New Hampshire Revised Statutes 508:4-b – Damages From Construction
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I. Except as otherwise provided in this section, all actions to recover damages for injury to property, injury to the person, wrongful death or economic loss arising out of any deficiency in the creation of an improvement to real property, including without limitation the design, labor, materials, engineering, planning, surveying, construction, observation, supervision or inspection of that improvement, shall be brought within 8 years from the date of substantial completion of the improvement, and not thereafter.
II. The term “substantial completion” means that construction is sufficiently complete so that an improvement may be utilized by its owner or lawful possessor for the purposes intended. In the case of a phased project with more than one substantial completion date, the 8-year period of limitations for actions involving systems designed to serve the entire project shall not begin until all phases of the project are substantially complete.
III. If an improvement to real property is expressly warranted or guaranteed in writing for a period longer than 8 years, the period of limitation set out in paragraph I shall extend to equal the longer period of warranty or guarantee.
IV. In all actions for negligence in design or construction described in paragraph I, the standard of care used to determine negligence shall be the standard of care applicable to the activity giving rise to the cause of action at the time the activity was performed, rather than a standard applicable to a later time.
V. (a) The limitation set out in paragraph I shall not apply to actions involving fraudulent misrepresentations, or to actions involving the fraudulent concealment of material facts upon which a claim might be based. Such actions shall be brought within 8 years after the date on which all relevant facts are, or with due care ought to be, discovered by the person bringing the action.
(b) The 8-year limitation period in paragraph I shall not apply to actions arising out of any deficiency in the design, labor, materials, planning, engineering, surveying, observation, supervision, inspection or construction of improvements which are for nuclear power generation, nuclear waste storage, or the long-term storage of hazardous materials.
VI. Nothing in this section shall affect the liabilities of a person having actual possession or control of an improvement to real property as owner or lawful possessor thereof, and nothing contained in this section shall alter or amend the time within which an action in tort may be brought for damages arising out of negligence in the repair, maintenance or upkeep of an improvement to real property.
II. The term “substantial completion” means that construction is sufficiently complete so that an improvement may be utilized by its owner or lawful possessor for the purposes intended. In the case of a phased project with more than one substantial completion date, the 8-year period of limitations for actions involving systems designed to serve the entire project shall not begin until all phases of the project are substantially complete.
Terms Used In New Hampshire Revised Statutes 508:4-b
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
- person: may extend and be applied to bodies corporate and politic as well as to individuals. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 21:9
- Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
- Tort: A civil wrong or breach of a duty to another person, as outlined by law. A very common tort is negligent operation of a motor vehicle that results in property damage and personal injury in an automobile accident.
III. If an improvement to real property is expressly warranted or guaranteed in writing for a period longer than 8 years, the period of limitation set out in paragraph I shall extend to equal the longer period of warranty or guarantee.
IV. In all actions for negligence in design or construction described in paragraph I, the standard of care used to determine negligence shall be the standard of care applicable to the activity giving rise to the cause of action at the time the activity was performed, rather than a standard applicable to a later time.
V. (a) The limitation set out in paragraph I shall not apply to actions involving fraudulent misrepresentations, or to actions involving the fraudulent concealment of material facts upon which a claim might be based. Such actions shall be brought within 8 years after the date on which all relevant facts are, or with due care ought to be, discovered by the person bringing the action.
(b) The 8-year limitation period in paragraph I shall not apply to actions arising out of any deficiency in the design, labor, materials, planning, engineering, surveying, observation, supervision, inspection or construction of improvements which are for nuclear power generation, nuclear waste storage, or the long-term storage of hazardous materials.
VI. Nothing in this section shall affect the liabilities of a person having actual possession or control of an improvement to real property as owner or lawful possessor thereof, and nothing contained in this section shall alter or amend the time within which an action in tort may be brought for damages arising out of negligence in the repair, maintenance or upkeep of an improvement to real property.