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Your Kearney Personal Injury Attorney
The short answer. In Nebraska most injury claims must be filed within four years (Neb. Rev. Stat. 25-207(3)). The trial court for Buffalo County sits in Kearney, at 1512 Central Avenue, Kearney, NE 68848. To talk it through, send the form on this page and we will work to connect you with an attorney in our network.
Nobody plans for the call that follows an accident. Whether you were hurt in a crash, a fall or something else in Kearney, the weeks afterward bring decisions that feel bigger than they should. Here is what Nebraska law says, in plain terms, so you can ask better questions.
A quick note on what this page is: general information about Nebraska injury law, written from the statutes, from a matching service that does not practice law. It is meant to help you ask good questions, not to decide your case.
Questions Worth Asking In Kearney
A short list of questions can sort out who is right for you:
- The date. Ask for the specific last day to file in your case. The general rule is four years (Neb. Rev. Stat. 25-207(3)).
- Your share of fault. Ask how a finding that you were partly responsible would change the numbers (Neb. Rev. Stat. 25-21,185.09).
- Limits on damages. Ask whether any rule restricts the amount you could recover in Nebraska.
- The money terms. Ask how fees are calculated and which costs come out of a recovery.
- Who will work on it. Ask who handles your file day to day and how fast messages are answered.
Personal Injury Types of Cases
Wrongful Death
When negligence leads to fatal injuries, a wrongful death suit can help the surviving family members hold the negligent company, persons, and or person accountable for what was done. A wrongful death case can involve different types of compensation from other personal injury claims. After a fatal accident, family members can ask an attorney to review what compensation the surviving loved ones may have a right to. These types of accidents can include.
- Auto Accident
- Maritime Accident
- Drowning
- Electrocution
- Falls
- Helicopter Accident
- Fire
- Firearm
- and other types of wrongful deaths
Motor Vehicle Accidents
As long as the person that was operating the vehicle that injured you was negligent in some way, you can could have a claim for compensation. This can include.
- Car Accidents
- Truck Accidents
- Bicycle Accidents
- 18 wheeler Accidents
- Motorcycle crashes
- Drunk Driving
- Distracted Driving
- Aggressive Driving
- and other types of motor vehicle accidents
Work Place Accidents
These types of personal injury lawsuits involve more that just a employee and employer. If you feel like your place of employment was negligent in some way, you might have a claim for compensation. These types of accidents can include.
- Slip and Fall
- Unsafe working conditions
- Unmaintained equipment
- Auto Accidents
- Death
- Electrical Hazards
- Occupational illnesses like COPD, contagious diseases, and asbestosis
- personal injuries at work
Premises Liability
Many premises liability claims are from a property owner’s duty to maintain a property in the way that does not endanger others. There are may ways a property owner can violate this duty.
- Broken Stairs
- Unlit alleyways
- Slippery Floors
- Surfaces that are uneven
- Places to receive burns
- Places to receive chemical exposure
- Dog bites
- and other dangerous conditions
Injured in Kearney? Get matched with an attorney now.
What Shared Blame Means For You
Fault is divided by percentage in Nebraska, and the dividing line sits at fifty percent. The source is Neb. Rev. Stat. 25-21,185.09.
You can recover only if your share of the fault is below 50 percent, and your award is reduced by your share; at 50 percent or more the claim is barred (Neb. Rev. Stat. 25-21,185.09). Insurers often press this point first, so keep notes about how the injury happened.
When The Clock Starts And Stops
A lawsuit for most injuries in Nebraska must be started within four years (Neb. Rev. Stat. 25-207(3)). Extra time can be available for a child and in some other limited situations (Neb. Rev. Stat. 25-213).
A claim against a government body usually has its own claim or notice steps that must be followed before you sue, so ask early (Political Subdivisions Tort Claims Act, Neb. Rev. Stat. 13-919). If someone died, a separate set of rules can apply (Neb. Rev. Stat. 30-809 and 30-810). Ask in your first conversation which date applies to your claim.
The Court and Hospitals Behind a Kearney Claim
Buffalo County is the county the Census Bureau assigns to Kearney. For Buffalo County, the Nebraska court directory shows the 9th district court in Kearney, at 1512 Central Avenue, Kearney, NE 68848. The state list of trauma centers shows CHI Health Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney as a Level II trauma center. In Kearney, that list names Bryan Hospital Kearney Regional Medical Center as a Level III trauma center.
The three Nebraska acute care and critical access hospitals nearest Kearney in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Hospital General Information file, measured in a straight line from the town’s coordinates, are CHI Health Good Samaritan in Kearney, 0.4 miles, an acute care hospital; Kearney Regional Medical Center in Kearney, 2.0 miles, an acute care hospital; and Kearney County Health Services Hospital in Minden, 16.0 miles, a critical access hospital. The street address of CHI Health Good Samaritan is 10 East 31st St., Kearney, NE 68847.
These figures are straight line distances, so the drive from Kearney is longer. Whichever provider treated you, request your complete records and an itemized bill, and keep a list of every appointment.
Fourth and fifth on the list are Phelps Memorial Health Center in Holdrege, 23.5 miles, and Lexington Regional Health Center in Lexington, 35.8 miles. Within 10, 25 and 50 miles of Kearney the file shows 2, 4 and 12 Nebraska acute care and critical access hospitals, by straight line.
Other places this site covers near Kearney: Minden at 15.3 miles southeast, Holdrege at 23.8 miles southwest, Ravenna at 24.1 miles north. From Kearney, Lincoln lies 126 miles east and Omaha 163 miles east.
Your First Step After Getting Hurt In Kearney
Start with the form at the top. It asks a few questions about the injury. NeedAnAttorney.net reviews your details and works to match you with an attorney in our network who may handle cases in Nebraska. Using it is free, and it does not create an attorney client relationship.
Meanwhile, jot down the facts while they are fresh: date, time, place, who was there, what care you have had and what work you have missed. Save every bill and every message from an insurer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do injury cases from Kearney stay in the local court?
It depends on who is being sued and how much is claimed. Your attorney can confirm the right court for your claim. The courts named in the section above are the ones listed by the state judiciary for this area.
How many years do I have to sue after an injury in Nebraska?
Most injury claims must be filed within four years (Neb. Rev. Stat. 25-207(3)). Extra time can be available for a child and in some other limited situations (Neb. Rev. Stat. 25-213). Do not wait to ask.
What happens to my claim if I share some of the fault?
Nebraska answers this directly. You can recover only if your share of the fault is below 50 percent, and your award is reduced by your share; at 50 percent or more the claim is barred (Neb. Rev. Stat. 25-21,185.09). How the blame is assigned matters. Keep notes about how the injury happened.
Is there a ceiling on what I can recover for pain and suffering?
The amount is shown by the medical records and the proof of your losses; ask an attorney whether any limit applies to your facts. Medical bills and lost income are handled separately from pain and suffering. An attorney can tell you which rules apply to your facts.
How much insurance does the other driver have to have?
At least $25,000 for injury to one person, $50,000 for injury to two or more people in one accident and $25,000 for property damage (Neb. Rev. Stat. 60-310). A serious injury can cost more than the other driver’s policy pays. Keep the other driver’s insurance details from the day of the crash.
Which hospital is closest to Kearney?
CHI Health Good Samaritan in Kearney is the closest Nebraska acute care or critical access hospital on the federal hospital list, 0.4 miles away in a straight line, an acute care hospital. Kearney Regional Medical Center in Kearney is 2.0 miles away and Kearney County Health Services Hospital in Minden is 16.0 miles away. In an emergency call 911 first; not every hospital has an emergency room.
Which other places near Kearney does this site cover?
By Census coordinates the nearest are Minden, 15.3 miles southeast; Holdrege, 23.8 miles southwest; and Ravenna, 24.1 miles north, all in a straight line from Kearney.
What if a public employee caused my injury?
Possibly. Special claim or notice steps can apply (Political Subdivisions Tort Claims Act, Neb. Rev. Stat. 13-919). Skipping a required notice step can end a claim. An early start protects your rights.
Serving Injured Clients Across Nebraska
If your injury happened outside Kearney, one of these pages may fit better.
