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Your Bristol Personal Injury Attorney
The short answer. In New Hampshire most injury claims must be filed within three years (RSA 508:4, I). The trial court for Grafton County sits in North Haverhill, at 3785 Dartmouth College Highway, North Haverhill, NH 03774. To talk it through, send the form on this page and we will work to connect you with an attorney in our network.
Recovering from an injury is hard enough without legal confusion on top of it. If someone else’s carelessness hurt you in Bristol, you are allowed to take your time understanding your options before you sign or say anything.
Nothing on this page is legal advice, and NeedAnAttorney.net is not a law firm. It is a service that connects injured people with attorneys. The rules described here are quoted or summarized from New Hampshire’s own statutes so that you can check them yourself.
Questions Worth Asking In Bristol
Bring these to your first call, whoever it is with:
- The date. Ask for the specific last day to file in your case. The general rule is three years (RSA 508:4, I).
- If you were partly to blame. Ask what happens to your award if a jury finds you share the blame (RSA 507:7-d).
- Limits on damages. Ask whether any rule restricts the amount you could recover in New Hampshire.
- The money terms. Ask how fees are calculated and which costs come out of a recovery.
- The people. Ask who will be in touch with you and how quickly they return calls.
Injury Claims People Ask About
Vehicle crashes
Vehicle injuries start with the same few steps: medical care first, then photographs of the scene, names and numbers of anyone who saw it, the other driver’s insurance information and any estimates for repairs.
Pedestrian and bicycle injuries
A collision on foot or on a bicycle is easy to dispute afterward. Record where it happened, what the road and signals were like, and who saw it, and keep any damaged clothing, helmet or equipment.
Falls and unsafe property
Falls on someone else’s property usually depend on what the owner knew or should have known about the hazard. Photograph the spot before it changes, report the fall in writing, and keep the shoes you were wearing.
Wrongful death
If a loved one died because of another person’s wrongful act or omission, a different set of rules applies. A wrongful death claim follows its own rules in New Hampshire; ask an attorney which deadline applies. This is a hard moment to decide anything, and an attorney can walk you through the steps without hurrying you.
Injured in Bristol? Get matched with an attorney now.
Sharing Blame And Your Claim
New Hampshire lets you recover while your share of the fault is not greater than the other side’s. The source is RSA 507:7-d.
You can recover if your share of the fault is 50 percent or less, and your award is reduced by your share; above 50 percent the claim is barred (RSA 507:7-d). Insurers often press this point first, so keep notes about how the injury happened.
Limits On What You Can Recover
In an ordinary injury claim in New Hampshire, the amount depends on the facts of the claim. How fault is assigned can also change the amount.
Ask an attorney which rules, if any, reach your case.
When The Clock Starts And Stops
New Hampshire allows three years to file most injury claims (RSA 508:4, I). Extra time can be available for a child and in some other limited situations (RSA 508:8).
A claim against a government body usually has its own claim or notice steps that must be followed before you sue, so ask early (RSA 507-B:7, I and RSA 541-B:14, IV). Ask in your first conversation which date applies to your claim.
Insurance Limits To Know
A driver in New Hampshire may have no liability insurance at all, and the state sets proof of financial responsibility amounts of $25,000 for injury to one person, $50,000 for injury to two or more people in one accident and $25,000 for property damage (RSA 259:61, I and RSA 264:20).
Ask your attorney early whether any policy, yours included, may apply to your crash. Keep whatever insurance details the other driver gives you at the scene.
The Court and Hospitals Behind a Bristol Claim
Bristol lies in Grafton County, according to Census Bureau place and county names. The New Hampshire court directory lists the superior court for Grafton County in North Haverhill, at 3785 Dartmouth College Highway, North Haverhill, NH 03774. In Grafton County, the state trauma list shows Speare Memorial Hospital (C) in Plymouth as a Level IV trauma center. The state trauma list names Littleton Regional Hospital (C) in Littleton, in Grafton County as well, as a Level III trauma center.
Keep copies of everything the hospital or clinic gives you, ask for an itemized bill, and note each appointment as it happens. If you moved between facilities, collect the records from each one.
What Happens When You Send The Form From Bristol
Use the form at the top of the page to tell us what happened. NeedAnAttorney.net reviews your details and works to match you with an attorney in our network who may handle cases in New Hampshire. There is no charge to submit it, and submitting it does not hire anyone.
Until someone calls, make a simple record: what happened, the date and time, names of anyone who saw it, the treatment you have had, and the days you missed from work. Keep every bill and letter in one place.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if the injury happened on public property?
There are special steps. Special claim or notice steps can apply (RSA 507-B:7, I and RSA 541-B:14, IV). The rules for public bodies differ from the rules for private parties. Do not wait to ask.
Can I expect a quick settlement?
There is no fixed time. Many claims wait until treatment has finished so the full cost is known. A lawsuit takes longer than a settlement.
How long do I have to file an injury lawsuit in New Hampshire?
For most injury claims, three years (RSA 508:4, I). Extra time can be available for a child and in some other limited situations (RSA 508:8). An early start protects the evidence.
Does New Hampshire bar me from recovering if I share the blame?
The rule: you can recover if your share of the fault is 50 percent or less, and your award is reduced by your share; above 50 percent the claim is barred (RSA 507:7-d). How the facts are described matters from the start. Details from the day of the accident can matter.
Is there a ceiling on what I can recover for pain and suffering?
The amount is shown by the medical records and the proof of your losses; ask an attorney whether any limit applies to your facts. Medical bills and lost income are handled separately from pain and suffering. An attorney can tell you which rules apply to your facts.
How much insurance does the other driver have to have?
Not always. New Hampshire does not generally require drivers to carry liability insurance; the proof of financial responsibility amounts are $25,000 for injury to one person, $50,000 for injury to two or more people in one accident and $25,000 for property damage (RSA 259:61, I and RSA 264:20). Those figures are floors, not a measure of what a claim is worth. Ask an attorney to check every policy that may apply.
Which bills and records will an attorney ask for?
Start with the medical records and the bills. Pictures of the scene and the injuries show what words cannot. Keep proof of missed pay, repair estimates and all messages from insurers.
Do I have to give the other insurer a recorded statement?
Not right away. You can ask for questions in writing. An attorney can speak to the insurer for you.
Help Elsewhere in New Hampshire
If your injury happened outside Bristol, one of these pages may fit better.
