Deborah and Matthew Hogan were skiing at Pat’s Peak when they fell from a ski chairlift and were injured. They wanted to sue the resort for their injuries but New Hampshire has a very strict law that says if you want to sue a ski resort, you must send the resort notice of your injuries within 90 days by certified letter. The lawyer for the Hogans sent a letter 89 days after the accident but it was not received by the ski resort until a week after that.
The judge in the case dismissed the lawsuit, deciding that the letter was not received in time. The New Hampshire Supreme Court, however, disagreed and reinstated the lawsuit. According to the Supreme Court, it was good enough that the lawyer mailed the certified lawyer in time, even if it wasn’t received until after the deadline.
The strict notice requirement is most likely due to lobbying by ski operators to avoid getting sued by people hurt at their resorts. Still, this case illustrates how important it is to seek a lawyer right away if you are hurt in any context and you are not at fault. There are many deadlines and other traps that can stop an accident victim from being fairly compensated. A good New Hampshire personal injury lawyer can avoid these problems and fight for what you deserve.
