Injury claims in Big Horn County: what to know first
Big Horn County, Wyoming includes 12 named communities, the largest being Lovell, Greybull, Basin. Whether an accident happened on a county road, in a small town or in one of the larger communities, the same Wyoming rules apply: a 4-year filing deadline for most injury claims, modified comparative negligence (51% bar), and lawsuits filed in the Big Horn County District Court. This page is the county-wide guide, with links to a page for each community.
Ask Legal Matters is a personal injury lead-generation service that collects free case review requests from injured people in the United States and shares them with independent attorneys and law firms. It is not a law firm and does not give legal advice. Requests from Big Horn County may be shared with independent attorneys and legal services partners who handle car, truck, motorcycle and pedestrian accidents, slip and fall injuries, workplace injuries and workers' compensation, medical malpractice and wrongful death matters in Wyoming. There is no charge to submit a request and no obligation to hire anyone.
Injury claims in Big Horn County: key facts
- Injury lawsuit deadline
- four years from the injury date (Wyo. Stat. § 1-3-105(a)(iv)(C))
- Medical malpractice deadline
- two years
- Fault rule
- modified comparative negligence (51% bar)
- Auto insurance system
- At-fault (liability insurance pays)
- Minimum auto liability
- 25/50/20 (thousands: per person / per accident / property)
- Where lawsuits are filed
- Big Horn County District Court
- Tell your employer
- As soon as practical, and no later than 72 hours after the injury becomes apparent (Wyo. Stat. § 27-14-502)
- Workers' comp claim
- one year — Wyoming Department of Workforce Services
- Fatal crashes, 2020-2024
- 9 in Big Horn County; none coded to Big Horn County itself (NHTSA FARS)
- Attorney fees
- Injury attorneys commonly work on contingency; confirm fee terms before hiring
Which roads in Big Horn County have the most fatal crashes?
From 2020 through 2024, federal crash records list 9 fatal crashes in Big Horn County, in which 9 people died. The only road with more than one was US-310, with 2 fatal crashes.
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2020-2023 Final File and 2024 Annual Report File (ARF), national data files downloaded from NHTSA on November 3, 2026. A crash counts for a road under the trafficway the reporting agency recorded; the same street with and without a route number is one row, and a route recorded without a street name keeps its own row; roads with fewer than two fatal crashes are not listed. The 2024 figures are NHTSA's first release for that year and may change in its Final File.
How to cite these figures: Ask Legal Matters, "Fatal crashes in Big Horn County, WY, 2020-2024," compiled from NHTSA FARS (2020-2023 Final File and 2024 Annual Report File (ARF)), https://asklegalmatters.com/injury-guides/wyoming/big-horn-county/, checked November 3, 2026. Downloads and method: https://asklegalmatters.com/injury-guides/data/.
The yearly count was 1 in 2020, 3 in 2021, 1 in 2022, 2 in 2023 and 2 in 2024; 2 of them happened after dark. None involved a pedestrian or cyclist or happened at an intersection.
Fatal crashes are the most serious outcome on these roads; many more crashes cause injuries without a death. Whatever the severity, the police crash report, photos of the scene and prompt medical records are the starting evidence for a claim.
Reporting the crash in Wyoming
In Wyoming, the driver in a crash that injures or kills anyone, or disables a vehicle so it cannot be driven normally and safely, must give notice immediately by the quickest means to the local police inside a city or town, otherwise to the nearest Highway Patrol office or the county sheriff (Wyo. Stat. § 31-5-1105). The investigating officer sends the written report to WYDOT.
- Who must report
- The driver in a crash that injures or kills anyone, or disables a vehicle (other than a bicycle or other human-powered vehicle) so it cannot be driven normally and safely
- Report to
- The local police inside a municipality; otherwise the nearest Wyoming Highway Patrol office or the county sheriff
- Deadline
- Immediately, by the quickest means of communication
- Driver's form
- None for drivers: the investigating officer sends the written report to WYDOT within 10 days
- Copy of the crash report
- WYDOT Highway Safety: request a crash report
Sources: Wyoming Statutes, Title 31; WYDOT: crash reports; WYDOT: requesting crash reports. Checked November 3, 2026. General information, not legal advice; local rules and police practice can add steps.
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Free case review for injuries in Big Horn County
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Click here for a free case review — submit accident detailsAsk Legal Matters is a lead-generation service, not a law firm. Submitting a request does not hire an attorney. Review the contact consent and privacy policy on the form before submitting.
Communities in Big Horn County
Each community below has its own guide with the local court, insurance rules and every type of injury claim.
Smaller communities in Big Horn County include Burlington, Byron, Cowley, Deaver, Emblem, Hyattville, Manderson, Otto, Shell. Residents of these areas follow the same Wyoming rules, use the same Big Horn County District Court, and can request a free case review from anywhere in the county.
Wyoming's four years statute of limitations
Wyoming generally gives an injured person four years from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit (Wyo. Stat. § 1-3-105(a)(iv)(C)); medical malpractice is different (two years). Wrongful death claims follow their own deadline, which can differ from the one above. Claims against a city, county, school district or state agency follow separate and often much shorter deadlines. Once the deadline passes, the Big Horn County District Court will dismiss the case regardless of how clear the fault was, so the practical rule in Big Horn County is to get legal advice early.
How fault works: modified comparative negligence (51% bar)
Wyoming follows modified comparative negligence (51% bar). In plain terms, you can recover as long as you were not more than 50% at fault, and your award is reduced by your share of fault. Insurance adjusters apply this rule from the first phone call, which is why the way an accident is described and documented in the days after it happens in Big Horn County has a direct effect on what a claim is worth.
Auto insurance in Wyoming: an at-fault system
After a crash in Big Horn County, the at-fault driver's liability insurance is the primary source of compensation. Wyoming requires drivers to carry only 25/50/20 in coverage (thousands of dollars for bodily injury per person, per accident, and property damage), which serious injuries quickly exhaust. Underinsured motorist coverage on your own policy and claims against additional responsible parties often make the difference in Big Horn County cases.
Where Big Horn County injury cases are filed
Lawsuits arising from accidents in Big Horn County are typically filed in the Big Horn County District Court, the trial court of general jurisdiction for Big Horn County, although cases can sometimes be filed where the defendant resides or does business, and claims against out-of-state trucking companies or manufacturers may end up in federal court. Most claims settle before trial, but the credible ability to try a case in Big Horn County is what moves insurers to pay fair value.
Workplace injuries: Wyoming Department of Workforce Services
Employees injured on the job in Big Horn County are generally covered by Wyoming workers' compensation, administered through the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services. Report the injury to your employer as soon as practical, and no later than 72 hours after the injury becomes apparent (Wyo. Stat. § 27-14-502) — a late report can delay or put the claim at risk, and the exceptions vary by state — then file the formal claim within one year. Workers' compensation does not pay for pain and suffering, so when a third party such as a subcontractor, driver or equipment manufacturer caused the injury, a separate personal injury claim is often worth pursuing alongside it.
Frequently asked questions
Is there 2025 fatal crash data for Big Horn County?
Not yet from the federal census of fatal crashes. The newest national file is NHTSA's 2024 Annual Report File, the first release for 2024, used here with the 2020-2023 Final Files; NHTSA had not published 2025 FARS data when this page was updated on November 3, 2026. FARS counts every crash on a public road in which someone died within 30 days, and a crash counts for Big Horn County when the reporting agency coded it there. Some cities and states post newer counts on their own crash dashboards, which use their own definitions.
How long do I have to file an injury lawsuit in Big Horn County?
Generally four years from the date of injury under Wyoming law (Wyo. Stat. § 1-3-105(a)(iv)(C)); medical malpractice claims generally have a two years limit, and claims against the county, a city or the state require notice much sooner.
Which court handles injury cases in Big Horn County?
The Big Horn County District Court is the trial court for Big Horn County. Some claims may be filed where the defendant lives or does business, and claims against out-of-state companies can be removed to federal court.
I live in a small town in Big Horn County. Do the same rules apply?
Yes. Wyoming's deadline, fault rule and insurance requirements apply everywhere in the state. Smaller communities simply have fewer local attorneys, which is one reason people use a free case review request to reach attorneys who handle cases across Big Horn County.
What if I was partly at fault?
Wyoming applies modified comparative negligence (51% bar): you can recover as long as you were not more than 50% at fault, and your award is reduced by your share of fault.
Is Ask Legal Matters a law firm?
No. Ask Legal Matters is a personal injury lead-generation service that collects free case review requests from injured people in the United States and shares them with independent attorneys and law firms. It is not a law firm and does not give legal advice. Requests may be shared with independent attorneys and legal services partners who handle inquiries in Wyoming, and submitting a request does not hire an attorney.
Common questions after a crash in Big Horn County
After a crash in Big Horn County, most people ask the same questions first. These guides answer them in plain English; the Wyoming rules that change the answers are explained on this page.
- What should you do after a car accident?
- How do you file a car accident insurance claim?
- What is the average car accident settlement?
- How should you deal with the insurance adjuster after a car accident?
- What happens if an uninsured driver hits you?
- What happens if you are partly at fault in a car accident?
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Tell us where and when the accident happened, how you were injured, and whether you received treatment. Your request may be shared with independent attorneys and legal services partners who handle inquiries in Wyoming. Partner availability and case acceptance depend on the facts of your situation.
Click here for a free case review — submit accident detailsAsk Legal Matters is a lead-generation service, not a law firm. Submitting a request does not hire an attorney. Review the contact consent and privacy policy on the form before submitting.
Nearby counties in Wyoming
See the Wyoming personal injury guide for every county in the state.