Auto Accidents

November 15, 2014

Alcohol + Texting + Teens + Driving = Tragedy

Nearly three years ago, two Paris teens were killed and two others injured after the driver (one of those hurt) had been drunk and texting behind the wheel when she lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a cluster of trees.

Now, that driver has been convicted of two counts of manslaughter and leaving the scene of a crash and sentenced to 18 months in prison. Now 21 and the mother of a 1-year-old, she faced 30 years of incarceration on the manslaughter charges.

At trial, witnesses testified the driver was drunk when she arrived at the party. She continued to drink. She laughed off a crash that happened just a few hours earlier, when she was turning her car in circles in the driveway and slammed into a tree stump. She was drinking up until a half hour before the fatal crash. She refused to let anyone else drive the vehicle.

November 3, 2014

Two Die in Fatal Maine Crash, Distraction Blamed

by Peter Thompson & Associates

There is perhaps nothing more devastating than losing a child.

Another mother in Maine now knows that pain, as well as the guilt of knowing she might have prevented the crash that killed her son, a high school football player, if only she’d been paying attention behind the wheel.

Authorities say the mother was driving in Bridgton when she reportedly drifted left of center because she was distracted in an exchange with her son in the back seat. When she realized she drifted, she swerved right and slammed on the brakes, causing her to lose control of the car, which careened off the road and into a patch of trees. Not only did her 16-year-old son die, but her 35-year-old boyfriend was killed.

September 10, 2014

Teen Driver in Fatal Maine Crash Convicted, Sentenced

by Peter Thompson & Associates

A 17-year-old from Bucksport entered the equivalent of a guilty plea in juvenile court to a manslaughter charge after her engagement in a drag race resulted in a crash that killed her 15-year-old friend. The vehicle veered out of control and struck a tree.

The victim, a popular student and cheerleader at Bucksport High School, was pronounced dead shortly after being transported to the hospital. The incident occurred last October, just minutes after the friends left a dinner hosted for student cheerleaders and football players. The driver, then 16, was seriously injured, but survived.

Our Bangor car accident attorneys know this crash, as horrific as it was, has the potential to serve as a stark reminder of the dangers teens face behind the wheel – an especially timely message as we enter the school year. Many students are entrusted for the first time with regular use of a vehicle to go back-and-forth to classes and various after-school functions. It’s imperative that parents remain involved, and ensure teens are following their own rules, as well as the law.

September 3, 2014

Maine Authorities Tackle Distracted Driving

by Peter Thompson & Associates

Noting dire consequences when motorists fail to focus behind the wheel, Gov. Paul LePage has vowed legislation and a series of other awareness initiatives intended to put the brakes on distracted driving. He noted fines are an ineffective solution, and vowed to introduce a measure that would result in license suspension instead.

While he works on introducing a bill in that vein, the Maine State Police have teamed up with trucking firms to launch a public education campaign. The sides of big rigs will be emblazoned with messages such as, “One text or call could wreck it all.” Meanwhile, state troopers will be upping enforcement against distracted driving on the highways.

Our Bangor car accident lawyers know Maine is not among the 12 states with a prohibition on cell phone use, which is unfortunate because numerous studies have indicated that talking on one’s phone – even using a hands-free device – is extremely dangerous. Dialing, texting, reaching for the phone and talking sharply raise the risk of a crash or near-miss – especially for younger drivers. State lawmakers do forbid novice drivers from using cell phones, so that is a start. So too is the ban on text messaging, which is considered a primary offense for which officers can stop a vehicle. However, many say those efforts don’t go far enough.

August 25, 2014

“Multiple Occurrences” in Maine Auto Insurance Coverage

by Peter Thompson & Associates

Police in Augusta responded to a multi-vehicle pile-up in both the north and southbound lanes of Interstate 95, caused initially by one 20-year-old driver who failed to slow down in time to avoid a collision with a tractor-trailer ahead. This set off a chain reaction of events, which included several vehicles slamming into the wreckage. One of those vehicles contained a loaded gun. When that vehicle caught fire, a gun inside exploded, causing 40 bullets to explode within a 10-minute time period.

The crash resulted in numerous injuries, and a mass of mangled metal that closed the interstate for hours while authorities worked to aid the injured and clear debris. Authorities were still investigating, but anticipate filing charges in relation to the crash.

Undoubtedly, the incident will also give way to a flurry of auto insurance claims, and potentially some civil lawsuits if those agencies aren’t forthcoming in paying those claims. Our Bangor car accident lawyers recognize that one of the elements that can complicate situations like this is the question of singular versus multiple occurrences.

August 8, 2014

Speeding Crackdown in Construction Zones Aims to Prevent Bangor Traffic Collisions

by Peter Thompson & Associates

A worker was moving a barrel in a construction zone on Interstate 95 in Bangor recently when a speeding car zipped by – and nearly struck him. He was only saved by his quick reaction when he leaped behind a concrete barrier to avoid a direct hit, which would have almost certainly meant serious injury or death. Instead, the 44-year-old driver struck the barrel.

He was later charged with speeding (65 mph in a 45 mph construction zone) and failure to obey a traffic control device.

Our Bangor personal injury lawyers understand this incident prompted the Maine State Police to set up a speed trap in the area. Authorities say the results were revealing. In just two hours, the five troopers assigned to the detail handed out 25 tickets amounting to more than $10,000 in fines. The primary focus: driver speed and distraction in construction zones.

July 17, 2014

Bangor Injury Lawyers Must Often Fight for Uninsured Motorist Coverage

by Peter Thompson & Associates

A Bangor man is facing numerous charges following a hit-and-run crash that occurred late one recent weeknight.

According to the Bangor Daily News, the 32-year-old crashed into a moving van that was parked on Ohio Street. Inside the van, a passenger was injured. By the time police arrived, the at-fault driver had fled. Police then received a tip from a caller who said a man she knew was at her door, covered in blood. He had been drinking alcohol, and she had warned him earlier not to drive. He matched the physical description of the driver who fled. Officers arrived, and the man ran away on foot, but was caught soon after.

Bangor hit-and-run accident attorneys know the plaintiff in this case was fortunate that police were able to catch the man, and further that he was tracked while there was still alcohol in his system. This will allow prosecutors in the criminal matter to make a strong case for OUI, as well as leaving the scene of a personal injury crash.

June 11, 2014

Maine Traffic Accidents & Risk of Higher Speed Limits

by Peter Thompson & Associates

In recent weeks, a 21-year-old died after crashing into a tree in Frankfort. Around the same time, a 48-year-old New Harbor man was killed in a Damariscotta crash after losing control of the vehicle and veering off the road. There was also the crash in St. Francis, where a car rolled over and caught fire after the driver lost control.

Bangor car accident lawyers know that every one of these crashes had one thing in common: excessive speed. This isn’t especially surprising, considering the National Safety Council’s indicates high speeds or traveling too fast for conditions is a factor in one out of every three crashes in this country.

And yet, Maine’s Transportation Commissioner has announced the approval of a plan to raise the speed limit on large swaths of interstate highway system. Patches of Interstate 395, Interstate 95 and Interstate 295 are going to see a 5-mph boost in speed limits. Some motorists may already have noted the new signage along some of these areas.

April 18, 2014

Maine Supreme Court Takes on Underinsured Motorist Coverage

by Peter Thompson & Associates

The Maine Supreme Judicial Court recently sided with the parents of a 16-year-old killed in a 2009 car accident, allowing them to move forward in their quest for underinsured motorist benefits.

The core issue was the content of a verbal agreement that took place when the teen initiated the purchase of a $900 truck from a private owner, less than two weeks before he was involved in a fatal crash in that truck. His parents subsequently sought underinsured motorist coverage from three separate insurance companies.

Bangor car accident attorneys know that the issue of uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage in Maine is one that has vexed many car accident victims. The whole point of these statutes is to ensure that the victim can recover as he would have had the at-fault party been insured to the same extent as the injured party.

April 7, 2014

Inclement Weather Continues to Affect Maine Drivers

by Peter Thompson & Associates

Two young drivers collided with on another recently on an icy road in Calais, about two hours northeast of Bangor.

Both drivers suffered injuries, but thankfully survived. This might not have been very noteworthy, but for the fact that the two turned out to be siblings – an 18-year-old high school senior and her 20-year-old brother. She had been on her way to a cashier job, while he was returning home.

Our Bangor car accident attorneys understand that the crash, on U.S. 1, occurred in large part due to the snowy, slushy conditions that rendered the roads slick. She crossed the center line in her Pontiac Grand Prix and slammed into her brother’s Dodge Ram pickup truck. The sister would later relay to a reporter that when she stepped out of the vehicle, she had trouble walking because the roads were so icy.