Snowstorms and New Hampshire Drivers

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Normand in snow

Can you believe it? In New Hampshire, you do not have to have a liability policy to drive an automobile. And if you do have insurance, the minimum rate in New Hampshire is $25,000. That is woefully inadequate to cover most injuries.

 

If you are driving on a snowy day and someone is coming up behind you too quickly, fails to react to changing traffic and rear ends you, pushing you into the vehicle in front, you have actually sustained not one, not two, but maybe three or four actual impacts to your body. That generally has significant adverse effects to your neck, shoulder, and back muscles, as well as the ligaments and tendons. Whiplash is a real thing. You may be out of work for a week or two. You may have been taken to the hospital, given diagnostic testing, had your test reviewed by a radiologist, been checked out by a neurologist, or a hospital emergency room physician and other professional staff, all for which you will be billed for. That trip to the hospital may have cost $1,500 in ambulance fees and $5,000 in hospital and diagnostic specialist fees. If you are out of work for two or three weeks then that may be another $3,000 or $4,000 out of your pocket.

 

At Normand Higham, we encourage all drivers to protect themselves, their family, and their car occupants with adequate uninsured motorist coverage. Frequently, you are able to increase your uninsured motorist coverage from $50,000 or $100,000 to at least $250,000 at modest prices, usually much less than even $100. Yes, you can have four or five times the coverage, including uninsured motorist coverage at a very low rate. Speak to your insurance agent about it.

MOTORCYCLIST KILLED BY WRONG WAY PICKUP TRUCK DRIVER-NH

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Kawasaki 250

A 32 year old female motorcyclist, driving on a one way entry ramp, was killed recently when a pickup driver, in a 1997 Dodge truck, was driving the wrong way down the ramp and struck the motorcyclist head on. What options are available to her family?

My first concern, as an attorney, is for the search for adequate insurance coverage to compensate for the obvious catastrophic losses that this motorcyclist and her family have sustained at the hands of the carelessness of another.  The fact that the faulty driver was in a 20 year old pickup suggest that perhaps he has either none or inadequate insurance coverage.

I encourage all motorcyclists to examine their own insurance policies with their agent to assure adequate uninsured and under insured coverage.  That coverage steps in when the faulty driver has inadequate coverage for the harm caused.  My recommendation is at least $250,000 in uninsured motorist coverage.  I also recommend an umbrella policy with at least $1,000,000 uninsured motorist coverage.  I frequently find that the umbrella policy usually costs only an additional $200 per year.  That is great additional protection for a catastrophic loss such as this instance at modest additional cost.

I ride motorcycles and am making general commentary as an interested rider.  I am not commenting on this specific accident, that was reported in the NH newspapers, and wish the family of the deceased motorcyclist our condolences.

Atty. James Normand

Normand|Higham Law

Manchester, NH