OMAHA, Nebraska. If you’ve gotten hurt in a car accident, one of the challenges you might be facing are unexpected medical bills. If you don’t have savings in the bank or if you don’t have health insurance, unexpected medical bills can be incredibly stressful. According to USA Today, approximately 57% of Americans have less than $1,000 in savings. Emergency room bills and out of pocket deductibles can easily exceed these figures. According to HealthCare.gov, the out of pocket maximum for an individual in the marketplace plan is $7,900 and the out of pocket maximum for a family is $15,800. But what can you do if you find yourself facing out of pocket expenses and medical bills after a car accident? Here are five steps you can take: Read more

OMAHA, Nebraska. While the government continues to run what it considers to be essential services during the government shutdown, other important services have been shuttered. Even essential services have already begun to feel the strain of what has now become the longest government shutdown on record. According to NBC News, Dallas’s airport has had to close one of its terminals due to lack of TSA staff. While TSA continues to work, employees are not getting paid. Some workers are calling in sick. Other agencies have closed down entirely. For example, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has confirmed to the Detroit Free Press that it will not be investigating defects or reviewing consumer complaints during the shutdown. Consumer advocates worry that this might delay recalls that otherwise would have been issued. While car companies continue to be legally responsible to recall vehicles with known issues, many car companies wait until the NHTSA completes its investigations before issuing formal recalls. For consumers with defective vehicles, this can mean the risk for added injury. Many safety experts believe that the government shutdown can be making roads less safe. Read more

OMAHA, Nebraska. Have you been hurt in a car accident? Are you starting to receive medical bills in the mail? Medical bills following a car accident can leave victims and their families with tens of thousands (and in some cases, hundreds of thousands of dollars) of debt. Even individuals with medical insurance might find themselves facing high medical bills. Read more

OMAHA, Nebraska. New Year’s Day is the most dangerous day of the year when it comes to drunk driving. According to the New York Times, alcohol will be a factor in roughly 50% of the accidents that take place on New Year’s Day. If you’ve been in a crash and suspect that the other driver may have been drinking, there are certain steps you can take to protect your rights. Here are three things to keep in mind if you believe you have been in an accident with a drunk driver over the holiday. Read more

OMAHA, Nebraska. If you’ve been in a serious accident, you may be entitled to seek damages and a recovery from your insurance company for medical expenses and repairs to your vehicle. If your car was seriously damaged, however, your insurance adjuster may declare your vehicle a total loss. Cars are declared totaled when the cost to repair the vehicle exceeds a certain preset percentage of the cost of replace the car. Every state has different thresholds for when an insurance company can declare your vehicle a total loss. According to CarInsurance.com, the threshold is 75% in Nebraska. This means that if the costs to repair your vehicle exceed 75% of the cost to replace your vehicle based on its current market value, your car will be declared totaled. Your car may also be declared totaled if your vehicle is too damaged to be safely replaced. Read more