Court Opinion

ID: 9761492
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 01:43:58.110839+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:29:24.011458
License: Public Domain

*670Douglas, J.,
dissenting: Equal protection of the laws mandates “that those who are similarly situated be similarly treated.” Belkner v. Preston, 115 N.H. 15, 17, 332 A.2d 168,170(1975). The class of persons similarly situated are those who suffer injury to their life, liberty, or property at the hands of a municipality or its agents. The New Hampshire Constitution equally guarantees to our citizens “natural, essential, and inherent rights” of “life and liberty; acquiring, possessing, and protecting property.” N.H. CONST, pt. 1, art. 2. It makes no distinction or hierarchical scale of values for the three rights.
When a citizen is injured he seeks to vindicate those rights by recourse to the courts. If the injury by the municipality is to his liberty interests or civil rights, he may file suit for redress in our State courts against a municipality pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 (1976). MBC, Inc. v. Engel, 119 N.H. 8, 397 A.2d 636 (1979); Monell v. Dept. of Social Services, 436 U.S. 658 (1978). There is no dollar limit to recovery and any judgment will be paid by the municipality in full. RSA 31:106 (Supp. 1977). If a municipal water works or electric utility causes massive property damage, there is no limit to recovery under RSA ch. 507-B. However, for some inexplicable reason, if bodily injury occurs due to the negligence of the municipality there is a fifty thousand dollar limit on recovery.
The constitution provides equally for a remedy to citizens for injuries to “person, property or character.” N.H. CONST, pt. I, art. 14. No distinction is made based upon the nature of the injury, nor can the legislature constitutionally make such a distinction for the class of persons injured by municipalities. Because there is no rational basis for the bodily injury limit of RSA 507-B:4 (Supp. 1977), the statutory limit violates equal protection of the laws. See Harvey v. Clyde Park District, 32 Ill. 2d 60, 203 N.E.2d 573 (1965). The legislature seems to be saying to our citizens that it values their persons less than it does their property or character. Such a distinction to me is patently a violation of N.H. CONST, pt. I, arts. 2 and 14.