Lawsuit Prompts Bill on New Hampshire Landowners’ Liability

A lawsuit by a hunter seriously injured when a tree stand he was using collapsed has prompted legislation to protect New Hampshire landowners from similar suits.

The House could vote this week on a bill that says any landowner, lessee or manager of property open to hunting, fishing, trapping, camping and other recreational activities is not responsible to keep the land safe for entry. The bill would not protect landowners from malicious acts or if the injury happened while performing services for money.

The bill was prompted by a lawsuit that was later dropped by a Manchester man hurt while scouting hunting locations in Epsom in November 2009. The hunter thought the landowner had given him permission to use the tree stand but later found out he had not.