A car accident can change your life in the time it takes to hear the crunch of metal. One moment you are driving home on O Street, and the next you are dealing with pain, a wrecked vehicle, and phone calls from an insurance adjuster who is already working to pay you as little as possible.
You do not have to face that alone. A Lincoln car accident lawyer at Friedman Law Offices can handle the legal side while you focus on healing. Our family has represented injured Nebraskans since 1962, and we offer a free consultation so you can understand your options before you decide anything.
How a Lincoln Car Accident Lawyer Can Help After a Crash
After a serious crash, protecting your claim starts almost immediately, and insurance companies move fast. An experienced attorney levels the field. Our team can:
- Investigate what happened. We gather the police report, photos, witness statements, and other evidence before it disappears.
- Prove who was at fault. We reconstruct how the crash occurred and identify every party who may share responsibility.
- Deal with the insurance companies. We handle the calls and negotiations so you are not pressured into a quick, lowball offer.
- Calculate what your case is truly worth. We account for current bills, future treatment, lost income, and the losses that are harder to put a number on.
- Take your case to court when needed. Most claims settle, but we prepare every case as if it may go to trial.
The sooner you involve a lawyer, the more we can do, because evidence fades and deadlines start running the day of the crash. If you have questions about your situation, reach out to our team for a free review.
Why Car Accidents Happen on Lincoln and Nebraska Roads
The stakes are real. The Nebraska Department of Transportation reported 251 traffic deaths in 2024, the most in nearly two decades, and for every death many more people are seriously hurt. Each fatality reflects the serious consequences that can follow speeding, distraction, impairment, and other unsafe driving behavior.
Most crashes come down to a driver who was not paying attention or not following the rules of the road. In and around Lincoln, a few causes show up again and again:
- Distracted Driving: Texting, eating, or reaching for the radio takes a driver’s eyes off the road long enough to cause serious harm.
- Impaired Driving: Alcohol and drugs slow reaction time and cloud judgment, and they remain a leading cause of fatal crashes in Nebraska.
- Speeding: Higher speeds mean less time to react and far more force in a collision, especially on I-80 and the highways feeding into the city.
- Failure to Yield: Many wrecks happen when a driver runs a light or turns across traffic, a common problem at busy junctions like 27th and O Street.
- Weather and Road Conditions: Nebraska winters bring ice and snow, and drivers who do not adjust their speed cause pileups on routes like Cornhusker Highway and Nebraska Parkway.
The busiest corridors see the most collisions. I-80 carries heavy commercial truck traffic, while O Street and the 27th Street corridor stay congested through the day. Knowing where and how a crash happened helps us show who was responsible.
Who Is at Fault? Nebraska’s Comparative Negligence Rule
Nebraska is an at-fault state. The driver who caused the crash, through their insurance, is responsible for the resulting damages. It also means fault is often the center of the fight, because the more blame an insurer can shift onto you, the less it has to pay.
Nebraska follows a rule called modified comparative negligence with a 50 percent bar (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-21,185.09). In plain terms, if you share some of the blame for the crash, you can still recover money, as long as your share of fault is less than 50 percent. Your recovery is then reduced by your percentage of fault. If you are found 50 percent or more at fault, you cannot recover anything.
Here is a simple example. Say your damages add up to $100,000, and you are found 20 percent at fault. Your recovery would be reduced by 20 percent, leaving you with $80,000. Cross the 50 percent line, though, and you recover nothing.
This is exactly why insurance companies work so hard to pin part of the blame on you. Careful investigation and a clear presentation of the facts can protect your share of the recovery.
Common Car Accident Injuries and Where to Get Care in Lincoln
Car accident injuries range from soreness that fades in a week to permanent conditions that reshape a person’s life. Some of the most common include:
- Whiplash and Neck or Back Injuries: The sudden force of a collision strains the muscles, ligaments, and discs of the spine, and the pain can take days to appear.
- Spinal Cord Injuries: Damage to the spinal cord can cause lasting weakness, numbness, or paralysis.
- Traumatic Brain Injuries: A blow to the head or a violent jolt can cause a concussion or a more serious brain injury with long-term effects on memory, mood, and function.
- Broken Bones: Arms, wrists, ribs, and legs often break under crash forces, and some fractures require surgery and months of recovery.
- Internal Injuries: Organ damage and internal bleeding are not always obvious at the scene, which is one reason prompt medical care matters.
Getting checked out quickly protects both your health and your claim. Lincoln has several options for emergency and follow-up care, including Bryan Medical Center, which operates a Level II Trauma Center, and CHI Health St. Elizabeth.
When a crash leaves someone with a life-altering condition, our catastrophic injury lawyers can help the family plan for the long road ahead.
Types of Car Accident Cases We Handle in Nebraska
No two crashes are the same, and the type of accident often shapes how a claim unfolds. Our attorneys handle a full range of Nebraska car accident cases, including:
- Rear-End and Intersection Crashes: Among the most common collisions, though questions of fault can still get complicated.
- Head-On and Rollover Crashes: High-force wrecks that frequently cause catastrophic or fatal injuries.
- Drunk and Distracted Driving Crashes: Cases where another driver’s clear negligence caused the harm.
- Hit-and-Run and Uninsured Driver Crashes: When the at-fault driver flees or has no coverage, your own policy may be the path to recovery.
- Pedestrian and Serious-Injury Crashes: People struck by vehicles, and anyone facing life-changing injuries, need a claim built with extra care.
When a crash involves a commercial truck, the rules and the stakes change, because trucking companies and their insurers fight hard to limit what they pay. Those cases are handled by our Lincoln truck accident lawyers, who understand the federal regulations that apply to commercial carriers.
Compensation Available After a Nebraska Car Accident
If another driver caused your crash, you may be entitled to compensation for the full range of losses you have suffered. Nebraska law lets injured people pursue two broad categories of damages.
Economic damages cover measurable financial losses, including:
- Medical Expenses: Emergency care, hospital stays, surgery, medication, and physical therapy.
- Future Medical Care: Ongoing treatment and rehabilitation for injuries that do not fully heal.
- Lost Wages and Earning Capacity: Income you missed during recovery, plus the long-term hit if you cannot return to the same work.
- Property Damage: Repair or replacement of your vehicle and other damaged property.
Non-economic damages cover the personal losses that do not come with a receipt, such as physical pain, emotional suffering, and the loss of enjoyment of the activities you love. Every case is different, and the value of a claim depends on the facts, the severity of your injuries, and how they affect your daily life. We can help you understand what your claim may be worth before you accept any offer.
How Long You Have to File a Car Accident Claim in Nebraska
In Nebraska, you generally have four years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit. That may sound like plenty of time, but waiting can hurt your case. Evidence disappears, witnesses become hard to find, and memories fade.
Some deadlines are much shorter. Claims involving a government vehicle follow different procedures and shorter deadlines. A claim against the City of Lincoln, a county, or another political subdivision generally must be submitted in writing within one year, and a lawsuit generally must be filed within two years. Claims against the State of Nebraska are governed by a separate law and generally must be submitted in writing to the State Risk Manager within two years. Many lawsuits arising from crashes in Lincoln are filed in Lancaster County, although the proper court and venue depend on the amount at issue, the parties involved, and where the crash occurred.
The safest approach is to talk with a lawyer soon after your crash. Acting early gives your attorney time to preserve evidence and build the strongest possible case.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Questions Should I Ask a Car Accident Lawyer Before Hiring One?
Ask how the firm handles cases like yours, who will actually work on your claim, and how fees work. A good attorney will answer plainly and explain what to expect at each stage. A free consultation is a good chance to see whether the firm communicates in a way that puts you at ease.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer?
Most personal injury attorneys, including our firm, work on a contingency fee. That means you pay no attorney fee up front, and the fee comes out of the recovery only if your case succeeds. Your initial consultation is free, so there is no cost to learn where you stand.
Do I Still Have a Case if I Was Partly at Fault for the Accident?
Often, yes. Under Nebraska’s modified comparative negligence rule, you can still recover as long as you were less than 50 percent at fault, though your recovery is reduced by your share of the blame. Because insurers tend to exaggerate your share of fault, it is worth having an attorney review what happened.
Should I Talk to the Other Driver’s Insurance Company?
Be careful. You are required to cooperate with your own insurer, but you do not have to give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurance company, and doing so can hurt your claim. It is smart to speak with a lawyer before you say anything that could be used to reduce your compensation.
What if the Other Driver Was Uninsured or Underinsured?
You may still have a path to recovery through your own policy. Nebraska requires uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, which can apply when the at-fault driver has no insurance or too little to cover your losses. An attorney can help you file this type of claim, which your own insurer may still dispute.
How Long Will My Car Accident Case Take?
It depends on the severity of your injuries and whether the insurer disputes fault or value. Straightforward claims may resolve in a few months, while cases involving serious injuries or a lawsuit can take a year or more. Settling too early, before your medical picture is clear, often means leaving money on the table.
What if a Loved One Died in the Crash?
When a crash takes a life, close family members may be able to bring a wrongful death claim. Nebraska sets a shorter deadline for these cases, generally two years from the date of death. We handle these matters with care and can explain your family’s options during a free, private conversation.
Do I Need a Lawyer for a Minor Car Accident?
Not every fender bender needs an attorney. But if you were hurt, if the insurer is disputing your claim, or if your injuries turn out to be worse than they first seemed, a quick, free consultation is worth it. There is no obligation, and you will know whether hiring a lawyer makes sense.
Talk With a Lincoln Car Accident Lawyer Today
A car accident can leave you hurting, worried about money, and unsure what comes next. You do not have to sort it out on your own. Since 1962, our family has stood up for injured Nebraskans, and we are large enough to take on tough cases while staying small enough to give yours personal attention.
When you are ready, contact Friedman Law Offices for a free consultation. We can review what happened, answer your questions, and explain how we can help you pursue the compensation you may be owed. There is no pressure and no cost to talk.