New Hampshire injury rights, deadlines, and help

If you were hurt in New Hampshire, you probably want to know one thing first: how long do I have to act? This page gives you New Hampshire's main injury deadlines, what to do right now, and where free help is.

We are the injured person's advocate. Our help is always free to you.

The deadline box: New Hampshire's key time limits

Personal injury lawsuit: 3 years. Under RSA 508:4 (RSA is the Revised Statutes Annotated, New Hampshire's law code), most injury lawsuits must be filed within 3 years. This is the statute of limitations (the legal deadline to file a lawsuit). (Source)
Work injury, notice to your employer: 2 years. Under RSA 281-A:19, notice of the injury must reach your employer within 2 years, and the clock accounts for injuries you discover later. This is unusually generous, but do not lean on it. Report in writing right away. (Source)
Work injury, file the claim: 3 years. Under RSA 281-A:21-a, a workers compensation claim (the state system that pays for work injuries) must be filed within 3 years of the date of injury, with a discovery rule for late-appearing conditions. (Source)
Injury involving the state: 180 days. Under RSA 541-B:14, IV, a claim against a state agency calls for written notice to the agency within 180 days of the injury. A late notice bars the claim only if the state proves it was substantially prejudiced, but treat 180 days as the real deadline. The action itself must be brought within 3 years. (Source)

Two warnings. First, New Hampshire's deadlines are friendlier than most states', and that is exactly why people relax and drift past them. A comfortable clock still runs out. Second, medical claims can have different, often shorter deadlines. Do not assume the 3-year rule covers a hospital or doctor case.

What to do first

Get medical care now. Your health comes first, and the records also document your injury.
If it happened at work, give your employer written notice today, even though the law allows much longer. Keep a copy.
Write down what happened while it is fresh: date, time, place, people, and conditions.
Take photos of the scene, your injuries, and anything involved (a vehicle, an icy walkway, a machine).
Get names and contact information for witnesses.
Do not sign anything from an insurance company before you understand your full costs.
Note who owns the place where you were hurt. If a state agency is involved, the 180-day notice clock is already running.

Common situations in New Hampshire

Hurt at work. The long notice window helps people whose injuries develop slowly, like back problems and repetitive strain. But the strongest claims are still built early. Memories fade, supervisors change, and an injury reported two years late invites a fight about whether it happened at work at all. Report in writing the same day, and keep tracking the separate 3-year claim deadline.

Hurt on the road. New Hampshire uses modified comparative negligence (a rule that reduces or blocks recovery based on your share of fault). Under RSA 507:7-d, you can recover as long as your fault is not greater than the other side's, with your damages reduced by your share. (Source) Because your percentage of fault is worth real money, early photos, witnesses, and the crash report matter.

Hurt on someone's property. Falls, dog bites, and unsafe conditions follow the same 3-year lawsuit clock. Dog injuries are covered by one of the stronger victim statutes in the region. Under RSA 466:19, the owner or keeper is liable for any damage done by the dog, unless you were trespassing or committing another wrong. You do not have to prove the dog was ever vicious before. (Source) Winter falls deserve a note too: document ice and snow conditions immediately, because they melt away with the evidence.

A true story: the retainer paid, the deadlines missed

A Wisconsin woman with a products liability claim paid a lawyer a $3,200 retainer to pursue it. She was entitled to rely on him. Instead, he filed an action he should have known was barred, failed to sue the right people in time, and missed a deadline to respond to a motion, so her case was dismissed permanently. Worst of all, he let the statute of limitations run out before he ever told her what was happening. Her claims became barred forever. The court's referee said the lawyer's incompetence "deprived her of all opportunity to have her rights adjudicated." In 1984 the Wisconsin Supreme Court publicly reprimanded him and ordered the retainer repaid. She got her fee back. Her injury claim was gone. (Source: In re Disciplinary Proceedings Against Swartwout, Wis. 1984)

The lesson travels well to a state with comfortable deadlines: a long clock only protects you if someone is actually watching it. Ask your lawyer for regular written status updates and the key dates in your case. Silence is not a good sign, and you are allowed to ask.

What we can help with

We are on your side, and our help is free to injured people. We can help you:

Understand which New Hampshire deadlines apply to your situation
Put your work-injury notice in writing correctly, today
Organize your records, photos, and timeline, including winter conditions before they melt
Find the right next step: medical care, therapy, state benefits, or a licensed attorney when your case needs one
Prepare questions to ask before you hire any lawyer, and help you follow up if one goes quiet

We do not give legal advice, and we never take money from injured people. We explain your rights in plain language and connect you with licensed help when you need it.

Tell us what happened

If you or someone you love was hurt in New Hampshire, you do not have to sort this out alone. Tell us what happened. It is free, private, and there is no pressure.

Sources

Last reviewed: 2026-08-16

This is general information, not legal advice. Deadlines can change or vary with the facts. A licensed attorney can confirm the rule for your situation.