New Hampshire car accident statute of limitations: three years, one rule
The New Hampshire car accident statute of limitations is three years. Call free to confirm your date.
New Hampshire uses one three-year rule for nearly every personal lawsuit, injury and car damage alike, under RSA 508:4. If an injury could not have been found right away, the three years run from when it was found. A crash with a town or city vehicle adds a step: written notice within 60 days.
The deadlines in New Hampshire
| What | Time limit | Law |
|---|---|---|
| Injury lawsuit | Three years | RSA 508:4 |
| Car or property damage lawsuit | Three years | RSA 508:4 |
| Notice to a town, city or county | 60 days, by registered mail | RSA 507-B:7 |
| Shared fault | Barred if your fault is greater | RSA 507:7-d |
| Minimum limits on a liability policy | $25,000 / $50,000 / $25,000 | RSA 259:61 |
The 60-day notice for a crash with a public vehicle
A governmental unit means a town, city, county, school district or similar local body, but not the state itself. Before you sue one, its clerk should get notice by registered mail within 60 days of the injury, under RSA 507-B:7. The lawsuit then has the usual three years.
Children get more room. A minor may bring the case within two years after turning adult, under RSA 508:8, even if the normal three years have passed.
New Hampshire’s comparative fault rule
Your own carelessness does not end the claim unless it was greater than the fault of the driver you sue, under RSA 507:7-d. Below that line, the jury trims your award by your percentage. The side that blames you has to prove it.
What a New Hampshire auto policy must hold
A New Hampshire liability policy must cover at least $25,000 for one person, $50,000 for one crash and $25,000 for property, under RSA 259:61. It must also include at least $1,000 in medical payments cover for the driver and passengers, under RSA 264:16.
Uninsured motorist cover is built in too. It must match the injury limits you chose on your own policy, under RSA 264:15. If the driver who hit you has no insurance, this is often where the money comes from.
When to call a New Hampshire car accident lawyer
Call within days if a plow, police cruiser or town truck was involved, because the 60-day notice is easy to miss. For a private driver, aim to speak with an attorney well before the second anniversary. You pay nothing for the call and the lawyer is paid only from a win.
Other states: Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts or every state on one page.
New Hampshire car accident statute of limitations questions
How long do I have to sue after a car crash in New Hampshire?
Three years from the crash for injuries and vehicle damage, under RSA 508:4. Late-found injuries can run from discovery.
What if a town vehicle hit me in New Hampshire?
Send notice to the town clerk by registered mail within 60 days. Then you have three years to sue.
Can I recover if I was partly to blame in New Hampshire?
Yes, unless your share was greater than the other driver’s. Your award shrinks by your percentage.
Does New Hampshire require medical payments coverage?
Yes. Every auto liability policy must include at least $1,000 per person in medical payments cover.
Before the clock runs out
In New Hampshire a missed 60-day notice or a signed release can end a claim long before three years pass. Call before you sign and a lawyer will check your dates and your offer free.
Call about my deadline(833) 716-6705
We pick up 24/7, go over your crash free and connect a car accident lawyer with no fee unless you win.