Nebraska is a “fault” state when it comes to car crashes. This means that whoever is “at-fault” for causing the car crash, is also responsible for any resulting harm. However, when there are three or more vehicles involved in the crash, who is considered “at-fault” and responsible for damages? 

In Nebraska, all motor vehicles registered in the state must have “proof of financial responsibility” to be allowed on the roadways. This can be a proof of a certificate of deposit or, more commonly, a certificate of insurance showing liability coverage minimums:

  • $25,000 liability coverage for injury or death of one person caused by the owner/driver of the insured vehicle 
  • $50,000 liability coverage for injury or death in a crash caused by the owner/driver of the insured vehicle

These are only the minimums and higher premiums can be purchased. Liability coverage is in place to pay for things such as medical bills, property damage bills, and other costs of those who were injured. Once the policy limit has been exceeded, the owner/driver of the vehicle is personally responsible for paying the rest of the cost. The victims of the crash may file a lawsuit seeking compensation damages for anything not covered by your insurance policy. 

Comparative Negligence Laws 

Like many states, Nebraska is a comparative negligence state. This means that you are not allowed to recover compensation in a car crash if your percentage of fault is greater than or equal to the total negligence. For example, if the total amount of damages being awarded is $200,000 and the court finds you 25 percent at fault, your recovery would be reduced to $150,000. 

The first step to determine the cause of the crash is to determine who is at-fault. In most cases, the person at fault is the driver who broke the traffic laws. However, when a car crash involves three or more vehicles, trying to determine who caused the crash can be a challenge. More than one driver may be responsible for the crash. 

 If this is the case, a comprehensive crash investigation will need to take place in order to identify each factor that led up to the crash. Each of these factors is then broken down into percentages of fault and assigned to the drivers. 

What Should You Do After a Multi-Car Crash? 

It’s important that after a crash you don’t admit fault or say you’re sorry. Call 911 to report the crash and make sure everyone involved is okay. Don’t discuss anything about the crash with anyone other than a police officer. While you are waiting for first responders to arrive, try to take a few videos and photos of the crash scene so you better recall the events when you’re speaking with your lawyer. Try to include road signs or landmarks so you can remember the location of the crash. 

When the police officer is asking you questions, answer them truthfully, but don’t embellish your answers. Just give them the facts as you know them. If there are witnesses present, it can help to get their names and contact information. Sometimes police officers may not get statements from a witness or they may leave before the police officers arrive. 

After you have cleared the crash scene, seek medical treatment for any injuries and then contact a car crash lawyer. Multi-vehicle crashes can become a complicated mess so you need attorneys that have lots of experience navigating them. 

The insurance companies from each driver will fight hard to avoid liability from the crash. In some cases, insurance companies will argue over liability which can leave victims in the middle of a large insurance dispute. 

Call Friedman Law Offices 

Having an experienced car crash attorney on the case will help you immensely and give you a better chance at receiving the compensation you deserve. Our attorneys have access to the best resources so we can help establish who’s at fault for the crash. Navigating car crashes can be a challenging process if you’re doing it alone. 

The ultimate goal is to be blameless, but if your actions contributed to the cause of the crash, our goal is to help reduce your “at-fault” percentage so you can receive proper compensation for the damages. 

Give us a call today. 

402-476-1093