RSA 507:7-e · Apportionment of Damages

507:7-e Apportionment of Damages. –
I. In all actions, the court shall:
(a) Instruct the jury to determine, or if there is no jury shall find, the amount of damages to be awarded to each claimant and against each defendant in accordance with the proportionate fault of each of the parties; and
(b) Enter judgment against each party liable on the basis of the rules of joint and several liability, except that if any party shall be less than 50 percent at fault, then that party's liability shall be several and not joint and he shall be liable only for the damages attributable to him.
(c) RSA 507:7-e, I(b) notwithstanding, in all cases where parties are found to have knowingly pursued or taken active part in a common plan or design resulting in the harm, grant judgment against all such parties on the basis of the rules of joint and several liability.
II. In all actions, the damages attributable to each party shall be determined by general verdict, unless the parties agree otherwise, or due to the presence of multiple parties or complex issues the court finds the use of special questions necessary to the determination. In any event, the questions submitted to the jury shall be clear, concise, and as few in number as practicable, and shall not prejudice the rights of any party to a fair trial.
III. For purposes of contribution under RSA 507:7-f and RSA 507:7-g, the court shall also determine each defendant's proportionate share of the obligation to each claimant in accordance with the verdict and subject to any reduction under RSA 507:7-i. Upon motion filed not later than 60 days after final judgment is entered, the court shall determine whether all or part of a defendant's proportionate share of the obligation is uncollectible from that defendant and shall reallocate any uncollectible amount among the other defendants according to their proportionate shares. The party whose liability is reallocated is nonetheless subject to contribution and to any continuing liability to the claimant on the judgment.
IV. Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to modify or limit the duties, responsibilities, or liabilities of any party for personal injury or property damage arising from pollutant contamination, containment, cleanup, removal or restoration as established under state public health or environmental statutes including, but not limited to, RSA 146-A, RSA 147-A and RSA 147-B.
Source. 1986, 227:2. 1989, 278:1-3, eff. Jan. 1, 1990.