Negligence in New Hampshire
Last checked Aug 15, 2026 · LawyerUnc editorial. Educational only, not legal advice.
Elements
1
Duty
The defendant owed the plaintiff a legal duty of reasonable care in the circumstances.
2
Breach
The defendant failed to meet that standard, they did something a reasonably careful person would not, or failed to do something they would.
3
Causation
The breach was a factual and legal (proximate) cause of the harm. Foreseeability matters.
4
Damages
The plaintiff suffered actual harm, medical bills, lost wages, pain, property loss.
Burden of proof
Preponderance of the evidence, more likely than not.
A New Hampshire fact pattern
Negligence in new-hampshire.
Statute of limitations
3 years
N.H. Rev. Stat. § 508:4
Three years from the act or omission, or from discovery of the injury and its cause.
- A claim against the State sits under RSA 541-B. Confirm that chapter instead of borrowing the private three.