Maine Injury Lawyer Blog

July 30, 2015

Maine Premises Liability Lawsuits Pending As Criminal Case Filed in Fatal Fire

A landlord in Cumberland County is facing criminal charges that could carry up to 30 years prison time for a fatal fire in November that killed six people.

In addition to six counts of manslaughter, the landlord is accused of three misdemeanor code violations for failure to have working smoke detectors, have a second escape from an upstairs bedroom and clear stairwells.

These kind of issues, if proven, would provide a strong basis for the pending premises liability lawsuits, which have been filed by several of the victims’ families.

July 22, 2015

Police: Maine Crash Caused by Drugged Driver

by Peter Thompson & Associates

At-fault driver in a violent, fatal crash in Readfield last fall had used heroin earlier in the day, police now say.

Toxicology reports from the crash were recently returned as part of the ongoing investigation into the accident, which happened an hour north of Portland. The force of the crash was so intense, the speed so fast, the force of the impact sheered off the side of a tree and shifted a 7,000-pound rock as the vehicle careened off the road.

Three men were in the vehicle that night: A 21-year-old driver and two passengers, age 26 and 20. The 26-year-old was killed. The 20-year-old sustained life-threatening injuries that resulted in permanent disability. The two had been ejected from the vehicle.

July 14, 2015

Maine Motorists Must be Cautious of Road and Weather Conditions

by Peter Thompson & Associates

Drivers in the Freeport area were advised recently by the Maine Department of Transportation to use caution due to heavy rains and standing water on the turnpike.

The department told motorists they should adjust their speed accordingly and remain alert.

The warning was issued after one vehicle traveling on I-295 southbound hydroplaned and flipped on a recent Sunday morning. Four people were in the vehicle, but luckily, no one was seriously injured. Officials advise ongoing heavy rains and strong winds.

July 7, 2015

Maine Motorcycle Accident Risk Spikes in Summer

by Peter Thompson & Associates

A motorcycle accident in Oakland involving a rider from Belgrade resulted in a trip to a Bangor hospital after a crash that resulted in severe head injuries.

Initial investigation revealed the motorcyclist may have driven through a stop sign and crashed into another vehicle, causing the 55-year-old rider to be ejected from the bike. It was a five-way intersection and the crash happened shortly before 3 p.m.

An accident reconstructionist was called to the scene to piece together what happened. The driver of the other vehicle said she didn’t see the motorcyclist until he hit the rear passenger side of her vehicle.

June 30, 2015

Reducing Maine Hospital Infections the Goal for Woman Whose Father Died of One

by Peter Thompson & Associates

Kathy Day, a nurse from Maine, said she has always striven to be an advocate for patients. But that drive became a passion after the death of her 83-year-old father. He died weeks after suffering a hospital-acquired infection while he was being treated for a broken leg.

After breaking the small bone in his lower leg, he spent nearly two weeks in the hospital. Upon his return home, he seemed fine, other than the fact he needed to use a walker. But the next day, he awoke and was so sick, he could barely sit up in his own bed. He had a high fever. He was rushed to the hospital, where doctors determined he had contracted MRSA pneumonia while he’d been recovering from the leg fracture. He ended up developing sepsis, which led to organ failure.

The family later learned two other patients had died of MRSA infections following surgery. Yet at no point were patients or family members informed of the risk or of steps to take or things to watch for in order to reduce the possibility of an infection.

June 20, 2015

Single-Car Crash in Maine Kills 1, Injures 3

by Peter Thompson & Associates

Heavy fog and speed are being cited as the likely cause of a fatal, single-vehicle crash in Limington recently, claiming the life of a 23-year-old woman from the same town.

Three others are injured, including the driver. One of the other passengers has been listed in critical condition, while the two other have been deemed “stable.”

The fiery wreck occurred sometime around 3:45 a.m. A local homeowner heard the sound of the wreck and rushed to the woods near his home to assist. He helped pull the driver and another passenger, who were trapped inside, from the burning vehicle. The decedent and other passenger (who is in critical condition) were both ejected from the vehicle.

June 12, 2015

Maine Motorcycle Accident Results in Head Injuries

by Peter Thompson & Associates

A 55-year-old man was in critical condition following a Maine motorcycle accident in Oakland, about an hour southwest of Bangor.

So severe were his head injuries, authorities said, he had to be flown by helicopter to the Eastern Maine Medical Center.

Reportedly, the operator failed to stop at a stop sign at an intersection, and as a result, collided with a sport utility vehicle. The crash happened around 2:30 p.m. Driver of the SUV was uninjured, and there were no passengers in the vehicle. The motorcycle rider was ejected from bike and struck the pavement. He was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.

June 6, 2015

ATV Lawsuit in Maine Filed by Family of Teen

by Peter Thompson & Associates

The family of a 16-year-old boy killed in a Maine ATV accident last summer has filed a civil lawsuit against the family of another 16-year-old who was driving the car with which he collided.

According to the crash report, the decedent was operating the ATV (all-terrain vehicle) behind the vehicle driven by h is 16-year-old friend. They were traveling the same direction when the ATV operator attempted to overtake the car. As he crossed back into the northbound lane, the ATV and car collided, causing the ATV to overturn and the rider to be ejected.

Decedent was not wearing a helmet and died of his injuries.

May 30, 2015

Report: Maine Cycling Safety Improvement Requires Attention

by Peter Thompson & Associates

The latest report from The League of American Bicyclists puts Maine at the top when it comes to bicycle friendliest in New England.

The state ranked 15th nationally, behind the other New England states of Delaware, which ranked No. 3, and Massachusetts, which ranked No. 4. Meanwhile, New Hampshire ranked 27th, Connecticut 22nd and Vermont 17th.

The scoring criteria for “bicycle friendliness” was based on legislation and enforcement of bicycle safety laws, existing policies and programs, infrastructure and funding, education and encouragement and evaluation and planning.

May 22, 2015

Nuisance Pub Could be Negligent if Criminal Attack Occurred

by Peter Thompson & Associates

In most areas of law, the legal system does not allow one person to be held responsible for a third-party action of another.

But there are several exceptions, and a few of those relate to a situation unfolding in Rockland, little more than an hour north of Bangor. According to The Bangor Daily News, a pub owner has just had his renewal for an entertainment license rejected. In its decision, council cited repeated noise violations, numerous liquor violations of alcohol being sold to minors and pages and pages of police reports originating from that location.

Neighbors who own property near the pub have made numerous complaints. They say disturbances occur nightly, and they are constantly cleaning up cigarette butts and urine stains from the sides of buildings.