New Hampshire Accident Statistics, Laws, Lawyers, Lawsuits
New Hampshire Car Accident Statistics, Laws, Lawyers and Lawsuits
For those who love the outdoors, New Hampshire should be a prime destination for travel or relocation. The state is home to Mount Washington and Lake Winnipesaukee, and hikers can glimpse moose, bears, and other wildlife while traversing through New Hampshire on foot. New Hampshire also contains part of the Appalachian Trail, a hiking trail that stretches from Maine to Georgia. Concord is one of New Hampshire’s more notable cities. It’s small geographic size is matched by an equally-small population: According to a 2013 census, only 1.3 million people lived in New Hampshire (it should be noted, however, that this is still twice the population of Wyoming and Vermont).
Despite its small size and small population, a traffic collision can still occur at any time and anywhere within the state. These collisions often occur with little or no warning and can upend a person’s life forever. Serious traffic collisions may result in the death of a driver or passenger, or an injury victim may suffer brain and neck injuries, broken bones, burns, and other types of injuries that can be expensive to treat and take weeks or months to recover from.
Statistics About New Hampshire Car Accidents
New Hampshire’s Highway Safety Agency maintains records on traffic collisions in the state from 2009 and earlier. In 2009, 110 people were killed in traffic collisions occurring in the state. Thirty-two of these fatalities involved at least one driver who was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the collision (approximately 30 percent of the total number of fatalities. Another 13,000 people reported injuries as the result of traffic crashes that same year. In other terms, approximately 1,000 people – roughly 20 to 30 people per day – were injured in car crashes.
Like other states, New Hampshire car crashes often occur because one or more individuals involved in the wreck were behaving in a negligent or reckless manner. Consumption of alcohol and/or drugs before or while driving is obviously an example of careless behavior, but there are other negligent actions that can contribute to crashes. Texting while driving, driving without a sufficient amount of sleep, speeding or disregarding traffic laws, applying makeup while driving and/or eating while driving can all contribute to a crash. If New Hampshire drivers would avoid engaging in these reckless and dangerous behaviors while behind the wheel, these statistics would likely improve.
New Hampshire Does Not Require Car Insurance
New Hampshire is only one of two states that does not require motorists who live in the state to carry an auto insurance policy. If a person chooses not to carry a policy, however, that person must demonstrate to government officials that he or she has sufficient resources available to him or her to pay for personal injury and/or property claims if he or she negligently injures another person while driving. If the person cannot demonstrate that he or she has these resources, he or she will be required to purchase an auto insurance policy. That policy will be responsible for paying the valid claims of individuals injured by the insured motorist.
Lawsuits may be able to be filed against an at-fault driver who is uninsured or whose insurance policy limits are not sufficient to fully compensate the injured party. Even if the injured party bears some measure of blame for the accident and resultant injuries, New Hampshire law will still allow the injury victim to recover some amount of compensation. Only where the victim is primarily responsible for the crash – 51 percent or more – will the victim be precluded from obtaining any compensation. Otherwise, the damage award given to a successful injury victim following a successful lawsuit will be reduced to account for the amount of fault the victim bore for causing the crash.
New Hampshire Statute of Limitations
If you decide to file a car crash lawsuit in New Hampshire to obtain compensation for your injuries, you must be prepared to file your case within three years of the date of your accident. New Hampshire’s statute of limitations will operate to prevent your case from proceeding if you attempt to seek damages through a lawsuit after three years have elapsed. While there are some exceptions to this general rule, they do not apply in every case. It is better for you to seek an attorney’s assistance early and file your case before the statute of limitations has expired.
Contact Stern Law, PLLC Today for Help
Stern Law, PLLC is available to assist those injured in car accidents recover compensation for their injuries, expenses, and losses. We work efficiently in investigating your case and bringing your lawsuit before the courts. We represent our clients with professionalism and zealous advocacy. Call Stern Law, PLLC today at (844) 808-7529 to discuss your case with us.
