New Hampshire Personal Injury Frequently Asked Questions

1. If I Suffer an Injury What Should I Do First?
Seek medical attention. If you are injured, your health must be your initial concern. Obtain medical treatment as soon as possible. Do not take any unnecessary risks to your health after an accident or injury.

If you or someone in your family has been injured, you should seek legal advice as quickly as possible thereafter to see if you have a New Hampshire claim for personal injury. The cause of an injury may not always be obvious, and there may be one or more parties responsible for the injury. Tenn And Tenn, P.A. in Manchester, New Hampshire, can help determine the cause of an injury, and whether someone is legally responsible for the injury.

2. What if I Am Contacted by an Insurance Company or an Investigator?
You should not discuss your injury or the way in which it happened with anyone until you have consulted a New Hampshire attorney. These statements might be incorrect, incomplete, taken out of context, or be harmful to your case at a later date. Do not file any written reports or descriptions, sign any papers, or agree to any settlement, as this may affect your ability to recover full compensation for your injuries.

3. Why Should I Bring a Personal Injury Claim?
If you are injured through the fault of someone else, you are entitled under New Hampshire law to full, fair and adequate compensation for your injuries.

4. Is It Ever Too Late to Bring a Claim?
There are strict statutes of limitations, which prohibit the bringing of old claims. For many claims, these statutes of limitations may be three years, although there are several exceptions both shorter and longer. You should consult a New Hampshire lawyer as soon as you are aware that you have been injured. Even if you were injured some time ago, you may still be able to bring a claim. Failing to file a personal injury lawsuit within the statute of limitations will cause the claim to expire and you will not receive any compensation for your injuries.

5. What if I Can’t Afford a Lawyer?
Tenn And Tenn, P.A., in Manchester, New Hampshire, represents its personal injury clients on a contingent-fee basis. If we accept your case, you pay no legal fees unless we are successful in obtaining compensation for you.

6. Will I Have to Go to Court?
You will not have to go to court unless your case cannot be settled and must be tried. In New Hampshire, the vast majority of claims are settled before trial; however, because of the many factors involved, it is impossible to predict whether your particular case is one which will be settled or one which must be decided by a jury.

7. Will I Hurt the Person I’m Suing by Bringing a Personal Injury Claim?
Almost all personal injury claims are defended by insurance company lawyers and paid by insurance, so the person or corporation you sue will not necessarily have to pay any money out-of-pocket. A personal injury claim is a civil case, not a criminal case, and the defendant will generally not go to jail because of the claim.

8. What Is the Value of My Case?
Unfortunately, we cannot predict exactly how much money you will win because your recovery depends on your individual circumstances and injuries. We look to a wide variety of factors, such as the severity and permanency of your injury, the amount of your medical expenses, the liability of the defendant, and whether the case is to be tried or settled. At the start of your case, it is often impossible to estimate the value of your claim. Until your case has been fully investigated and your medical condition has stabilized, you should be wary of anyone who tries to tell you the value of your claim at an early stage.

After Tenn And Tenn, P.A. has completed a thorough investigation of your case, we are in a position to offer our opinion as to the value of your claim. We will discuss any proposed settlement with you, and give you our advice about whether to accept an insurance company’s offer of settlement or to allow a jury to determine the value of your injuries.

9. I’ve Been Injured in an Accident and Don’t Have Medical Insurance to Pay For My Medical Treatment. Who Will Pay For My Medical Bills Caused by the Accident?
Your attorney can seek to recover your medical expenses from the individual or company at fault in your accident along with other types of compensation. In many instances, your attorney can recover from your own insurance policy.

10. I Was Hit From Behind by a Driver That Had No Insurance at the Time of the Accident. Can I Still Obtain Compensation for My Injuries?
If you have uninsured motorist coverage on your own vehicle under your own policy of insurance, you may be able to recover under you own policy. Be sure to contact an attorney for review of your situation. Payment of these types of claims under your policy should not result in an increase in your premium, or a cancellation of your coverage.

11. Why Should I Hire an Attorney to Assist Me in Resolving My Motorcycle Accident Claim?
Motorcycle accident injuries are significantly more severe than automobile accident injuries, in most situations. The failure of motorists to "see" motorcyclists causes many motorcycle accidents each year. If you have been involved in a motorcycle accident, you may be facing significant losses. Damage to your motorcycle may be the smallest of your worries as you begin to incur significant medical bills and missed time from work. Even worse, many motorcycle accidents result in a fatality.

Injured motorcyclists need to contact a skilled motorcycle injury lawyer to assist them with their claim. Insurance companies must be contacted, a police report should be filed, and witnesses need to be gathered and statements accumulated. If you need legal help with your motorcycle accident claim, contact Tenn And Tenn, PA. The motorcycle accident attorneys at Tenn And Tenn, P.A. in Manchester, New Hampshire will help you receive the monetary compensation you deserve.

12. Can My Lawyer Settle My Case Without My Consent?
As a general practice, lawyers traditionally do not settle clients’ cases without their knowledge and consent. However, it is possible that the Fee Agreement you executed with your lawyer allows him or her to settle your case without your consent. It is prudent to always discuss the settlement process with your lawyer, to ensure that you are fully advised of the settlement negotiations in that you wish to have the final say regarding your settlement.

13. Can a Healthcare Provider Be Repaid From a Personal Injury Settlement?
Yes. It is quite common that healthcare providers are paid out of personal injury recoveries. Most health insurance policies now have language which requires the insurance company to be repaid for the amount of money they have advanced or paid on medical bills if the injured person receives a personal injury settlement.

14. What Bills Are Traditionally Included in a Bodily Injury Claim?
The term “bodily injury claim” usually refers to a personal injury sustained by an individual. These claims usually involve economic damages and general damages. Economic damages are those damages which usually refer to lost wages, medical bills, rental car expenses, and other direct monetary damages. General damages traditionally refer to pain, suffering, and distress. Before you settle your bodily injury claim, be certain that you are receiving a recovery for all aspects of damages available to you as a result of the injuries you sustained.

15. Am I Required to Wear a Motorcycle Helmet?
Most states have different laws regarding the requirement to wear a motorcycle helmet. Studies suggest that DOT certified helmets significantly reduce the risk of head or brain injuries in the event of an accident or collision. Motorcycle operators should check with their local Department of Safety, Division of Motor Vehicles in their state to inquire whether or not operators and passengers, of all ages, are required to wear a motorcycle helmet in their state and the surrounding states. The Manchester NH motorcycle accident lawyers at Tenn And Tenn, P.A. strongly encourage all New Hampshire motorcycle riders to wear a DOT approved motorcycle helmet.

16. What Is a Personal Injury?
A personal injury is a physical or mental injury sustained by a person as a result of someone else’s negligence or harmful act. There are many different types of actions which can result in personal injury. Some of these include:

• Automobile and Car Accidents
• Motorcycle Accidents
• Defective Product Injuries (product liability)
• Workers Compensation Injuries
• Wrongful Death
• Home Accidents
• Slip and Falls
• Dog Bites
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17. What Is Negligence?
Negligence is the failure to use reasonable care. In other words, negligence is any conduct that falls below the standard of care established by law to protect others from the unreasonable risk of harm.

18. How Do I Know if I Have a Valid Personal Injury Claim?
A valid personal injury claim requires you to demonstrate that you have been injured due to someone else’s fault, and have sustained damages. Injury claims, or tort claims as they are called, requires the injured party to demonstrate two specific elements known as liability and damages. Consulting a New Hampshire personal injury lawyer is the most prudent act to determine whether your personal injury claim is valid.

19. When Should I Hire a Personal Injury Attorney?
Retaining the services of an experienced New Hampshire personal injury lawyer is critical in any personal injury claim. Hiring an attorney as soon as possible allows your legal counselor to gather critical evidence, obtain witness statements, and document the facts surrounding your accident or injury. Act quickly to preserve your rights in order to present the best evidence on your behalf.