New Hampshire Dog Bite Lawyer — Free Consultation
Strict Liability State
New Hampshire's RSA 466:19 imposes strict liability for dog bites — no prior bite history is required. The 51% modified comparative fault bar and a three-year filing window apply. The only complete defenses are provocation and trespass.
Your Rights After a Dog Bite in New Hampshire
If a dog has bitten or injured you in New Hampshire, the law is squarely on your side from the moment the bite occurs. RSA 466:19 imposes strict liability: the dog owner is responsible for damages done by the dog regardless of whether the owner knew or suspected the dog was dangerous before the attack. You do not need a prior bite, a prior complaint, or any evidence the owner saw this coming.
The statute's defenses are enumerated and narrow. Recovery is barred only if you were trespassing on the owner's property or if you were teasing, tormenting, or abusing the dog. Being on public property — a sidewalk, a park, a walking trail — is inherently lawful presence. Being on private property with the owner's permission is lawful presence. A social visitor, a postal worker, a delivery driver at the door — all are protected.
New Hampshire uses modified comparative fault with a 51% bar under RSA 507:7-d. A plaintiff found 50% at fault or less still recovers, reduced by that percentage. The bar falls at more than 50%, so a plaintiff found exactly 50% at fault still recovers half their damages. Non-economic damages including pain and suffering, emotional distress, and permanent scarring are recoverable without a statutory cap against private defendants.
The statute of limitations is three years under RSA 508:4. For a minor, RSA 508:8 tolls the period during minority. Claims against government entities require notice of claim under RSA 507-B:7, typically within 60 days for municipal defendants — a far shorter window than the general three-year period.
Manchester, Nashua, Concord, and Derry are the major population centers in New Hampshire. The Manchester Animal Control division (603-668-8737) and Nashua Animal Control (603-589-3148) handle bite reports and mandatory quarantine for those cities. Request all prior animal control records for the dog's address in writing immediately — prior complaints are relevant to severity and insurance negotiation even if you do not need prior knowledge for liability.
4 questions a New Hampshire attorney will ask you
Answer these to see which factors strengthen or complicate a claim under New Hampshire law.
Question 1 of 4
Is there permanent scarring?
New Hampshire has no cap on non-economic damages. Permanent scarring is the single most influential non-economic factor.
New Hampshire Dog Bite Laws
New Hampshire's dog bite statute, RSA 466:19, provides that 'any owner of a dog shall be liable in damages for any injury done by such dog unless the plaintiff was trespassing or teasing, tormenting, or abusing such dog.' The statute creates strict liability — an injured person does not need to prove the owner knew or suspected the dog was dangerous before the bite.
Full breakdown of the statute, comparative negligence rules, and exceptions: New Hampshire Dog Bite Laws →
What Compensation Can You Recover?
Economic damages in a New Hampshire dog bite case include all documented financial losses: emergency room treatment, follow-up medical care, surgery, physical therapy, rehabilitation, lost wages during recovery, and projected future medical costs for permanent injuries. These are recoverable in full, subject to documentation.
Non-economic damages — pain and suffering, emotional distress, permanent facial or hand scarring, and loss of enjoyment of life — are fully recoverable against private defendants without a statutory cap. New Hampshire courts assess non-economic damages based on the nature, duration, and permanence of the injury.
Serious attacks causing permanent scarring, nerve damage, or post-traumatic stress disorder support substantial non-economic claims. Dog bites to the face, hands, and scalp — which carry the greatest permanent disfigurement risk — generate the highest non-economic value in New Hampshire cases.
See typical dollar ranges: New Hampshire Settlement Amounts →
Steps to Take After a Dog Bite
New Hampshire's strict liability makes your first steps straightforward on liability, but the injury documentation and pre-attack conduct record are what drive value. Get medical care immediately — dog bites carry a real infection risk and a same-day medical record anchors the claim. Photograph the wound before treatment if possible, and again at 24 hours and one week. Collect the dog owner's full name, address, and homeowners or renters insurance information. Report the bite to the relevant animal control department: Manchester Animal Control (603-668-8737) for Manchester; Nashua Animal Control (603-589-3148) for Nashua; local departments for other communities. The animal control report creates the official record of the incident and triggers a mandatory quarantine of the dog for rabies observation. Write down your own account of what you were doing before the bite — that you were not teasing, tormenting, or abusing the dog — while the memory is fresh. This is the pre-attack conduct record that defeats the provocation defense. Send camera footage preservation requests within 24 hours. Do not give recorded statements to the dog owner's insurer before speaking with a New Hampshire dog bite attorney.
What happens after a dog bite in New Hampshire
Most claims move through the same six stages. Timings vary — these are typical, not guaranteed.
The bite
Day 0Get the owner's name, address, phone and insurance details before leaving if you safely can, and photograph the scene — in New Hampshire that includes any posted signage, not just the wound.
Medical treatment
Same dayDog bites carry a real infection risk from bacteria like Pasteurella and Capnocytophaga. A same-day record also becomes the document every later stage of the claim rests on.
Report & evidence
Days 1–7Report to animal control, which starts the rabies observation period and creates a timestamped official record independent of the owner. Photograph the wound again as it heals, and collect witness contacts.
Insurance claim
Weeks 1–8Most claims are paid by the owner's homeowners or renters policy. Adjusters typically call early to request a recorded statement — their job is to limit the payout, so it's worth getting advice before you're on record.
Attorney consultation
Any time — freeConsultations are free and contingency-based, so cost is rarely the deciding factor. Most attorneys will tell you plainly if a claim is simple enough to handle alone.
Settlement or lawsuit
Before the 3- years from the date of the injury deadlineMost claims settle without a lawsuit. If yours doesn't, New Hampshire requires suit within 3 years from the date of the injury (RSA 508:4) — and an attorney generally won't settle before your treatment reaches maximum medical improvement.
Statute of Limitations
Three years from the date of injury under RSA 508:4. For a minor, RSA 508:8 tolls the limitations period during minority — a child bitten before age 18 generally has until three years after their 18th birthday (approximately age 21) to file. Despite the three-year general window, claims against New Hampshire government entities — a municipal police K-9, a city animal control dog — require written notice of claim under RSA 507-B:7, typically within 60 days of the injury for municipal defendants. Missing the government notice deadline can forfeit the claim against a government defendant even within the general three-year period. The practical recommendation is to contact an attorney promptly regardless of the general deadline, especially in cases involving government-owned dogs.
Full breakdown of the statute, its exceptions, and how shared fault is handled: New Hampshire dog bite laws →
Find a Dog Bite Lawyer Near You in New Hampshire
New Hampshire dog bite questions, answered
The questions New Hampshire readers ask most often. General information, not legal advice.
Does New Hampshire require proof that the dog bit someone before?
No. RSA 466:19 imposes strict liability — no prior bite history or prior knowledge is required. The owner is responsible from the first bite.
What are the defenses to a New Hampshire dog bite claim?
RSA 466:19 enumerates two complete defenses: the victim was trespassing on the owner's property, or the victim was teasing, tormenting, or abusing the dog. Other pre-attack conduct may be assessed as comparative fault reducing the award but not barring it.
What is the filing deadline for a New Hampshire dog bite case?
Three years from the date of injury under RSA 508:4. For minors, RSA 508:8 tolls during minority. Government entity claims require written notice within 60 days for municipal defendants under RSA 507-B:7.
How does comparative fault work in New Hampshire dog bite cases?
Modified comparative fault with a 51% bar under RSA 507:7-d. A plaintiff found 50% or less at fault recovers, reduced proportionally. At exactly 50% fault, the plaintiff still recovers half their damages.
What should I do right now?
Tick these off as you go. Nothing is saved — this is a checklist to work through, not a form.