Grand Island, Nebraska

Help for Grand Island 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 Grand Island, Nebraska for fatal crash injuries

A fatal crash in Grand Island, Nebraska, changes a family in a single moment. The phone call, the hospital, the funeral and the bills all arrive together. Nobody should have to sort out insurance forms while they grieve. I am Larry Demerath, a Nebraska attorney with more than 50 years of experience. I help families in Grand Island and across Hall County after a loved one dies on the road. I handle wrongful death claims for Nebraska crash victims. I work by phone, so you do not have to travel. Call me, tell me what happened, and I will explain your options.

Grand Island, Nebraska

Grand Island sits in central Nebraska and is the county seat of Hall County. The Census Bureau counts 52,622 people here in 2023, which makes it the largest city in the state outside the Omaha and Lincoln areas. The name comes from a big island in the Platte River. French trappers likely gave it that name in the late 1700s. The Pawnee lived in this area for centuries before settlers arrived, and wagon trains on the California and Mormon trails passed the island in the 1840s.

The city grew up around the railroad. A group of 35 German-speaking settlers arrived nearby in 1857, and the Union Pacific platted the town in 1866. The Lincoln Highway linked the city to both coasts by car starting in 1913. The population climbed from about 1,050 in 1870 to about 7,500 in 1890. In 1980, seven tornadoes struck the city in a few hours. The community rebuilt, and people here still talk about it.

Today the roads and rails still define daily life. Interstate 80 runs a few miles south of the city. U.S. 281 follows the west edge, and U.S. 30 runs east and west through the center. Trains are part of the day as well. More than 140 of them pass through Grand Island daily, so many drivers cross tracks on the way to work.

Grand Island draws people for work and play. Families visit the Stuhr Museum and its recreated 1890s town. Farmers come for Husker Harvest Days, and visitors fill the Nebraska State Fair at Fonner Park. In spring, cranes gather on the Platte. All those trips share the same streets and highways, which is why a crash here touches so many people. A regional airport and employers such as the ammunition maker Hornady make the city a hub for the whole region.

AI illustration: Bright green Platte River valley with sandhill cranes near Grand Island at sunrise

Events in Grand Island

Grand Island hosts events that pull in farmers, families and fans from across the state. A bigger crowd means more trucks, trailers and tired drivers on local roads.

AI illustration: Colorful farm machinery lined up in a green field at a farm show near Grand Island

Husker Harvest Days

Husker Harvest Days is billed as the world's largest totally irrigated working farm show. Farmers, ranchers and industry leaders come for machinery displays, field demonstrations and expert talks. Pickups, grain trucks and farm equipment fill the roads around Grand Island while the show runs.

AI illustration: Carnival rides and colorful lights at a state fair in Nebraska at dusk

Nebraska State Fair

The Nebraska State Fair takes over the Fonner Park campus with concerts, rodeos, demolition derby, truck and tractor pulls, livestock shows and a carnival. The fair says about 330,000 people come each year. Families, young exhibitors and farm fans travel in from every corner of Nebraska.

AI illustration: Thoroughbred horses racing around a dirt track with a bright green infield

Fonner Park live racing

Fonner Park runs a live thoroughbred racing season every year. Fans watch the horses from reserved seating, and others bet by phone or watch simulcasts. Groups can even sponsor a race. Racing crowds arrive from around central Nebraska and add steady traffic near Stolley Park Road.

AI illustration: Hundreds of sandhill cranes flying over the shallow Platte River at sunrise

Sandhill crane migration at the Crane Trust

Each spring, sandhill cranes stop along the Platte River, and the Crane Trust Nature and Visitor Center near Grand Island welcomes visitors. People watch cranes fly in at dawn and dusk. Families, school groups, birders and travelers off the interstate all come to see them.

Event information: Husker Harvest Days, Nebraska State Fair, Fonner Park, Crane Trust. 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 Grand Island, Nebraska

If you lost someone in a crash in Grand Island, Nebraska, I am sorry. I have helped Nebraska families for more than 50 years, and I know that the first weeks are the hardest. You may be dealing with a hospital in town, a funeral home, and calls from an insurance adjuster, all at the same time. I can take the insurance calls off your plate.

I handle motor vehicle crash cases and wrongful death claims. When you call, I will ask what happened, who was involved and where it took place. Whether it was on Interstate 80, on U.S. 281 or U.S. 30, or on a farm road in Hall County, the first step is the same. I gather the police report, medical records and photos, and I look for who was at fault.

Everything happens by phone. You do not need to drive anywhere, sit in a waiting room, or leave your family. I can talk with you in the evening or at a time that suits you. If papers need to be signed, I can arrange that without a long trip. As a Nebraska farmer myself, I know that chores and harvest do not stop for grief.

My first consultation is free. I take these cases on a contingency fee. That means you pay nothing unless I win your case. I will explain the fee before you decide anything, so there are no surprises. I will answer your questions honestly.

Time matters. Families here generally have two years from the date of death to file a wrongful death claim in Nebraska. Evidence also fades. Skid marks wash away, and witnesses forget details. The sooner you call, the more I can preserve.

I have recovered more than $50 million for Nebraska clients, and I am a Nebraska native and a veteran. I will never promise a result, but I will give you my honest view of your case. Please call me at 402-677-5656 and tell me what happened.

AI illustration: Colorful historic railroad town buildings and a steam train at the Stuhr Museum in Grand Island

Fatal car accidents I handle in Grand Island

Every fatal crash is different. These are the eight kinds I see most, and what they can mean for a Grand Island family.

Truck crash

Freight moves along Interstate 80 south of Grand Island and on U.S. 281 and U.S. 30. A truck crash can involve the driver, the trucking company and several insurers. Keep every paper you receive, and call me before you speak with any insurance company.

Motorcycle crash

Riders enjoy the open roads around Hall County, but drivers often miss a motorcycle in their mirrors. A rider has almost no protection in a crash. If you lost someone who rode, I can look at who was at fault and what your family may claim.

Drunk driver crash

A drunk driver crash leaves a family angry and heartbroken. Police reports, test results and witness statements all matter. I can explain how the criminal case and a wrongful death claim differ, and what your family can do while you wait for answers.

Head-on collision

A head-on crash often follows a driver drifting over the center line on a two-lane road. Farm trucks and daily commuters share the roads outside the city. Skid marks and vehicle data can show what happened, so tell me about the scene early.

Intersection crash

Busy crossings where U.S. 30 and U.S. 281 meet city streets can turn deadly in seconds. A driver who runs a light or fails to yield may be at fault. Photos of the scene and names of witnesses help a family later.

Rear-end collision

Traffic can stop fast near railroad crossings, where a passing train may block the road. A driver who looks away can strike a stopped car at full speed. Even a rear-end crash can be fatal, so do not give a recorded statement before you call me.

Pedestrian or bicycle strike

Walkers and cyclists share downtown streets and shopping areas with traffic, and they have no protection in a crash. If your loved one was hit while on foot or on a bike, I will listen first and then explain your options.

Single-vehicle or rollover crash

A rollover can happen when a driver swerves on gravel, hits winter ice or falls asleep after a long drive. Even when no other car was involved, a vehicle defect or road hazard may play a part. I look at every piece of the story.