New Hampshire Legal Blog

Speeding doesn’t just put drivers at risk for an expensive ticket; it can also cause serious injuries or even death, according to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS). Approximately 900 U.S. motorists die each month in speeding-related crashes, and thousands more are injured. As many as one in three car accident deaths and serious car accident injuries occur in speeding-related crashes each year.

Three major factors make speeding highly dangerous. First, the faster the vehicle is moving, the quicker the driver must react when he sees an emergency and the less time he has to notice it and take action. Second, a fast-moving vehicle needs more room to stop than a slow-moving one.

Finally, speeding increases the force of the crash. The faster two vehicles are going when they collide, the more force is involved. For instance, a vehicle traveling 60 miles per hour will hit with 125 percent more force than a vehicle traveling 40 miles per hour. In many speeding-related crashes, occupants of the vehicles are injured because the vehicle cannot withstand the additional force. That power has to go somewhere, and it often goes into crumpling the passenger compartment, posing serious risks to those riding in the vehicle.

Speeding is just one misbehavior that can cause serious injuries. If you or someone you love has been injured in a car accident, please don’t hesitate to contact the experienced New Hampshire auto accident attorneys at Tenn And Tenn, P.A. For a free and confidential consultation by telephone, call us today at (603) 624-3700, or call our toll-free Injury Helpline at 1(888) 511-1010.

Thanksgiving and Christmas are the busiest travel holidays in the United States, according to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS). With more travelers hitting the roads during these holidays, the risk for accidents increases. Here are a few tips for safe highway travel this holiday season:

Prepare for your trip by printing out maps and directions, or programming your GPS system in advance. Clean any snow and ice thoroughly off your car, so it doesn’t obstruct the driver’s vision. Make sure children’s car seats or booster seats are installed and fit correctly. Pack an emergency kit that includes food, water, a first aid kit, extra clothes, and blankets.

Check the weather before you hit the road so you can be prepared for snow, ice, or other conditions. Drive more slowly if the weather is snowy, icy, foggy, or rainy, and do not use cruise control in these conditions.

Take a break or switch drivers if you feel tired or sleepy. Avoid distraction by having passengers read directions or make phone calls for you. Never drive if you have been drinking, and use caution with prescription or over-the-counter medications until you are sure they will not make you sleepy.

Driving safely can help prevent a car accident from disrupting your holidays. If you or someone you love is injured in a crash, however, please don’t hesitate to call the experienced New Hampshire car accident attorneys at Tenn And Tenn, P.A. We’ll help you handle matters after a crash, so that you can focus on healing. For a free telephone consultation, call us today at (603) 624-3700.

New Hampshire may see a record low number of highway fatalities this year, according to a recent article in the Eagle-Tribune. The New Hampshire Highway Safety Authority, which keeps track of deaths and injuries on New Hampshire highways each year, notes that the state is currently seeing a much lower number of deadly auto accidents on highways than is typical for this time of year.

Currently, the Highway Safety Authority has recorded 69 deaths as of November 9, 2011. On the same date in 2010, the agency had recorded 116 deaths. Any total number of highway crash fatalities under 100 for 2011 will set a new record for highway safety in New Hampshire, according to the agency. The current record was set in 2009, with 100 deaths; 2010 saw a total of 128 lives lost on New Hampshire highways.

New Hampshire authorities recently released its “Commute With Care” campaign, which focuses on highway safety by targeting distracted drivers and those who speed during morning and evening rush hours. Law enforcement officials say the decrease in deaths is related to the increased enforcement efforts.

That New Hampshire is seeing fewer deaths in highway crashes is good news, but accidents can still cause serious injuries. If you or someone you love has been injured in a crash, you have certain legal rights. Call the experienced New Hampshire car accident injury attorneys at Tenn And Tenn, P.A. today to discuss your options in a free telephone consultation. Our number is (603) 624-3700, or call our toll-free Injury Helpline at 1(888) 511-1010.

As the number of deaths due to distracted driving has increased, so has the number of states restricting or banning the use of cell phones while driving. These laws range from bans on certain behaviors, like texting, to bans on all cell phone use by a driver. As of January 1, 2010, New Hampshire joined the 33 other U.S. states that have banned texting while driving.

New Hampshire’s law states that “A person operating a moving motor vehicle who writes a text message or uses 2 hands to type on or operate an electronic or telecommunications device, is guilty of a violation,” the fine for which is $100.00. Scrolling through a contacts list or dialing in a phone number or name is not considered “texting” under this statute, which still allows New Hampshire drivers to make phone calls on their cell phones while driving. However, the law most likely covers typing on a laptop computer or smart phone, as well as using Twitter or other apps that require two hands, according to an article in the Boston Globe. New Hampshire joins 33 other U.S. states, Puerto Rico, and Guam in banning some form of distracted driving related to cell phones or other electronic devices. Many counties and other localities in the United States have also banned or restricted cell phone use.

Distracted driving can cause serious injuries. If you or someone you love has been injured in a crash, please don’t hesitate to call the experienced New Hampshire car accident injury attorneys at Tenn And Tenn, P.A. For a free and confidential telephone consultation, call us today at (603) 624-3700.

When a New Hampshire car accident occurs, police and rescue workers may be called to the scene, especially if someone is injured. Police investigate car crashes for many reasons, such as determining who is at-fault and trying to detect any illegal activity related to the crash. Police officers take several steps to investigate a car crash scene thoroughly.

First, police will likely secure the scene with flares or other devices so that other motorists see it in time to avoid crashing into the already-disabled vehicles. This is often done along with determining if anyone is hurt and calling paramedics or other rescue teams if needed. While checking on everyone involved in the crash, police will often evaluate them for drug or alcohol impairment.

Once the injured people at the scene are taken care of, police typically turn their attention to recording information about the crash site. They may take measurements, make diagrams, or take photos or video. Evidence like tire marks, broken glass, or vehicle parts, and the patterns of damage on the vehicles themselves, are all recorded. Police may also talk to witnesses to get their contact information and find out what the witnesses saw or heard. All this information can help police reconstruct an accident scene to determine what went wrong and who may be at-fault.

Car accidents can cause serious injuries. At Tenn And Tenn, P.A., our experienced NH car accident attorneys are dedicated to helping those who have been injured in car accidents. To discuss your accident with us and learn more about your legal rights and options, call (603) 624-3700 today for a free telephone consultation, or call our Injury Helpline at 1 (888) 511-1010.

Infants begin learning about their environment almost from the moment they are born. As they get older, babies begin crawling and then walking, frequently showing curiosity about the people and things they find. Unfortunately, while an infant’s curiosity is high, his understanding of danger is very low. As a result, infants face particular accident and injury risks that older children may be able to avoid.

According to Safe Kids USA, a recent study of 990 infants treated at hospital emergency rooms found that falls caused 61 percent of the infants’ injuries. Falling off furniture was most common. Falling out of a car seat was also common, and the risk of serious injuries increased dramatically if the child fell out of an improperly secured car seat during a crash. Even if a car seat is secured properly, infants are at a higher risk of head and neck injuries in a car crash than older children because their necks have not yet developed sufficiently to support the weight of their heads.

Burn injuries also account for a great number of infant injuries. Infants are at a greater risk of suffering serious burns than adults because their skin is more delicate. According to Safe Kids USA, an infant can suffer a serious burn in one-quarter of the time it takes an adult to suffer the same serious burn.

At Tenn And Tenn, P.A., we understand that nothing is more important than your family’s safety. If your child has been injured due the negligence of someone else, our New Hampshire child injury lawyers can help you protect your legal rights and seek the compensation you need to move forward. For a free and confidential consultation by telephone, call us today at (603) 624-3700, or call our free Injury Helpline at 1 (888) 511-1010.

Trick-or-treating is a classic source of Halloween fun, and one that makes this autumn holiday a favorite among children. Kids eager to collect candy, however, can easily overlook risks that may lead to injury. Help your family stay safe this Halloween by keeping in mind a few simple trick-or-treat safety tips, such as:

• Accompany children, especially if they are small. If you choose to allow older children to go trick-or-treating without adult supervision, designate the neighborhoods they may enter ahead of time and instruct them to stick together. Give older children a curfew time, and send a cell phone with them if possible so they can call if a problem occurs.
• Walk only on sidewalks, and cross only at corners and/or designated crosswalks. Never run into the street – in the dark, cars may not see you coming until it is too late to avoid a pedestrian accident.
• Only approach houses where the lights are on, indicating that trick-or-treaters are welcome. Remind children never to enter another person’s house unless they know the family, and never to accept a ride in a car, especially from a stranger.
• Inspect all treats before giving them to kids. Remind kids not to eat any of their candy until it has been inspected.

Accidents are a major source of child injuries and deaths in the United States. If you or someone you love has been injured, the experienced New Hampshire personal injury lawyers at Tenn And Tenn, P.A. can help. For a free telephone consultation, give us a call at (603) 624-3700, or call our toll-free Injury Helpline at 1(888)511-1010.

Negligent or dangerous driving habits, many of them illegal, can result in serious injuries if a crash occurs. Unfortunately, as budgets get tight, many police units in New Hampshire and other states make routine traffic patrols take a back seat to other police work. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), however, routine police patrols watching for traffic violations are a key part of preventing distracted and dangerous drivers from causing tragic accidents.

When a police department does think to enforce traffic laws in many parts of the country, it may simply send an officer out to an arbitrarily chosen stretch of road to write people up for speeding, according to the NHTSA.

This kind of “spot” enforcement of only certain laws, however, merely frustrates the public and doesn’t do anything to prevent dangerous behavior at intersections or on other stretches of road where crashes are frequent.

In order to help improve roadway safety and reduce crashes, the NHTSA recommends using local data to determine where the most accidents take place and specifically assign patrols to watch for both moving violations and equipment violations in those areas. The NHTSA also recommends creating a way for members of the public to alert police and other local officials about dangerous traffic conditions and to use this information to help make the streets safer.

Years of research show a clear connection between good traffic patrols and reductions in life-threatening vehicle crashes. However, if a crash has injured you or someone you love, the experienced car accident attorneys in New Hampshire at Tenn And Tenn, P.A. can help. For a free and confidential consultation by telephone, call us today at (603) 624-3700, or call our toll-free Injury Helpline at 1(888) 511-1010.

Three vehicles crashed on Route 9 recently after a 2,000-pound metal support beam fell off a load of scrap metal being hauled by a tractor trailer, according to WMUR.

The semi hauling the support beam and other pieces of scrap metal was traveling east on Route 9 when the beam fell off the truck and landed in the roadway. As it fell, the beam hit an SUV driven by a Moultonborough woman who was also traveling east. The driver was taken to a local hospital with serious injuries, but she is expected to make a full recovery. A pickup truck that crashed with the SUV and a car that hit other debris in the roadway were also involved in the New Hampshire auto accident, and the drivers of both were treated for non-life-threatening injuries at the scene.

The truck driver did not stop at the scene because he did not realize the beam had fallen off the truck. He learned about the lost beam when he delivered the load of scrap metal and the company found that a piece, which matched the description of the one-ton beam involved in the accident, was missing.

A truck load that is not properly secured or is fastened with defective equipment may come loose and cause injury. If you or someone you love has been injured in a crash, please don’t hesitate to contact an experienced NH truck accident attorney at Tenn And Tenn, P.A. For a free telephone consultation, call us today at (603) 624-3700, or call our Injury Helpline at 1-888-511-1010.

A carriage accident earlier this year left an Epping woman in serious condition in a local hospital. Now, the injured woman’s friends, husband, and horse farm have banded together to help raise the funds she may need in order to travel the long road to recovery.

The accident occurred during a hay ride event at Applecrest Farm Orchard in Hampton Falls, New Hampshire. The woman was working with a team of large Belgian horses and offering hay rides to the orchard’s visitors. During the hay rides, the mechanical equipment on one of the wagons malfunctioned, spooking the horses. The woman stepped in front of the horses to calm them and prevent them from stampeding or doing any other damage to people in the immediate area. While trying to calm the horses, however, she was severely injured.

The accident has left the woman’s husband, an armed forces veteran and three-time Purple Heart recipient with disabilities of his own, alone in the work of running the couple’s horse farm. Seeing that he was struggling to keep up with the farm’s daily chores and pay the bills, friends and colleagues founded the Ledgewood Belgian Farm Fund to help the family meet the costs and keep the farm running while the injured equestrian recovers from her injuries.

Severe injuries often result in high costs, and the impact of an injury can extend far beyond medical bills. Losing a loved one’s help in running a family home or business may leave others scrambling to catch up on the work that he or she once provided. At Tenn And Tenn, P.A., our skilled New Hampshire personal injury attorneys understand how an injury affects every aspect of a family’s life. If you’ve been injured, call us today at (603) 624-3700, or call our Injury Helpline at 1-888-511-1010, for a free and confidential consultation by phone.