A crash with a large truck can involve the driver, the carrier and more than one insurer. Families should know that logs and inspection records can be lost if no one asks for them early.

Motorcycle crash

Riders come to the Scotts Bluff area for the monument and the open country. Many deadly motorcycle wrecks happen when a car turns in front of a rider. The other driver may blame the rider, but your family may still have a claim.

Drunk driver crash

Summer concerts, fairs and festivals bring people downtown and out to the fairgrounds. A driver who drinks and then drives can be held responsible in a civil case, separate from criminal charges. Your family can pursue a claim while the criminal case moves forward.

Head-on collision

A head-on crash usually means a car crossed the center line. Causes include sleepiness, a distracted driver, or a bad pass on a highway such as Nebraska Highway 92 heading toward Wyoming. The force is severe, so the vehicles and records must be examined carefully.

Intersection crash

Where U.S. Route 26 meets other busy streets in Scottsbluff, drivers turn, merge and run yellow lights. Each side often says it had the right of way. Witness statements and any video from nearby businesses can help show what really happened.

Rear-end collision

Traffic can stop fast on busy streets in town, and a driver looking at a phone may not see it. A rear-end hit at speed can kill, especially in a smaller car. Your family should keep the vehicle photos and the repair records.

Pedestrian or bicycle strike

People walk, run and ride bikes around Scottsbluff and the monument trails, and cyclists share roads with cars. A person outside a vehicle has no protection. If your loved one was struck, the driver's insurance and the crash scene facts will matter.

Single-vehicle or rollover crash

On rural roads around Scotts Bluff County, a tired driver can leave the pavement and roll over. Farm country brings gravel, equipment and wildlife, and winter weather adds ice. Sometimes a defective tire or vehicle part is to blame.