Do I need a lawyer after a car accident in New Hampshire?
Every rule below is quoted from New Hampshire law or a state agency, with a link. Checked September 17, 2026.
The short answer
We can't tell you whether you need a lawyer. We can show you the New Hampshire rules that usually decide it: how fault is split, how long you have, and how injury lawyers are allowed to charge. Many people with only car damage settle directly with the insurer. People with injuries, disputed fault or a claim near a deadline often talk to a lawyer first.
How fault changes your claim
If you were partly at fault
New Hampshire uses modified comparative negligence. You can recover damages if your share of fault is not greater than the fault of the people you are suing, but your award is reduced by your percentage of fault. If your fault is greater than theirs, you recover nothing.
“Contributory fault shall not bar recovery...if such fault was not greater than the fault of the defendant.”
How long you have
- 3 years
- to sue for injuriesRSA 508:4
- 3 years
- to sue for car or property damageRSA 508:4
- 3 years (practical), 6 years (outer statutory limit)
- for a family to sue after a deathRSA 556:11
- 180 days (state notice), 60 days (municipal notice)
- to notify the government if a public vehicle or road was involvedRSA 541-B:14
Deadline to sue for injuries
You have 3 years to sue over injuries from a car crash in New Hampshire.
“within 3 years of the act or omission complained of”
If a government vehicle or road was involved
If a state government vehicle or road was involved, you must give written notice within 180 days of the injury and file your claim within 3 years. If a city, town or county was involved, you must give written notice to its clerk within 60 days of the injury.
“Any claim submitted under this chapter shall be brought within 3 years of the date of the alleged bodily injury, personal injury or property damage”
How injury lawyers charge in New Hampshire
Contingency fee rules
New Hampshire has no dollar or percentage cap on personal injury contingency fees. The fee has to be reasonable, and the contingent fee agreement must be in writing and signed by the client.
“A contingent fee agreement shall be in writing signed by the client and shall state the method by which the fee is to be determined, including the percentage or percentages that shall accrue to the lawyer in the event of settlement, trial or appeal”
Questions to ask any lawyer before you sign
- What percentage do you charge, and does it change if the case goes to trial?
- Who pays case costs like records and expert fees if we lose?
- Will you handle my case yourself, or pass it to someone else?
- How long do cases like mine usually take here?
- What is the deadline for my claim, and when will you file?
If the insurer is the problem
File a complaint with the state
To file a complaint against an insurance company in New Hampshire, use the Online Consumer Complaint Form on the Insurance Department's Filing a Complaint page, or mail/fax the printable form.
“Online Consumer Complaint Form (Electronic version) Consumer Complaint Form (Printable) - This form is intended to be printed for completion and mailed or faxed to the New Hampshire Insurance Department.”
Sources on this page
Each one was opened and checked on September 17, 2026.
Know My Claim is not a law firm or a government agency, and this page is not legal advice. Laws change, so check the linked source before you rely on a deadline.