Article 8 of the State of New Hampshire holds governmental units accountable for damages incurred during their operation. Here are the laws to sue the State of New Hampshire, but are not legal advise.
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CHAPTER 491
SUPERIOR COURT
Section 491:8
491:8 Actions Against State. – The superior court shall have jurisdiction to enter judgment against the state of New Hampshire founded upon any express or implied contract with the state, including specific performance and other equitable remedies that are not limited to money damages. Any action brought under this section shall be instituted by bill of complaint and shall be tried by the court without a jury. The jurisdiction conferred upon the superior court by this section includes any set-off, claim or demand whatever on the part of the state against any plaintiff commencing an action under this section. The attorney general, upon the presentation of a claim founded upon a judgment against the state, shall submit the claim to the department or agency which entered into the contract, and said department or agency shall manifest said claim for payment from the appropriation under which the contract was entered into; provided, that if there is not sufficient balance in said appropriation, the attorney general shall present said claim to the general court for the requisite appropriation.
Source. 1951, 243:1. 1953, 83:1, eff. April 10, 1953. 2020, 12:2, eff. July 16, 2020.
Actions
Section 507:8-a
507:8-a Loss of Consortium. – In a proper action, either a wife or husband is entitled to recover damages for loss or impairment of right of consortium whether caused intentionally or by negligent interference. Where fault on the part of the claimant or the claimant’s spouse is found to have caused, in whole or in part, the injury to the spouse on which the claim for loss or impairment of consortium is based, damages recoverable shall be subject to diminution to the extent and in the manner provided for in RSA 507:7-d.
Source. 1967, 218:1. 1986, 227:7, eff. July 1, 1986.
Section 507:8-a
507:8-a Loss of Consortium. – In a proper action, either a wife or husband is entitled to recover damages for loss or impairment of right of consortium whether caused intentionally or by negligent interference. Where fault on the part of the claimant or the claimant’s spouse is found to have caused, in whole or in part, the injury to the spouse on which the claim for loss or impairment of consortium is based, damages recoverable shall be subject to diminution to the extent and in the manner provided for in RSA 507:7-d.
Damages in New Hampshire
Section 508:4-c
508:4-c Elimination of Ad Damnum Clause. – In any personal action, the declaration or other affirmative pleading shall not specify or allege the amount of damages claimed, but shall, instead, state that the damages claimed are within any minimum or maximum jurisdictional limits of the court to which the pleading is addressed.
508:4-d Damages Recoverable for Non-Economic Loss. –
I. In any action for personal injury, the damages awarded may include compensation for non-economic loss, including pain and suffering and such other elements of damage which are recognized by law and which are not objectively verifiable monetary losses. However, damages for non-economic loss shall in no case exceed $875,000.
Suing Governmental Units in New Hampshire
507-B:1 Definitions. –
In this chapter:
I. “Governmental unit” means any political subdivision within the state including any county, city, town, precinct, school district, chartered public school, school administrative unit, or departments or agencies thereof, or any other body corporate and politic within the state, but does not include the state or any department or agency thereof.
I-a. “Employee or official of a governmental unit” means any member or officer of its governing board, administrative staff, or agencies, including but not limited to county employees, selectmen, school board members, chartered public school trustees, city councilors and aldermen, town councilors, town and city managers, mayors, regional planning commissioners, town and city health officials, police officers, overseers of public welfare, superintendents of schools, and all other employees and officials whether elected or appointed, and whether paid or unpaid, provided he or she is acting within the scope of his or her official duties.
II. “Action to recover for bodily injury” means an action arising out of bodily injury, including an action brought under RSA 556:9-14, whether brought by or on behalf of the person actually sustaining bodily injury or brought by any other person to whom rights may accrue arising out of such injury, regardless of the nature of the damages claimed.
III. “Personal injury” means:
(a) Any injury to the feelings or reputation of a natural person, including but not limited to, false arrest, detention or imprisonment, malicious prosecution, libel, slander, or the publication or utterance of other defamatory or disparaging material, invasion of an individual’s right of privacy, invasion of the right of private occupancy, wrongful entry or eviction, mental injury, mental anguish, shock, and, except when against the public policy or the laws of New Hampshire, or both, discrimination; and
(b) Any injury to intangible property sustained by any person as a result of false eviction, malicious prosecution, libel, slander, or defamation.
The term “personal injury” shall not include “bodily injury” or “property damage.”
IV. “Property damage” means a loss through injury to, or destruction of, tangible property or real estate.
V. “Pollutant incident” means any emission, discharge, release, or escape of any irritants, noxious substances or radioactive materials, in any physical state, into or upon land, the atmosphere, or any watercourse or body of water, including but not limited to all wastes and materials as defined in RSA 146-A, 147-A, 147-B and 149-M.
https://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/LII/507-B/507-B-mrg.htm
Statute Of Limitations in New Hampshire
Section 508:4
508:4 Personal Actions. –
I. Except as otherwise provided by law, all personal actions, except actions for slander or libel, may be brought only within 3 years of the act or omission complained of, except that when the injury and its causal relationship to the act or omission were not discovered and could not reasonably have been discovered at the time of the act or omission, the action shall be commenced within 3 years of the time the plaintiff discovers, or in the exercise of reasonable diligence should have discovered, the injury and its causal relationship to the act or omission complained of.
II. Personal actions for slander or libel, unless otherwise provided by law, may be brought only within 3 years of the time the cause of action accrued.
Source. RS 181:3, 4. CS 192:3, 4. GS 202:3. GL 221:3. PS 217:3. PL 329:3. 1937, 21:1. RL 385:3. RSA 508:4. 1969, 378:1. 1981, 514:1. 1986, 227:12, eff. July 1, 1986.
Section 507:11
507:11 Change of Venue. – The superior court may change the venue in any civil proceeding when justice or convenience requires it.
Source. 1907, 135:1. PL 328:3. RL 384:3.
Section 507:15
507:15 Penalties for Frivolous Actions. – If, upon the hearing of any contract or tort action, it clearly appears to the court that the action or any defense is frivolous or intended to harass or intimidate the prevailing party, then the court, upon motion of the prevailing party or on its own motion, may order summary judgment against the party who brought such action or raised such defense, and award the amount of costs and attorneys’ fees incurred by the prevailing party plus $1,000 to be paid to the prevailing party, provided such costs and fees are reasonable. The trial judge shall also report such conduct to the supreme court committee on professional conduct.
Source. 1986, 227:3. 1996, 2:2, eff. July 1, 1996.
Section 507:15-b
507:15-b Powers of Court. – RSA 507:15 and RSA 507:15-a shall not be construed to diminish the inherent power of any court to grant appropriate relief not specified in those sections.
Source. 2013, 181:1, eff. July 2, 2013.
507:17 Actions Against Governmental Units; Definition; Court Records. –
I. “Governmental unit” means the state and any political subdivision within the state including any county, city, town, precinct, school district, chartered public school, school administrative unit, or departments or agencies thereof.
II. In any action against a governmental unit where the governmental unit has agreed to a settlement of such action, the complete terms of the settlement and the decree of the court judgment shall be available as a matter of public record pursuant to RSA 91-A.
III. The court may redact the names of minor children or any other person the court determines to be entitled to privacy.
Source. 2004, 246:1. 2008, 354:1, eff. Sept. 5, 2008.