Maine Injury Lawyer Blog

Police say a vehicle heading east on Anderson Road went out of control, skidded, and hit a tree. Two people were in the car. The driver, Dylon Belanger and his passenger, Denise Dunton, both of Westbrook were taken to Maine Medical Center. Belanger is listed in critical condtion. Dunton is stable.

In this type of serious case, it is critical to conduct an accident reconstruction as soon as possible to preserve necessary evidence. For example, one of the best ways to determine whether speed was a factor in the accident is to examine and measure skid marks. Skid marks become markedly less visible as time passes, particularly if snow falls and the road is plowed. In addition, the damage to the vehicle is an excellent indicator of the speed of the vehicle immediately prior to impact, so it will be important to preserve the vehicle. At Peter Thompson & Associates, we have investigated hundreds of serious collisions and had the very best accident reconstructionists in the field determine how and why an accident occurred.

December 2, 2009: Rajeshbhaiv Patel, 47, of 9238 Aspen Dr., died from injuries he sustained in the crash which occurred just after 6 a.m. Dec. 2 on Golf Road east of Oakton Community College.

According to police, Rajeshbhaiv Patel's passenger and co-worker, Ashwin Patel, 51, of 9581 Dee Rd., unincorporated Maine Township, was also seriously injured in the crash.

Des Plaines Police Commander Dan Niemann said the driver's side of Rajeshbhaiv Patel's 1999 Toyota Corolla was broadsided in the crash.

"We're attempting to figure out how the vehicle was ultimately broadsided and what factors contributed to the accident," Niemann said.

At this time, there is limited information on the cause of the crash. At Peter Thompson & Associates, we have investigated thousands of car crashes utilizing the very best experts in the field. It will be critical to conduct a timely investigation to preserve evidence at the accident scene and to record witness recollections of the events. Often skid marks and debris left from the vehicles will indicate not only the speed of the vehicles prior to impact, but also the direction the vehicles were headed relative to each other.

Stephen Bowers, 24, of Bangor, suffered life-threatening injuries during an afternoon crash on High Street between Hammond Street and Union Street in downtown Bangor. Bowers was a passenger in a Cadillac driven by James Blakeman, 23, who died at the scene.

In this type of serious case, it is critical to conduct an accident reconstruction as soon as possible to preserve necessary evidence. For example, one of the best ways to determine whether speed was a factor in the accident is to examine and measure skid marks. Skid marks become markedly less visible as time passes, particularly if snow falls and the road is plowed. In addition, the damage to the vehicle is an excellent indicator of the speed of the vehicle immediately prior to impact, so it will be important to preserve the vehicle. At Peter Thompson & Associates, we have investigated hundreds of serious collisions and had the very best accident reconstructionists in the field determine how and why an accident occurred.

November 12, 2009: A four-car accident on Route 1 Thursday afternoon resulted in multiple injuries and heavy damage to the vehicles involved. A 2008 Volvo station wagon driven by James W. Stott II, 55, of Cape Neddick, was traveling northbound on Route 1 when he struck a southbound 2008 Dodge Durango driven by 38-year-old Erin Latulippe of Ogunquit, who had two young children. Police said the force of the impact sent the Durango careening into a 2007 Kia Sedona van driven by Kelly M. Moulton, 42, of Cape Neddick, who had a 6-year-old child in her vehicle. Following that collision, the Volvo collided with a 2000 Dodge Ram pickup truck driven by Bryan J. Learned, 24, of Wells, which also rolled over.

The cause of this accident is under investigation. As personal injury specialists, Peter Thompson & Associates has investigated hundreds of multi-car accidents. In almost all cases, the primary and secondary causes of collisions are disputed, resulting in the need for a comprehensive accident reconstruction. While police will often conduct an accident reconstruction, we find it frequently necessary to conduct more detailed investigations of accident scenes to determine who, among the various vehicles involved, was at fault. Because important evidence that will be necessary to provide the most accurate investigation is often lost as time passes, it is critical that a comprehensive accident reconstruction occur as soon as possible and that all witnesses to the accident are interviewed to preserve their recollections.

November 4, 2009: Shane Everett was walking on Hunter Road when he was hit by John Fortier of Lewiston. Mr. Fortier has been charged with OUI. The boy was taken to Maine Medical Center in Portland, where he remained in critical condition late Thursday night, a nursing supervisor said.

At Peter Thompson & Associates, our personal injury law specialists and private investigators have handled similar cases. In this case, it is likely that the driver will claim that, despite his level of intoxication, he could not have avoided the collision with the boy because of the lighting conditions and the color of the boy's clothes. It will be necessary, as in past cases we have handled, to establish that the delayed reaction time by the driver due to his intoxication was the cause of the accident. Our legal team has employed experts in the effects of intoxication on reaction time and have successfully established that accidents could have easily been avoided but for the driver's impaired reaction time. We have also conducted simulations under near-idential conditions to show how even small fractions of time can mean the difference between whether it was possible to avoid hitting a pedestrian walking along the side of the road. These simulations have involved, among other things, placing a video camera in a vehicle operating in the same direction as the drunk driver at the lawful speed and having someone walk along the same side of the road in the same type of clothes that our client was wearing at the time of the collision. This type of visual information is extremely persuasive in establishing that the collision could have been avoided.

We also look at whether the driver of vehicle was operating his vehicle above the speed limit. It is possible by looking at scuff marks in the road in relation to where the pedestrian ultimately landed and other physical evidence at the accident scene, including any damage to the vehicle, to determine the speed of the vehicle immediately prior to the collision. Witness statements, if any, are also critical to determining the cause of the accident. It is critical in a case such as this that the matter be investigated as soon as possible to prevent physical evidence from being lost and to preserve witness recollections.

While police investigations will reconstruct accidents using some of these techniques, it is rare that official investigations are as thorough as the type our office conducts.

November 7, 2009: Authorities are conducting an investigation in the cause of a crash that killed a mother and daughter in Auburn on Saturday. Police reported that a truck hauling an trailer was traveling eastbound on Minot Avenue when it crossed the center line and stuck a 2003 Oldsmobile that was traveling westbound. The operator of the Oldsmobile, a 36-year-old woman from Auburn was killed instantly. Her 4-year-old daughter later died at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewsiton. The operator of the truck, a 43-year-old man from Norway and a passenger from each vehicle were in critical condition at CMMC Saturday night.

Police did not immediately release any names. The cause of the crash was still under investigation late Saturday.

At Peter Thompson & Associates, our attorneys and crash scene investigators have investigated many similar accidents. Frequently driver inattention or distraction is the cause. For example, an accident we investigated recently turned out to be due to a driver talking on a cellphone. Although the driver initially claimed that he wasn't talking on the phone immediately before the accident, we were able to obtain copies of his cellphone records which revealed he lied about that important information. The case was successfully resolved.

Improper speed is also another common factor. Our investigations of accidents generally result in accident reconstructions that look at skid marks, damage to the vehicles, and the distance travelled by the vehicles after the collision to determine the speed of the vehicles immediately prior to impact. We also are able in many cases to obtain data from the vehicles internal computers about speed immediately prior to impact. Witness statements are also crucial information in determining whether excessive speed was a factor in the accident. It is critical that an investigation begin immediately after the accident has occurred in order to preserve physical evidence and obtain statements from witnesses before memories of events fade.

October 19, 2009: Andrew Jones, 19, was crossing to the west side of Bangor Street in a crosswalk, when he was struck by a sedan-style vehicle driven by Wendy Peace, 41, of Fairfield. This accident is being investigated by Peter Thompson & Associates. If you have information about this accident, please contact Attorney Peter Thompson at 1-800-804-2004.

Diana Dowse, 59, of Brooklin was headed south on Route 175 about a mile south of the High Street intersection at about 4:25 p.m. when her vehicle collided head-on with a pickup truck operated by Timothy Sawyer, 42, of Brooklin.

Dowse was taken by ambulance to Maine Coast Memorial Hospital in Ellsworth.
Sawyer and three passengers in his vehicle, Caleb, Timothy and Ethan Sawyer were taken to Blue Hill Memorial Hospital for treatment.

The cause of the accident is under investigation. Anyone with additional information about this accident should contact Peter Thompson & Associates, 1-800-804-2004.

The crash happened in Portland around 2:30 a.m. Sunday. Police say a Ford Mustang driven by 21-year-old Yannick Mulongo of Portland crossed the center line on a street, hitting a Chevy Impala and several utility poles.

Police say the 18-year-old killed was a passenger in the car driven by Mulongo. His name is not being released until next of kin can be notified.

The Impala was driven by 31-year-old Fartun Aden of Portland.

Police believe speed and alcohol contributed to the cause of the accident.

Coburn Roberts, 26, was arrested and charged with leaving the scene of a personal injury accident, operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicants and operating after suspension. He is expected to make his initial court appearance on Oct. 26 in 13th District Court in Dover-Foxcroft.

Roberts was at the wheel of a Chevrolet pickup truck that left the road in Drew Valley in Elliotsville at about 8:14 p.m. Saturday, according to Investigator Jamie Kane of the Piscataquis County Sheriff's Department. Elliotsville is between Monson and Willimantic. He said the driver lost control of the vehicle and it went down an embankment.

Kane said Roberts left the vehicle despite the fact his three passengers were injured. He said the three passengers -- Steven Roberts, 37, of Guilford; Kirk Thornley, 24, of Monson; and Konrad Thornley, 27, of Bradley -- were taken by ambulance to Mayo Regional Hospital in Dover-Foxcroft and Kirk Thornley was later taken to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor.

If anyone has any information about this accident, please contact Peter Thompson & Associates, 1-800-804-2004.

James Westerdahl, 75, of Littleton, was in serious condition at Eastern Maine Medical Center today after a three vehicle crash on North Street early on Wednesday evening. According to the Bangor Daily News, Westerdahl was driving southbound in his GMC truck, lost control of the truck and swerved into the northbound lane, directly into the path of an oncoming tractor trailer.

The tractor trailer was driven by James Sprague, 57, of Nobleboro. Sprague attempted to swerve when he saw Westerdahl coming toward him, but he couldn't get out of the way in time and the two vehicles collided.

Meanwhile, Melissa Radatv, 25, who was following Sprague's truck, saw what was happening and attempted to avoid the crash. But pieces of debris struck her truck and she careened off the road.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009: A two-car, head-on collision occurred on Route 1 in Freeport near the Exit 24 ramp that provides access to Interstate 295. Police said the cars were traveling in opposite directions at the time of the accident, which took place around 3:45 p.m.

Police said one of the drivers was treated at the scene and released, but the second driver had to be transported by ambulance to Maine Medical Center in Portland with injuries that are not considered life threatening.

The cause of the accident has not yet been released. Anyone with information about this accident should contact Attorney Peter Thompson at 1-800-804-2004.

One person is dead in Franklin County after a serious accident involving a tractor-trailer, a sedan and a pickup truck.

It happened on U.S. Route 2 Thursday afternoon. Route 2 is shut down from the Route 17 intersection in Dixfield to Morrison Hill Road in Carthage.

Investigators say a person in the sedan was dead at the scene. Four people in the pickup truck were taken to the hospital with serious injuries. The driver of the tractor-trailer was not injured.

Sheriff's deputies and rescue personnel were credited with saving the life of a young girl after they lifted her mother's wrecked van from atop her after a two-vehicle crash Sunday night.

Hannah Clifford, 9, of Brooks was taken to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor with serious injuries after the van she was riding in with her mother and three siblings was hit broadside by a pickup truck that apparently ran a stop sign.

According to news reports, the accident occurred at 7:58 p.m. at the intersection of Route 139 and Bog Road. A pickup truck driven by John Pellitier, 21, of Unity was reported to have ran the Bog Road stop sign and struck the passenger side of a van driven by Andrea Clifford, 40, of Brooks.

The impact sent the van spinning into the woods. Hannah Clifford was ejected and the van rolled on top of her. Emergency personnel used brute strength to lift the van, enabling Clifford's mother to pull her to safety.

Andrea Clifford and her daughter Morgan, 13, both suffered lacerations in the crash and were taken by ambulance to Waldo County General Hospital in Belfast.

Pellitier's truck also rolled over and came to a stop across Route 139 on Brown Road. Pellitier, who also was ejected from his vehicle, suffered a deep cut on his back and was taken to WCGH for treatment.

His passenger Michael Brillard, 24, Thorndike also was taken to the Belfast hospital complaining of neck and back pain.

The accident is under investigation by law enforcement and the law firm of Peter Thompson & Associates.
We request that anyone with additional information about this crash contact Attorney Peter Thompson at 1-800-804-2004.

Michael Lewis of Bass Harbor was killed in the crash that occurred near the Rumill Road intersection. Lewis was driving a pickup truck that crashed head-on with another pick-up truck. The other truck was operated by Dacota Dow, 19, of Bar Harbor. Authorities reported that the two vehicles collided in the center of the road.

Two passengers in Lewis' vehicle, Erin Hanley, a teenager from Tremont, and her brother Patrick, 10, were taken by ambulance to MDI Hospital in Bar Harbor with injuries that were not life-threatening.

Troopers from the Maine State Police remained on the scene into the evening investigating the accident.

As Bangor Personal Injury Lawyers, Peter Thompson & Associates, routinely investigates similar accidents where the cause of an accident is a central issue in the case. We employ expert accident reconstructionists who examine evidence at the scene, witness statements, and other evidence to determine how an accident happened and to assess fault. For example, we recently had a case where two vehicles collided near the middle of the road. As in this case, the drivers of the vehicles were both relatively young and inexperienced drivers. This information turned out to be critical in determining that our client was not at fault. We were also able to determine where in the road the collision occurred using marks left by the tires at the point of collision, as well as debris from the headlights. Despite evidence presented by the insurance companies' attorneys, we were able to prevail at a jury trial and recover our client compensation for his medical bills, lost income, injuries, permanent impairment, and pain and suffering.