Maine Personal Injury Practice Areas & Legal Definitions

Maine laws and procedures related to personal injury and wrongful death are complicated and require a skilled personal injury lawyer to properly navigate through the process. Please contact the Rockport, Maine serious injury lawyers of Briggs & Counsel for experienced and skilled legal representation within the following areas:

Maine Automobile Accidents:

The southern Maine car accident lawyers of Briggs & Counsel have a successful track record representing clients who have suffered significant injuries in automobile accidents. They work closely with doctors and other health care providers to discuss the short and long-term medical consequences of an injury. The Rockport, Maine truck accident lawyers of Briggs & Counsel know Maine's automobile insurance and liability laws and can advise you about the different sources of recovery available to car accident victims and their families.

Maine Motorcycle Accidents:

Motorcycle riders are often exposed to dangers not met by automobile drivers and other motorists on the road. The lack of any substantial protective barriers, as well as the difficulty that other motorists may have in seeing or stopping for a motorcycle, leaves riders prone to serious personal injury in the event of an accident. If you are an injured rider, call the Rockport, Maine motorcycle injury attorneys of Briggs & Counsel now for an appointment to learn your legal rights and discuss the litigation options that are available.

Maine Wrongful Death:

A wrongful death occurs when a person is killed due to the negligence or misconduct of another individual, company, or organization. A legal action for wrongful death belongs to the decedent's immediate family members, usually a surviving spouse and children, and sometimes parents. Under certain circumstances, unrelated minor children living with and supported by the decedent may also bring a claim for wrongful death. In order to bring a successful wrongful death cause of action in Maine, the following elements must be present:

• The death of a human being caused by another's negligent or intentional conduct.
• The survival of family members who are suffering the loss of financial support, love, care, comfort, supervision, guidance, household assistance and general society previously provided by the deceased.

The general rule in Maine in wrongful death cases is that one is entitled to recover both economic and non-economic damages which are suffered as a result of the loss of a loved one. Economic damages in a wrongful death case include an award for the financial contributions which the decedent would have made to his wife, children and/or parents had he or she survived. It also includes the recovery for funeral services in memory of the decedent and for burial costs. Non-economic damages include loss of love, society, companionship, comfort, affection, society, solace or moral support. Call the Rockport, Maine wrongful death attorneys of Briggs & Counsel for the legal help you urgently need following the wrongful death of a loved one.

Maine Medical Malpractice:

Medical malpractice is the failure of a health care provider to follow the accepted standards of practice of his or her profession in the community where the service is rendered. If a physician was careless, lacked proper skills, or disregarded standardized rules resulting in injury to a patient, a jury may find the health care provider liable for negligence. Hospitals can also be held liable for the negligence of their employees, including staff nurses and technicians.

Examples of Medical Malpractice include:

• Failing to diagnose a tumor while reading an x-ray
• Puncturing a nearby organ or tissue during surgery
• Failing to order necessary and appropriate medical tests
• Failing to diagnose a condition in time to treat it properly
• Failing to refer a case to a medical specialist
• Prescribing incorrect medication
• Brain Injury
• Birth Injury
• Incorrect diagnosis that results in a failure to treat a medical condition
• Failing to properly administer anesthesia
• Emergency room negligence
• Dental Malpractice
• Cosmetic Surgery Malpractice

Maine Traumatic Brain Injury:

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a medical phrase used to describe the damage to the brain suffered by sudden impact or physical force to the head. Essentially, the human brain floats in a fluid substance called cerebrospinal fluid. TBI can result when the force of momentum causes the brain to impact against the skull. This type of injury, often the result of hitting your head on the windshield, pavement, or object, is frequently referred to as a "closed head injury." Whiplash can also cause TBI. These closed head injuries can result in lasting physical and mental problems.

Maine Spinal Cord Injury:

Spinal cord injury (SCI) occurs when the nerves within the spinal canal are damaged. Most SCI's are caused by trauma to the vertebral column, affecting the spinal cord's ability to send and receive messages between the brain and the body's systems that control sensory, motor and autonomic function. Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of SCI, followed by acts of violence, falls, sports injuries and diseases such as polio, spina bifida, and Friedreich's Ataxia. The spinal cord does not have to be severed in order for a loss of functioning to occur; it only has to be fractured.

Call the Rockport, Maine serious injury lawyers of Briggs & Counsel today. They understand the problems associated with Spinal cord injuries and compassionately guide clients through the complicated process of making a claim.

Maine Slip and Fall/Premises Liability:

Slip and fall accidents can happen anywhere and can cause serious personal injury. Most slip and falls happen in commercial settings, such as grocery stores, drug stores, office buildings, construction sites, and gas stations and malls, but they also happen on private property. Premises Liability accidents can include toxic exposure, animal attacks, swimming pool accidents and amusement park ride accidents. In any event, there exist duties on the part of the property owners to maintain the property responsibly and avoid the existence of hazardous conditions.

Dangerous or defective conditions may be a large or small, temporary or permanent. Therefore, investigation of the claim is essential to a successful case. Temporary conditions such as water on the floor of a grocery store or snow and ice on the stairs of a restaurant need to be investigated quickly. If you believe that a dangerous condition on another person's property was the cause of your serious injury, call the Rockport, Maine serious injury lawyers of Briggs & Counsel today.

Maine Vehicle Accidents:

Legal claims that arise from vehicle accidents are typically governed by the law of negligence. Any individual who negligently operates a motor vehicle may be required to pay damages to an injured victim. A personal injury case involving a vehicle accident may become formalized through civil court proceedings, or may be resolved through an informal settlement before a lawsuit is filed. Vehicle accidents can include:

• automobile accidents 
• commercial bus accidents
• intersection accidents
• motorcycle accidents
• pedestrian accidents
• drunk driver accidents
• rear end collisions
• semi-tractor trailer accidents
• train accidents and railroad crossing accidents
• truck accidents

The surviving family members of a fatally injured accident victim may be able to bring wrongful death charges against the defendant. Call the Rockport, Maine wrongful death lawyers of Briggs & Counsel today for an appointment with an attorney who vigilantly represents the rights of vehicle accident victims.

Maine Defective Products/ Products Liability:

Product liability refers to a manufacturer or seller being held liable for placing a defective product into the hands of a consumer. Product liability cases may include defective or poorly designed machinery, tools, motor vehicle defects, recreational products, pharmaceuticals, and other defective products and equipment. A person injured by a defective or dangerous product may be eligible to file a lawsuit for product liability, and recover damages under one of the following categories: strict product liability, negligence, or breach of warranty. Call the Rockport, Maine personal injury lawyers of Briggs & Counsel today if you believe a defective product was the cause of your serious injury.

Take Action to Protect Your Rights:

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident caused by another person's negligence, carelessness or other wrongdoing and you are considering filing a lawsuit within the surrounding cities and counties of Rockport, Maine, call the Rockport personal injury attorneys of Briggs & Counsel today at 866-767-3026, or complete the contact form provided on this site to begin your consultation with a dedicated Rockport wrongful death trial lawyer. Home and hospital visits by attorneys are available if needed and your initial consultation on personal injury matters is free.

The information you obtain at this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for individual advice regarding your own situation. Copyright © 2008 by Briggs & Counsel. All rights reserved. You may reproduce materials available at this site for your own personal use and for non-commercial distribution. All copies must include this copyright statement.