Lincoln Personal Injury Attorneys Blog

Understanding Car Insurance (Part 1)

2012-05-16T05:10:54Z

When you are involved in a car accident one of the first issues that comes up usually involves questions regarding car insurance. We all know that we are supposed to have car insurance. In Nebraska you have to show proof of insurance in order to license your car. But too many people don't pay enough attention or don't understand what they are buying when they go online or talk to their agent. In the next couple of blog installments we will talk a little bit about what is included (and not included) in your car insurance policy. (Note: This discussion is geared to car insurance in Nebraska. Because of differences in the law between the various states, there can be differences in insurance policies purchased in other states.)

Most motor vehicle insurance policies in Nebraska will include coverage in several different categories. You can check on your own coverage in each category by referring to your proof of insurance card or the billing statement that you receive from your insurance company. In today's blog we will talk about liability coverage. In later installments we will discuss medical payments, collision, uninsured and underinsured motorist coverages.

Liability Coverage is what you buy to protect yourself from a claim made by someone else against you if you are the one who is responsible for causing an accident. Conversely, if the other driver is the one at fault and you are making the claim, the part of his/her insurance that pays you will be his/her liability coverage. Liability coverage can include protection for both property damage and bodily injury claims.

When purchasing car insurance one of the important things to consider is the limit of liability coverage that you pay for. In Nebraska the minimum required liability coverage for personal injury is at least $25,000.00 per person and $50,000.00 per accident. It is important to note however that your liability (obligation to pay) for a particular accident is not limited by the amount of your coverage. In other words, if you have the minimum levels of coverage and then you cause an accident which, because of medical bills, wage loss and pain, gives the other person a claim against you for $35,000.00, your insurance will only pay $25,000.00 on that claim and the other driver may come after you for the rest! So in order to protect yourself we advise that you purchase as much liability coverage as you can afford and certainly enough to protect your assets from a judgement that is in excess of your coverage limit. Even a relatively minor accident can result in a claim which has a value that is greater than the minimum coverage limits.

When you buy insurance we recommend that you discuss coverage limits with your company or agent. You may find that increasing your limits does not increase your costs as much as you might think and will buy you some piece of mind. If you have been in a car accident and have any questions about how the various insurance policies will apply to your case, feel free to give us a call at Friedman Law Office. We will be hapy to talk to you and try to answer your questions.

How do I know if I need a lawyer?

2012-04-13T13:34:42Z

One of the first questions we often hear from callers involves whether or not they need a lawyer and how they make the decision on whether or not to hire one. Our first response is that if you are in a position where you are wondering if you need a lawyer, you should call one that practices in the area of your question and explain your situation. In our office we are always happy to visit with callers that have that question! We know what questions to ask and under what circumstances you might need professional assistance. After we visit, if we don't think you need a lawyer, we will tell you that, and it is our experience that most lawyers will do the same thing.

In our office we never charge anything for the first consultation and if we offer to take your case it will be on a "contingency fee" basis. Our fee will be based on a percentage of the amount we help you collect. We will not collect a fee unless we are successful in helping you with your case. Some other lawyers, particularly those who handle cases that do not involve injury claims, may charge something for their initial visit. You should feel free to ask about fees when you schedule your visit.

At Friedman Law Offices we handle all kinds of cases in which someone has been injured whether at work or due to the negligence of someone else. When this happens there are medical bills, wage loss, impairment and pain. The civil justice system or Workers' Compensation statutes may allow the injured person to be compensated for the consequences of these injuries. Unless you have prior experience or training in this area it can be hard to know if you are entitled to this compensation and how to go about collecting it. Nobody wants to collect more money than they are entitled to but the laws exist to protect the injured and you may need help to make sure you are treated fairly.

If you have questions about a legal issue and you are not sure if you need a lawyer, we would encourage you to call one to get your answers, If you have been injured and wonder if you have a case or even if you just have questions about how things should go after your injury we hope that you will call us.

Welcome to Friedman Law Offices Blog

2012-03-28T15:56:32Z

Welcome to the Friedman Law Offices Blog. We hope that this will be the first of many entries that will be made in the coming weeks, months and years! We are an office of four lawyers in Lincoln, Nebraska with a practice limited to personal injury, workers' compensation and civil trials. We are committed to the American model of civil justice and believe that anyone who has been injured at work or due to the negligence of others has a right to use that system and the courts, if necessary, to receive compensation for the injuries and damages suffered.

In courthouses throughout the country statues can be found of the Lady holding the scales of Justice. In most depictions she is blindfolded signifying impartiality. The courts are open to all and Justice should exist for everyone without regard to wealth, power or influence! At Friedman Law Offices we believe that this ideal can be a reality, We have been helping people from all walks of life in their search for juctice for 50 years.

In future entries to this blog we will tell you a little more about ourselves and we will try to pass on some of our knowledge regarding this system of Civil Justice. Hopefully we can impart some useful information am maybe even be a little entertaining. Please check back on this blog or our Facebook page for future updates.

Welcome to our Lincoln, Nebraska, personal injury law blog

2011-12-28T20:51:20Z

We established this blog to share stories and information about topics relevant to our practice. Our intent is to highlight local stories, as well as national subject matter, that we think you will find interesting. We will regularly update this blog and encourage you to share your thoughts on these posts.