603-528-5299

Free Telephone Consultation for Injury Cases

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603-528-5299

Free Telephone Consultation for Injury Cases

Motorcycle Accidents

Need an accient laywer, NH? Motorcycles are less stable and less visible than cars.  For that reason, they are more likely to be in a crash.  Therefore, it is not surprising to learn that according to the NHTSA the fatality rate for motorcyclists in 2006 was 5.5 times the fatality rate for passenger car occupants.  While motorcycles account for only 3% of all registered motor vehicles and 0.4% of vehicle miles traveled in 2006, 4810 people died in motorcycle accidents in 2006.  According to the NHTSA, motorcycle drivers and their passengers are more exposed, and thus they are more likely to suffer general bodily injury, head injury and more serious injuries than a comparable impact involving automobiles.  It makes sense then to know that when motorcyclists are injured, through no fault of their own, they are typically awarded higher damages as a result of their high medical bills, extensive pain and suffering and the lost wages they incur.

That said, even when a claim is valid, motorcyclists face the obstacle of prejudice and the public perception that they are reckless drivers.  This means it is all the more important that if you or your loved one is hurt as a result of a motorcycle accident, you seek the assistance of a personal injury attorney and accident lawyer as soon as possible in order to maximize the chances for success in obtaining all the compensation to which you are entitled.

Motorcycle Accidents - Personal InjuryAt Rice Law Office, our team will help you through this difficult time, providing support by dealing with the insurance companies, attorneys, and other accident parties, so you can focus on what is important, getting better and getting back to your life.  At Rice Law Office, we will provide tough and compassionate representation, directed at moving your case forward and obtaining full compensation for you and your family.  We will fight to get every dollar allowed by law and work to resolve your accident case faster with less stress and less anxiety.

Call Rice Law Office, accident lawyer in Laconia, NH now for a free, no obligation telephone consultation at (603) 528-5299, or contact us here.

Car Accidents - New Hampshire

You have been injured and you are in pain, the bills are coming, you are missing work, it seems like the doctors are talking in another language and you don't know what to do. To make matters worse, you are getting phone calls now from insurance adjusters, and you are not even sure who they are.  Are they from your insurance company or the negligent party's insurance company?  They want to take your statement, or maybe, they are offering you money to "settle". What are you supposed to do?  On top of it all, your boss is calling and asking when you will be back-you are worried you might lose your job while you are out recovering.  It is too much to deal with, and the stakes have never been higher.  YOU NEED HELP. You need the consultation and services of a car accident lawyer, an attorney who is experienced in personal injury cases. 

Nearly 17,000 car accidents are reported every day to local authorities in the US, and human error is the number one reason for those accidents. These accidents result in injuries, medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering and even permanent disability or death. Sure, there is insurance available in most cases, but the problem is automobile insurance companies are in business to make a profit.  So, they hope for safe drivers and fight to pay as little as possible when an accident does occur. This is true even with legitimate claims.

If your injuries or those of your loved ones are serious, the last thing you want to do is cut through reams of red tape and fight with insurance adjusters in order to get the compensation to which you are entitled. While it is certainly possible to represent yourself, the cards may be stacked against you, and odds are that you will not be able to collect a fair amount from the other party’s insurance company, if you go it alone.

Motor Vehicle AccidentsThere is help available, and you don't have to be rich to afford it.  At Rice Law Office PLLC, we believe our client's number one priority after a car accident or injury should be to get better and get their life back.  That means our job is to fight for our clients to get all the protections they need and deserve.  We take an aggressive and global approach to injury claims, looking at all the avenues for recovery.  We know injuries affect more than people's health. They threaten their family, their job and their security.  There are many ways to protect the injured person. We consider everything from the primary insurance claim to the available employment protections and disability coverages, and then we fight to get every benefit out there.  We believe careful consideration and personal attention wins cases, but more important, they serve our clients in the way they deserve.  

At Rice Law Office, we offer FREE PHONE CONSULTATIONS for car accident and injury cases.  We also offer contingent fee agreements in many instances. 

If we take your case on a contingent basis, your attorney fees will be paid out of the final settlement or court award resulting from your accident or injury.  In a contingent fee arrangement, you are not expected to pay our attorney an hourly rate for servicesEssentially, the lawyer gets paid only if and when you get paid.  This is all written down for you, so there is no misunderstanding about the fees you will be charged or how much your case will cost.  

Our team will help you through this difficult time, providing support by dealing with the insurance companies, attorneys, and other accident parties. This allows you to focus on what is important-getting better and getting back to your life.  Rice Law Office provides tough and compassionate representation, directed at moving your case forward and obtaining full compensation for you and your family. Car accidents and injuries have a devestating impact on individuals and families and cause pain and stress to more than just the victim.  We cannot take all that away, but we will fight to get every dollar allowed by law and work to resolve your accident case faster with less stress and less anxiety.

If you've been in a accident, call Rice Law Office now for a free, no obligation telephone consultation with an experienced accident lawyer at (603) 528-5299, or contact us here.

Slip and Fall

If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of a slip and fall from a poorly maintained piece of equipment or defective walking surface, through no fault of your own, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, loss wages, pain and emotional distress.

According to a recent study, it’s estimated that 1,000,000 people injure themselves in slip and fall accidents each year with 16,000 of these falls resulting in death.

Slip and fall accidents can be caused by any number of things. They can occur as a result of slippery or poorly maintained walking surfaces, poor visibility, lack of safe handrails or guardrails and/or poor accessibility of the area that the injured person is trying to reach.  No matter the cause, the results can be devastating in terms of medical bills, pain and suffering and lost wages and time from work.

Most property owners carry insurance for injuries which occur on their property as a result of their negligence.  However, where there is no obvious fault (negligence), injuries may not be compensable.  The insurance companies know that failure to maintain property in a safe condition for known or expected users, or a failure to warn people of dangerous conditions on property are two very common types of negligence in slip and fall cases; but some slip and fall accidents are just that, accidents.

Slip and FallIn order to get compensation, the injured victim must establish that there was fault on the part of the property owner or maintenance company, which directly caused the accident and the injury.  In assessing the value of your claim, insurance companies and attorneys usually consider:

  • the nature of the defect which caused the injury;
  • whether there was notice of the defect (whether the property owner knew of the defect);
  • how long the property owner was aware of the defect;
  • whether it was foreseeable that the known or expected user of the property might injure his or herself as a result of this defect;
  • whether the victim was in any way responsible for the injury;
  • the extent of the damages caused as a result of the fall.

The insurance companies’ adjusters are experts in the business of assessing claims so it is important that you know and understand your rights.  An accident attorney can help by explaining the accident laws and accident reports related to your injury.  At Rice Law Office, we will provide tough and compassionate representation and move your case forward in order to obtain full compensation for your injury.   We will work with you to determine if your injury was caused as a result of negligence and then we will fight to get every dollar allowed by the law so that you can focus on what is important; getting better.

Call Rice Law Office now for a free, no obligation telephone consultation
at (603) 528-5299, or contact us here
.

Work Injuries

If you have been injured at work, you are probably not just in physical pain, you are likely suffering with worry and a good deal of confusion as well.  You are facing medical bills, time out of work, and you are not sure how your boss is going to take all this.  You may even be wondering if you can be fired for making a claim.  If you are like most people, you feel like you have travelled to a foreign land where you don't know the language.  Medical terms and paperwork are coming at you in rapid succession and you are just not sure about all this.  The problem is, the stakes have never been higher.  YOU NEED HELP FROM AN EXPERIENCED WORKERS' COMPENSATION ATTORNEY AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE RICH TO GET IT.

At Rice Law Office, PLLC, we offer FREE PHONE CONSULATIONS FOR WORKERS' COMPENSATION CASES and contingent fee agreements as well.  Contingent fees mean you don't pay your attorney an hourly rate; the attorney gets paid only if you recover or if the insurance company is ordered to pay (as is possible in some instances). This means you can afford to ask questions before it is too late. 

You may be entitled to compensation for your lost wages, payment for medical bills, job protection, payment for permanent injuries, and even a settlement depending on the circumstances. Workers' Compensation may also provide vocational training and job placement services for disabled workers who need to change jobs.  At Rice Law Office PLLC, we take a global approach to our client's injury cases, and that means we will consider all the available claims and protections you may have.  In addition to your workers' compensation case, you may have a claim for damages against a third party, a claim for disability insurance, sick pay, or Social Security.  You may also have additional protections under your employer's work policies or state and federal disability laws. We will consider all your options and then fight to get you all the protections available, leaving you to focus on getting better.  Each client and each case get the personal attention they deserve.  

What You Need to Know about Workers' Compensation

Work InjuriesIf you are injured on the job, make sure that you keep all documentation of events. Make sure you have notified your employer promptly, that you visit a medical provider, even if at the time you do not believe you have suffered lasting damage, and take down names of witnesses to the event. By having proper documentation, medical evidence and witness statements, you create a much stronger case for receiving workers' compensation benefits.  You may want to contact a workers' compensation lawyer before you give any statements to the insurer.  It is important to understand the process and your rights and whether you end up using an attorney or not. In the end, you will likely benefit from the FREE CALL, so make use of it.  Remember, this is not a claim against your employer, it is an insurance claim, and just like you would submit a claim to your health insurance company, you can submit one here.  The trick is, the workers' compensation insurance company is a business looking to make a profit, and payment of claims hurts the bottem line.  It is just business to them, but to you, it is your future, and your family's security.  Adjusters can be nice or not so nice, but it is important to remember, they are not your friend, they are employees working hard for someone else, and you have every right to consult with an attorney before you talk to them-  you can have someone in your corner before you begin this process.    

The State and Federal Workers' Compensation Acts were designed to compensate employees who are injured or disabled on the job without the need for litigation. Though there are separate laws for state workers and federal workers, both operate under the same rationale: to compensate a worker injured or disabled by job-related accident or disease. That said, the insurance company is allowed to deny your claim.

While the Federal and State Workers' Compensation Acts were designed to cut down on the need for litigation to receive benefits, there are times when an employee must resort to legal advice. An insurance company may try to deny you benefits to hold down their costs. A claim may also be denied if the paperwork was filed incorrectly, or if medical evidence is missing or incomplete.

If you have been denied, your initial claim for workers' compensation, do not give up hope. You have a right to file a petition to present your case to the NH Department of Labor and to the Compensation Appeals Board for reconsideration. You can overturn a denial. With the help of an attorney you will have the opportunity to explain your circumstance, defend your position and provide new evidence or correct information that may have been misinterpreted in your original claim.

What Injuries are Covered?

The Workers' Compensation Act covers injuries caused by an accident or incident which arose out of an accident during the course of your employment.  There have literally been thousands of court cases interpreting the meaning of those phrases.  But as a general rule, if a worker suffers an injury that was caused or aggravated by the job, workers' compensation is usually available to help cover medical bills and make up some of the wages lost when the employee cannot work.  Injuries can be as varied as a laceration, a broken bone, a head or back injury, as well as hearing or vision loss and repetitive stress syndrome.

Workers' Compensation also covers occupational diseases.  Diseases of this nature are often caused by a series of events of similar nature, occurring regularly or at frequent intervals over a period of time in the employment.  For example, diseases that arise from repeated and constant motion or exposure to such things as coal dust (black lung), artificial butter flavoring (popcorn packers' lung), lead (lead poisoning), asbestos (mesothelioma), and other toxic substances may be covered as occupational diseases.

The amount of workers' compensation you receive is determined by several factors, but in general, employees in NH are entitled to receive 60% of their average weekly wage if they are taken out of work due to an injury. These payments are tax free, which helps a bit with the loss, but the benefits you receive are not likely to match your full salary unless you have other disabilty insurance available.  That's where our global approach to these cases helps.  We consider your rights under worker's compensation, employment and disability laws to determine if you have other benefits and protections available which you can combine with your workers' compensation while you recover.

We offer FREE ARTICLES AND ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS right here on our website. Check out our Resources links for informative and helpful linksblogs, and FAQs.

 

Serious Injuries and Wrongful Death - New Hampshire

Serious injuries, catastrophic injuries and wrongful death have a brutal financial and emotional impact on the victims and their families. At Rice Law Office, we understand how difficult it is for families to deal with the loss of financial resources and, particularly, with the fear, uncertainty and grief which victims and families suffer in the wake of catastrophic injuries. The assisttance of a personal injury lawyer can alleviate some of the stress and help to ensure you and your family receive the compensation you deserve. 

While there is no way to place a value on the death of a loved one or to possibly address the loss of care, comfort and society for those who are seriously injured in an accident, Rice Law Office, personal injury lawyers, NH, can help you by dealing with the insurance companies, attorneys and other accident parties so that you can focus on what is most important.

At Rice Law Office, we will fight to collect all the damages you deserve, including pain and suffering, trauma, personal distress, future income loss, past and future medical bills, cost of care and loss of consortium claims.

Serious Injuries and Wrongful Death - Personal injury attorney Even after you settle your case, Rice Law Office will continue to work with you to help negotiate liens with Medicare, Medicaid, health insurance companies and healthcare providers (doctors and hospitals) to reduce bills wherever possible.

In many injury cases we offer contingent fee arrangements where no fees, costs or expenses are collected until you recover. 

 

Call Rice Law Office, personal injury lawyer, NH for a free, no obligation telephone consultation at (603) 528-5299, or contact us here.

Injuries to Children

Our hope is that every child grows up safe, healthy and injury free, but when accidents happen, you may need help paying for medical bills and making sure that your childs future is protected.

Hundreds of thousands of injuries to children are reported each year.  Statistics show motor vehicle accidents account for the greatest number of unintended injury deaths for children ages 14 and under with drownings, pedestrian injuries and bike accidents causing many additional injuries.

The fact is, children are at far greater risk than adults for injuries simply because they are less coordinated, have slower reaction times and are less accurate with their movements.  According to Safe Kids USA, in 2002, nearly 300,000 children ages 14 and under were treated in a hospital emergency room for bicycle related injuries alone.  Of those children admitted to the hospital, nearly half were diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury.  No parent wants to hear this kind of news.  The medical bills associated with these injuries can be daunting, but worse is the feeling of helplessness parents experience when their child is hurting and they just can’t help.  The uncertainty can feel overwhelming.

Parents wonder, “How will I pay for the treatment necessary to get the best care?” and “Will there be expenses and unforseen consequences down the road when the insurance runs out?”

Injuries to ChildrenOftentimes, childrens' injuries stem from their own behavior, they are kids after all, and accidents come with the territory.  Children don’t always use good judgment, so they ride into the street without stopping, turn into oncoming traffic, and no matter how many times we tell them, they forget to wear their helmet.  Determining who is at fault or “negligent” therefore becomes a critical consideration in accident injuries involving children.  The answers are not always obvious, however, because factors like age, intelligence and maturity play an important role in determining fault.  For example, five year olds are not expected to have the same degree of understanding or responsibility as sixteen year olds, and the adult supervising children must keep this in mind.

If you have questions, we can help with assessment of the claim and by explaining the laws and your rights in clear and plain language, so that you can determine what, if any, compensation is available for medical bills, lost time from school, pain and suffering, permanent injuries or future medical bills.  We will work with you, and if the time comes, with your child, to provide tough and compassionate representation.  We will deal with the insurance companies, attorneys and other accident parties so that you can focus on what is most important, helping your child get better.

If your child has been injured in an accident and you believe that someone else is at fault, call Rice Law Office now for a free, no obligation telephone consultation at (603) 528-5299, or contact us here.

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Testimonials

From my first phone call with Cyndy to the resolution of my issue, I felt confident that I had chosen the right firm to represent me. Cyndy was always thorough and helpful. Anne showed me that she... Read More

Kathy F.

Attorney Rice and her staff are outstanding. They are thorough, patient and will fight for their client. Great follow up, keep you informed with information that you need and tries to keep your... Read More

Vinnie B

Annie is awesome! She has a genuine passion for protecting your rights accompanied with the wisdom and foresight to help position you to thrive within a company or wherever your career takes you. She... Read More

KG

Attorney Rice and the staff have been great to work with. We have had the occasion to use Rice Law Offices for a number of our HR issues. They helped us update our HR Handbook as well as guided... Read More

Andrea M.

We are extremely grateful to Attorney Rice and her staff. They went above and beyond to take care of all of the difficult situations that we encountered during our case. Attorney Rice was able to... Read More

Thomas M.

Attorney Anne Rice is an outstanding person! She fights injustice and discrimination, works for human rights, peace, and justice!
She is personable, meticulous, ethical, courteous, well organized,... Read More

KB

Attorney Rice was extremely helpful and knowledgeable about employment law. She thoughtfully and patiently translated the law into terms I could understand and advised me how best to proceed. She... Read More

Teresa G.

      National Employment Lawyers Association       

 

603-528-5299