Articles Posted in Auto Accidents

A motor vehicle accident can happen at any moment, and understanding what to do after an accident can be especially daunting because of its unexpectedness and the complexities of the unique circumstances in each case. In addition to navigating insurance claims, you may also consider filing claims in court to potentially recover compensation for any losses you experienced as a result of the accident. This may include medical expenses due to serious injuries. When there are multiple people and multiple vehicles involved in an accident, it may also require an investigation into who the at-fault driver is, and which parties are responsible

According to a recent news report, three individuals were injured in a multi-vehicle crash in Casco, Maine. A 69-year-old driver of a truck was heading eastbound on Roosevelt Trail when the vehicle crossed the center line and struck three other vehicles. The truck first hit a black Jeep SUV, next struck a white Chevy Malibu, and then hit a brown Chrysler 200. The driver of the black Jeep SUV was uninjured, while the driver of the Chevy Malibu was taken to the hospital with serious injuries that were not considered life-threatening, and the driver of the Chevy Malibu was flown to a local hospital for serious injuries that are considered life-threatening. The 69-year-old driver of the truck was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries.

Car Accident Liability in Maine: Negligence and At-Fault Drivers

T-bone accidents are a dangerous type of car accident. They occur when the front of one vehicle crashes into the side of another vehicle, creating a T-bone shape when the two vehicles collide. Intersections are a common site of T-bone accidents, usually after a driver runs through a stop sign and crashes into a car traveling across the perpendicular road. Unfortunately, due to the immense force of a T-bone collision, these accidents can often result in severe injury or death.

According to a recent news article, two people were hospitalized after a T-Bone crash in St. Albans, Maine. The accident occurred after two vehicles, which held five total occupants, crashed at an intersection. Two people were transported to the hospital, and both cars were totaled.

What Are the Causes of T-Bone Accidents?

T-bone accidents frequently occur at an intersection when a driver runs through a stop sign or red light or fails to abide by another traffic signal, such as a yield sign. Drivers may ignore a traffic sign for several reasons. First, they may be distracted or attempting to multitask, such as talking on the phone while driving. To avoid a T-bone collision, keep your eyes on the road and avoid making any calls while operating a vehicle. Second, a driver may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, so avoid drinking and driving at all costs. A T-Bone collision may also occur at night if drivers cannot see a traffic signal ahead of them. If you are driving at night, be sure to use your headlights so you have a clear view of a stop or yield sign before you approach an intersection.

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When a victim dies in a car accident that resulted from the careless actions of another driver, the victim’s family members may be able to bring a wrongful death lawsuit. Even though no amount of money can fully compensate for the loss of a loved one, seeking damages in a wrongful death claim can begin to address the immediate economic issues that arise following a loved one’s death.

Too often, car accidents can prove to be fatal events. As a recent news article reported, a vehicle collision in Waterboro, Maine left two people dead and two others injured. According to local police, the accident occurred when a van traveling south collided with another vehicle driving north. Both drivers were pronounced dead at the scene. The van’s two passengers were transported to the hospital to treat their injuries.

What Damages are Available After a Fatal Car Accident in Maine?

While no amount of money can fully compensate for the loss of a loved one, a plaintiff in Maine can pursue a wrongful death lawsuit after a victim dies in a car accident. Maine primarily allows the deceased victim’s estate or the victim’s family to file a wrongful death lawsuit if the family members were the victim’s dependents. A wrongful death lawsuit can seek economic damages, such as medical and funeral expenses, along with the deceased victim’s lost wages. Additionally, the victim’s loved ones can sue for damages that are more difficult to quantify. These include the loss of the deceased victim’s companionship and comfort, along with emotional distress damages arising from the accident that led to the victim’s death.

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Unfortunately, automobile accidents can injure not only the people directly involved but also anyone subject to the chain reaction they cause. At the end of September, a collision on the highway in Maine ended up causing a second collision three miles away. This second collision left one man dead, according to reports from the Maine Department of Public Safety.

News articles indicate that a two-vehicle crash occurred on a Saturday morning in what was initially a relatively minor incident. One driver, operating an SUV, went into the passing lane while a driver nearby moved into the right lane. Both drivers were traveling at a high rate of speed, and the SUV rear-ended the second car as it was moving into the right lane.

The drivers and passengers from this original accident suffered only minor injuries. The highway was, however, severely congested for a while after the incident occurred. Forty minutes after the rear-end collision, a BMW was rear-ended by a second car three miles away. The Maine Department of Public Safety reports that this second crash was caused by traffic slowing in the area from the initial crash a few miles down the highway.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 633 people died in drowsy-driving crashes in 2020. The NHTSA attributes diminished work-life balance because of a more technologically advanced and connected world to low sleep quality, which is a factor in many fatigued driving incidents. Although the NHTSA acknowledges that fatigued driving is a problem, determining a precise number of crashes and injuries from fatigued driving is difficult, and crash investigators cannot always directly identify an accident caused by a drowsy driver. Fatigued driving crashes are often single-driver crashes that occur when people experience dips in their circadian rhythm late at night and in the late afternoon. But NHTSA acknowledges that sleepiness can cause crashes at any time and in myriad ways, including in ways that injure other drivers, as evidenced by one recent accident.

According to a recent article, three people were injured in a crash in Fairfield, Maine. Both drivers in the two-car crash and a passenger were taken to the hospital but have since been released. A 36-year-old man drove across the center line at around 9 p.m., hitting a 68-year-old man driving a truck and his passenger. Police are still investigating the crash but say driver fatigue is a possible factor.

Alert Driving Tips

Everyone has a duty to drive safely on the roads we share. While it can be easy to be angry at fatigued drivers, there’s a good chance everyone has been in a situation where they should not have been behind the wheel at the end of a long day. Look out for your fellow drivers and stay alert with these tips from the NHTSA.

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On their own, speeding in excess of posted limits and driving under the influence are each deadly driving behaviors. Speeding killed 11,258 people in 2020, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a contributing factor in nearly 30 percent of all traffic fatalities. Alcohol impairment contributed to 11,654 deaths in 2020, also approximately 30 percent of all traffic crash deaths.

According to a recent article, a 32-year-old woman was struck head-on while driving at around 7:30 a.m. The woman died from her injuries despite attempts to save her life. Meanwhile, the other driver, a 32-year-old man, was treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Police say the investigation is ongoing, but they believe speed and alcohol were factors in the crash. Friends of the victim and strangers alike are mourning her passing, with the former setting up crowdfunding to help the woman’s daughters and family and the latter planting a lilac bush at the scene of the crash in her memory.

Driving Safely Around Fast and Aggressive Drivers

The NHTSA lists “disregard for others and for the law” as one of four factors involved in aggressive driving and speeding, which also include traffic, running late, and anonymity. Drivers who drink and get behind the wheel are certainly exhibiting a disregard for others before speeding even begins to enter the equation—even a blood alcohol concentration of only .02 percent contributes to loss of judgment, the decline in visual functions, and decline in the ability to multitask. If you see someone speeding, driving aggressively, or driving erratically and fear you may be dealing with a drunk or aggressive driver, the NHTSA cautions that there are steps you can take to help protect yourself and your passengers.

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Chain reaction crashes occur when one initial vehicle hits another vehicle, and subsequent crashes occur. In some cases, a chain reaction crash involves the impact of one accident causing the vehicle that is rear-ended to then hit another vehicle. In other cases, multiple vehicles may be involved in a car accident because after hitting one vehicle, the at-fault driver continues to drive and collides with more than one vehicle. Whatever the case may be, dealing with multiple insurance claims, vehicle damages, and injuries, all while trying to determine and/or prove who was at-fault as the driver can be a headache. Connecting with an experienced attorney can help you as you navigate such complexities.

For example, according to a recent news report, a four-vehicle crash in Maine, leading to the closure of Route 17 for a few hours. An eastbound vehicle driven by a 31-year-old allegedly crossed over the center line, striking the side mirror of another vehicle. The 31-year-old driver’s vehicle continued in the westbound lane, striking a second vehicle before finally hitting a vehicle head-on. The 31-year-old driver was transported to a local hospital with injuries. Another passenger in a different vehicle was also transported to a local hospital. Multiple EMS agencies responded to the accident, as well as other agencies such as the Department of Environmental Protection.

Determining Fault in Multi-Vehicle Crashes

Crosswalks are some of the most dangerous places for pedestrians in Maine cities and towns. Even with safety infrastructure improvements like signaled and raised crosswalks, fatal accidents involving pedestrians at crosswalks are not uncommon in our state. A recent multi-vehicle accident in Augusta that left two pedestrians injured serves as a reminder of the dangers pedestrians encounter, and the importance of holding irresponsible drivers accountable when people get hurt.

According to a local news report discussing the accident, two pedestrians were crossing the street at an intersection using a crosswalk. When the light changed, the pedestrians were still partially in the intersection when a vehicle rear-ended the car that had stopped for the pedestrians. The front vehicle was pushed into the two pedestrians, resulting in injuries requiring emergency assistance and hospitalization. Although the crash remains under investigation, the article does not mention if the drivers involved were cited or charged with any criminal offense or infraction.

Maine drivers must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians in a crosswalk. If a pedestrian starts to cross the street and the light changes before they are out of the roadway, drivers must wait and continue to yield the right of way to the pedestrian. If a driver entered an intersection and injures a pedestrian who was crossing the street, that driver could be civilly or criminally responsible for the injuries, even if the traffic light signaling the driver was green at the moment of the collision.

Head-on collisions are one of the most dangerous types of events, accounting for about 14 percent of all traffic fatalities and 27 percent of all roadway departure fatalities in the nation each year.

Factors Contributing to Head-On Collisions

The causes of motor vehicles are complex, but the characteristics of the drivers broadly play into the likelihood and severity of a head-on collision. According to a recent research study, some main factors contributing to head-on collisions involving younger drivers include inexperience, lack of skill, and risk-taking behaviors. Some typical risk-taking behaviors associated with head-on collisions include: