Maine Injury Lawyer Blog

June 8, 2018

Fall Accidents a Common Cause of Employee Injuries in Maine

A Maine roofer has been ordered to pay nearly $400,000 in fines and implement a safety program, including the use of proper safety equipment and fall protection.

Business Insurance reports the announcement by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration comes this month after safety violations were cited at 11 worksites between 2000 and 2011. The company has failed to pay fines or institute proper safety measures, despite having been ordered to do so by a First Circuit judge in 2011, according to OSHA.

Maine workers’ compensation lawyers continue to see an increasing number of fall accidents in the workplace. While falls are the leading cause of work injuries (after transportation accidents), they are particularly common in the construction industry. Summer months will bring an increasing number of roofers to the skyline to make repairs and replace old or damaged roofs, so it’s an apt time for a reminder of the risks these workers face and the safety mandates in place to protect them.

May 9, 2018

Motorcycle Safety, Bicycle Accident Prevention Spring Goals in Maine

by Peter Thompson & Associates

As we recently reported on our Maine Injury Lawyer Blog, May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. As riders hit the road each spring, they face the highest risks of the year. And already this month, we have reports of a slew of serious and fatal motorcycle accidents throughout the state, including the death of a 24-year-old Portland man and a motorcycle crash in Acton that resulted in serious head injuries for a Barrington couple involved in a Saturday evening crash.

Our Maine motorcycle accident lawyers also note safety advocates are focused on the other two-wheel riders hitting the roads this spring. Like motorcycle accidents, the number of serious and fatal bicycle accidents in Maine spikes each year as the last of the snow melts. Coastal Journal reports the City of Bath will be among those promoting Bike to Work Week on May 14-18, which culminates in Bike to Work Day on Friday, May 18. Fitness advocates and environmentalists continue to promote cycling as a means of physical activity that offers environmental benefits and cost savings of up to $8,000 a year for those who regularly bike to work.

Maine Bicycle Accidents: Men at Risk

April 24, 2018

Motorcycle Safety a May Focus in Maine

by Peter Thompson & Associates

May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month and a prime time for Maine motorists to commit to watching out for motorcyclists as the summer riding season begins.

Because, statistically speaking, an accident is likely to be a non-motorcyclist’s fault.

“When motorcycles and other vehicles collide, it is usually the other (non-motorcycle) driver who violates the motorcyclist’s right of way,” according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

April 17, 2018

Bangor Alcohol Ordinance Aims to Reduce Drunk Driving Accidents

by Peter Thompson & Associates

Bangor has a new weapon in the fight against drunk driving after the passage of a citywide ordinance that requires servers and sellers of alcohol to undergo training about state laws. WABI TV reports the new ordinance comes after Bangor police recently issued nearly 70 citations for alcohol-related incidents. Police report seven convenience stores sold to minors during a recent enforcement blitz. Six bars permitted minors into the business and then sold them alcohol.

Bangor’s Public Health and Community Services Department reports the new training is aimed at reducing instances of sales to minors or intoxicated patrons.

Maine Drunk Driving Accident Prevention in Focus

March 28, 2018

Self-Driving Uber Accident Raises Legal Liability Questions

by Peter Thompson & Associates

A number of legal questions are being raised by the death of an Arizona pedestrian, who was struck earlier this month by a self-driving Uber vehicle in Tempe, Arizona.It is the first death in the country involving a self-driving vehicle, and the Insurance Journal reports legal liability in the case is being closely watched. It could raise issues relevant to Maine car accident victims as well.

The self-driving SUV was operating in autonomous mode under the supervision of a safety driver when the Volvo XC90 struck and killed a 49-year-old woman walking her bicycle outside a crosswalk on a four-lane road, according to police. The incident has been caught on videotape.

Liability in Ride-Sharing Accidents in Maine

March 14, 2018

Portland Pedestrian Killed by City Snow-Removal Vehicle

by Peter Thompson & Associates

The Press Herald is reporting a 58-year-old pedestrian was killed by a city-owned truck in an accident that occurred on Congress Street shortly before 4 a.m. A dump truck driven by a 49-year-old city employee was carrying a load of snow near the Maine Turnpike overpass when it struck the victim, according to the Portland Police Department. This is one of several snow-related mishaps to make news recently — our injury attorneys in Portland recently blogged about several fatal accidents involving snowmobiles and Maine ski resorts.

Maine pedestrian accidents are a growing concern in urban areas. In this case, the victim’s family may look to either the city or their own auto insurance policy to make a recovery if the victim carried uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.

The involvement of a city employee will complicate the victim’s family’s ability to make a recovery. A law firm with significant experience handling cases against municipalities and school boards should always be consulted as soon as possible after a serious or fatal accident involving a government entity.

February 23, 2018

Maine Highway Traffic Safety in Focus

by Peter Thompson & Associates

The Maine Department of Transportation is releasing a new Strategic Highway Safety Plan in response to an increasing number of traffic fatalities.

MDOT reports about 33,000 Maine car crashes a year with about 150 traffic deaths. The improving economy and low gas prices were both cited as factors in the increase. Still, motorists are urged to do their part.

“Crashes are not accidents,” said Highway Safety Director Lauren Stewart.

February 9, 2018

Liability in Maine Sledding and Skiing Accidents

by Peter Thompson & Associates

The Bangor Daily News reported one teen was killed and another seriously injured in a January sledding accident at a Maine ski resort.

Media reports indicate two teens were riding a sled down a ski trail at about 2 a.m. when they hit a tree, badly injuring one rider and killing the other teen. Both teens reportedly attended Portsmouth High School. An Oxford County sheriff’s deputy said the teens were riding a rubber tube on an expert level course. A resort spokesperson said the resort was closed at the time of the accident and does not allow sledding.

The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) reports sledding fatalities are rare. However, serious and fatal Maine ski accidents are not. The agency reported 33 catastrophic injuries at U.S. ski areas last year. With more than a dozen major ski resorts, Maine remains among the nation’s most active skiing destinations, according to the Ski Maine Association.

January 24, 2018

Icy Road Conditions Make for Treacherous Maine Driving

by Peter Thompson & Associates

Sad news was reported recently when an 88-year-old driver and his 82-year-old wife were killed after the husband lost control of their sport utility vehicle on a snow-covered road in Sanford, ME and collided head-on with another vehicle. The driver of the other vehicle he struck was not injured, although a passenger was taken to a nearby hospital to receive medical attention. Although The Bangor Daily News reports the car accident is still under investigation, authorities have been clear to say that snow and ice played a role in the collision.

As our Maine car accident attorneys can explain, no driver can control the weather, but that doesn’t mean the issue of liability is negated. That is because all motorists have a responsibility to drive their vehicles in a manner that is safe, considering the current road conditions.

As noted by the Maine Department of Transportation, that means first of all “maintaining a safe cushion,” or in other words giving yourself enough time to react if another driver ahead makes a mistake or if conditions suddenly change. The only way to do this is to keep enough space between your vehicle and those around you – particularly the vehicle ahead. When the roads are slippery (i.e., rainy, snowy, or icy), motorists need to give themselves even more time to slow or stop. That means maintaining a greater distance and also slowing down.

January 10, 2018

Maine Motorcycle Accident Victim’s Husband Settles Lawsuit Against Construction Contractor

by Peter Thompson & Associates

A man whose 53-year-old wife died in a Maine motorcycle accident in 2014 has settled his claims against the construction contractor in Augusta that allegedly failed to inspect and repair a dangerous pothole that reportedly caused his wife to lose control of her bike.

The plaintiff had been riding a motorcycle separately from his wife in Augusta when he watched her strike the pothole and saw the bike go down. The couple had married just six weeks earlier, and they were traveling with another pair to see a home in Manchester they were preparing to purchase. His original wrongful death lawsuit was filed in 2015 in Kennebec County Superior Court, and it initially named not just the construction company but also the state, the state’s department of transportation, the city of Augusta, and a number of other defendants.

In the end, claims against all defendants other than the construction company were dismissed. This likely had to do with the fact that any claim against government agencies can be tough to prove, due to concepts like sovereign immunity and the difficulty of proving these entities owed a duty of care to the individual in question. But, as this case revealed, that doesn’t necessarily mean there are no other avenues of compensation worth pursuing.