Justice is Not Equal Even Measured from One County to the Next
"Human suffering may be worth less in Nashua (NH) than in [neighboring] Rockingham County."
So begins a feature article in the December 23, 2007 edition of the Nashua (NH) Telegraph that makes abundantly clear that the price of justice can vary considerably from one jurisdiction to the next.
The Telegraph article, written by Andrew Wolfe, notes that Nashua has a reputation for being stingy with its jury verdicts in personal injury cases.
One local lawyer told the paper that New Hampshire's major auto insurers are notorious for offering 'shockingly low' settlements to individuals injured in car accidents.
More than one lawyer said that his or her experience suggests that the cases that do make it before a jury in the state may be weaker than the ones that reach a settlement. Their reasoning is that insurers are more quick to settle when they know they will have to defend a strong case. In contrast, when it is the injured who the insurers think have a weak case, the companies are more willing to take their chances with a jury.
In fact, the Telegraph reports, relatively few cases make it all the way to a jury. Of the 5,881 civil and equity cases filed in the Nashua court from roughly 2001 to 2006, the paper cited court records showing that juries decided only 73 of them.
So begins a feature article in the December 23, 2007 edition of the Nashua (NH) Telegraph that makes abundantly clear that the price of justice can vary considerably from one jurisdiction to the next.
The Telegraph article, written by Andrew Wolfe, notes that Nashua has a reputation for being stingy with its jury verdicts in personal injury cases.
One local lawyer told the paper that New Hampshire's major auto insurers are notorious for offering 'shockingly low' settlements to individuals injured in car accidents.
More than one lawyer said that his or her experience suggests that the cases that do make it before a jury in the state may be weaker than the ones that reach a settlement. Their reasoning is that insurers are more quick to settle when they know they will have to defend a strong case. In contrast, when it is the injured who the insurers think have a weak case, the companies are more willing to take their chances with a jury.
In fact, the Telegraph reports, relatively few cases make it all the way to a jury. Of the 5,881 civil and equity cases filed in the Nashua court from roughly 2001 to 2006, the paper cited court records showing that juries decided only 73 of them.
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