August 6, 2019
After someone is injured in a New Hampshire car accident, one of the most important considerations when filing a personal injury case is which parties to name as defendants. This can be a critical decision that impacts the plaintiff’s overall ability to recover compensation for their injuries for several different reasons.
First, New Hampshire injury victims get only one chance to bring their case against all potentially responsible parties. If a plaintiff proceeds to trial against one defendant, and then later discovers that another party also bore some responsibility, the court will likely preclude the plaintiff from bringing another case against the later-discovered defendant. Such a situation allows the named defendant to shift as much blame as possible onto the non-present party. If the defendant is successful in doing so, the jury may find that the non-present party was primarily responsible, leaving the plaintiff with no way to recover for their injuries.
Another essential reason to thoroughly investigate a claim is to increase the chances a plaintiff will be able to recover any monetary award issued by the jury. In many New Hampshire personal injury cases involving individual defendants, the defendant does not have sufficient assets or insurance coverage to fully and fairly compensate the plaintiff for their injuries. By identifying and naming additional parties, especially employers, a plaintiff greatly increases the chance of receiving the full amount of any judgment in their favor.
A crucial part of identifying all potentially liable parties is conducting a thorough investigation into an accident. For example, last month, a fatal New Hampshire traffic accident claimed the lives of seven motorcyclists. The accident was caused when the driver of a pick-up truck inexplicably crossed over into the oncoming lane of traffic, colliding with the group of motorcycles. The truck driver was working for a Massachusetts transportation company at the time of the accident.
According to a newly released report, a subsequent investigation revealed that the driver had recently been convicted of a DUI offense which should have resulted in the suspension of his license. There were also several other instances of questionable conduct, including an arrest for possession of crack cocaine. Authorities have since opened up an investigation into the driver’s employer, in part focusing on why the employer hired the driver despite his poor driving record and criminal history.
Have You Been Injured in a New Hampshire Car Accident?If you or a loved one has recently been injured in a New Hampshire car accident, the experienced injury lawyers at the New Hampshire law firm of Peter Thompson & Associates can help. At Peter Thompson & Associates, we represent injury victims in all types of New Hampshire personal injury claims, including car accidents, motorcycle accidents, and truck accidents. We also handle New Hampshire slip-and-fall cases and wrongful death claims. To learn more, and to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case with a compassionate injury lawyer, call 800-804-2004 today. Calling is free, and we will not bill you for our services unless we can help you recover the compensation you deserve.