Law Offices of Joe Bornstein: A Tradition of Fighting for What Matters Most to Mainers

While stopped to make a turn on a clear day, our client and her young son were rear-ended by a distracted driver traveling at more than 50 miles per hour. The force of the impact sent our client’s vehicle spinning into the oncoming lane where she was hit head-on by a pickup truck. Due to the severity of her injuries, our client had to undergo life-saving emergency surgery and was hospitalized for over a month at Central Maine Medical Center. She was then transferred to acute rehabilitation for another 47 days where she received physical therapy and occupational therapy, and was treated by the trauma team and infectious disease providers. The at-fault driver was working for a national beverage distributor and was covered by a commercial insurance policy. The case went to mediation, and after a pre-mediation offer of $1,300,000, we secured our client a final settlement of $6,000,000.

Our client was the belted passenger in a vehicle whose driver lost control around a bend in the road and struck two trees. The vehicle in question was not equipped with the safety features used in other countries and crumpled upon impact, causing our client severe and life-altering injuries. In addition to settling liability claims against Progressive and GEICO insurance companies, our law firm filed a crashworthiness claim in Superior Court, which was then transferred to the Business and Consumer Court.

Our client was a healthy man with a young family until a negligent truck driver crossed over the median and struck his vehicle. Upon impact, our client was ejected from his vehicle sustaining life-altering injuries. Along with settling this personal injury claim, we also helped file for Social Security Disability. This case involved a driver from Canada.

Our client was driving along I-95 when he was cut off by an 18-wheeler attempting to make an illegal U-turn. Swerving to avoid a collision, our client lost control of his vehicle on the shoulder of the highway and struck the guardrail. Upon impact, our client was ejected from his vehicle and suffered catastrophic injuries resulting in paraplegia at only 33 years old.

At the time of the accident, a volunteer was driving our disabled young client to a day program for disabled adults, when the driver fell asleep at the wheel and drove into a utility pole. Our client’s injuries were so severe, he spent the rest of his life in a nursing home before passing away.

A beloved mother and wife was out riding her Can-Am Spyder motorcycle when a car failed to yield at an intersection and hit her. Upon impact with the vehicle, our client was thrown from her motorcycle landing in the road. She was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident but still suffered a traumatic brain injury and will require years of medical treatment.

Our client and her husband were enjoying a motorcycle ride together on a clear summer evening when they were hit by a pickup truck which had failed to obey a stop sign. Both our client and her husband were thrown from the bike upon impact, with our client landing head-first onto the pavement and suffering severe injuries requiring multiple surgeries. A military veteran who had dedicated her civilian life to helping others as a nurse, our client was left permanently impaired and unable to work.

While driving on a clear evening along a two-lane road where the posted speed limit was 55 miles per hour, our client was struck head-on by a vehicle whose driver had lost control and crossed the centerline. The impact of the crash was so severe, our client had to be life-flighted to the hospital where she was treated for traumatic injuries. The vehicle owned by the defendant had commercial auto coverage. As a result of the accident, our client will likely need several additional surgeries in the future, including an Achilles lengthening surgery and hardware removal.

Our client was riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle on a fall afternoon when he was hit by a negligent driver who failed to yield the right-of-way. The defendant driver entered the roadway believing it was clear, causing a tragic accident. A military veteran, our client was struck by the at-fault car and suffered a torn rotator cuff, torn bicep tendon, cracked ribs, and hip pain.

While riding his motorcycle up a hill, our client was hit by a pickup truck towing a heavy-duty equipment trailer. The trailer fishtailed coming down the hill, and the defendant driver reacted by slamming on the brakes, causing a loss of control and collision with our client. Upon impact, our client’s femur was fractured, and he was later diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury.

Having dropped her young children off at school just minutes earlier, our client was broadsided by a tractor-trailer while making a turn. Because of the defendant driver’s failure to slow down and allow our client an opportunity to safely complete her turn, our client was confined to a wheelchair for more than eight months and now has permanent surgical scarring from the numerous operations she had to undergo due to her injuries.

While exiting her apartment to pick up her mail, our client tripped on a walkway that had long been in disrepair. The condo association, aware of the hazardous condition, failed to fix the uneven, narrow surface, which violated safety standards. A forensic expert confirmed that the walkway was unsafe, directly contributing to a life-altering injury. Our client was hospitalized at Southern Maine Medical Center where she underwent a below-the-knee amputation of her right leg resulting in a long and arduous rehabilitation with several medical providers. Our client needed a ramp and other handicap accessible features added to her home and couldn’t leave the house without the use of a walker. The impact on her life was severe as she was no longer able to stand and cook for long periods of time or able to enjoy walks with and provide care for a new granddaughter.

While unloading items from the back of his parked truck, our client was struck by a woman driving a sports car, pinning him against the rear of his truck. The injuries included fractures to his tibia and fibula, with complications requiring long stints of rehabilitation and hospital stays. As a result, our client now requires a walker for support and is permanently disabled, severely impacting his independence and quality of life.

Our client was on the side of the road talking to a neighbor when an oncoming pick-up truck hit her. The driver of the truck was speeding down the road and did not see our client in time to avoid the accident. Because of this careless driver, our client is now unable to walk without assistance and unable to use her right arm.

Settlement for a client visiting Maine on vacation. Our client was ejected from her vehicle after she was T-boned by a young driver who failed to obey a stop sign. The teen driver was distracted, conducting a Google search at the time of the crash. Our client suffered extensive injuries, including a brain bleed and multiple spinal fractures, requiring three surgeries and months of rehabilitative therapy.

Our client was the rear seat passenger in a vehicle struck head-on at highway speeds. The vehicle’s design failed to provide adequate protection for rear seat passengers, allowing our client to “submarine,” or slide beneath the seatbelt during the collision, resulting in fatal injuries. The settlement proceeds were used to establish annuities for our client’s children.

Settlement for a client visiting his daughter in Maine. Our client, a disabled veteran looking to earn some pocket money, was hired for a renovation job through Craigslist. During the project, a subcontractor negligently discharged a nail gun, sending a nail airborne and directly into our client’s eye. Despite four surgical procedures, our client was left with permanent vision loss.

Settlement for a client from Sanford. Our client, an infant less than a month old, was being bathed by his mother in the kitchen sink of their apartment when the water temperature suddenly spiked to 140°F. He suffered severe scald injuries. An investigation revealed that the apartment building’s water heating system had been improperly installed and tested. The landlord, general contractor, and plumbing subcontractor were held jointly and severally liable for our client’s injuries.

Settlement for a client from Bowdoinham. While making a delivery for his employer, our client was hit head-on by a vehicle that crossed the centerline. Our client suffered a severe open fracture to his right leg and required emergency LifeFlight transport to the hospital. We recovered the full policy limits from the at-fault driver’s liability coverage and negotiated a significant contribution from our client’s underinsured motorist policy.

Settlement for a client from northern Maine. While working on a construction site, our client was crushed against a concrete wall by an excavator operating in violation of OSHA safety standards. The incident caused multiple pelvic fractures and severe internal injuries. Our client underwent a series of surgeries, followed by two weeks of inpatient acute rehabilitation and several months of in-home care.

Our client was riding a Harley Davidson with the right-of-way through a four-way intersection when the defendant driver failed to notice him and made a left turn directly in front of him. With no time to react, our client collided with the car and was thrown from his motorcycle. He was admitted to the ICU for several days with multiple broken bones and a head injury. Even after undergoing numerous surgeries, our client continues to live every day with the consequences of the defendant driver’s carelessness.

Our client was riding a motorcycle when a driver failed to yield the right-of-way and struck him. He sustained catastrophic injuries, including a broken neck. He was intubated and sedated for two weeks and remained hospitalized for more than two months. The settlement reflected not only his extensive medical treatment but also the many months he was unable to work during his recovery.

While stopped to make a turn, our client was struck by a Freightliner truck when the driver, blinded by the sun, failed to notice her. The impact of the hit was so severe our client had to be extracted from her vehicle and taken by life-flight to the hospital. She suffered a broken neck, back, and sternum in the accident and later became depressed because she could no longer enjoy the actives she once loved.

Settlement for a client from Lewiston. Our client was working on a roof when he was instructed by his employer to unhook his safety harness to retrieve some materials near the edge. Unbeknownst to our client, the area where the materials were located had recently been sprayed for hornets, creating a slick surface. As our client stepped onto the sprayed section, he slipped and went over the edge, falling two stories to the ground. The fall caused devastating injuries, including fractures to his pelvis, hip, shoulder, and elbow.

Our client’s motorcycle ride ended abruptly when he was struck by a driver who was not paying attention to the road. The impact ejected him from his Harley, sending him airborne over the at-fault driver’s vehicle and onto the pavement. He suffered severe ligament tears in his knee that required reconstructive surgery. As a result of his injuries, our client was medically discharged from the National Guard, ending his lifelong dream of serving his country

Our client was walking back to his truck through a store parking lot during a cold Maine winter when he slipped and fell on a patch of untreated ice. This hazardous condition led to years of doctor visits and various medications to manage his back and neck pain. Our client continues to require periodic steroid injections for his ongoing pain.

On a dark and rainy night, our client drove into the back of an uninspected trailer with no reflectors. Both our client and their child were injured in the accident that could have been prevented with proper safety measures.

Defendant driver failed to yield at stop sign in parking lot of big box store and collided into client. Client suffered elbow injury that required multiple surgeries. Medical bills totaled $65,000. Client missed time from work and suffered considerable lost wages that were covered by workers’ compensation.

Our client was on her way to pick up her young autistic son when an oncoming vehicle crossed over the centerline and struck her car.  Our client suffered a fractured knee and ankle, requiring multiple surgeries that not only affected her, but also her ability to care for her child. The driver of the oncoming vehicle was charged with driving under the influence, and a liquor liability claim was filed.

Our hardworking, self-employed client was doing construction on a home when the staging set-up that was provided by the homeowner broke.  Our client shattered his pelvis and elbow when he fell to the ground, leaving him with mounting medical bills and without an income while in recovery.

Settlement for a client from Naples. Our client, a wheelchair user who is paralyzed from the chest down, was attending his niece’s birthday party when another guest attempted to push him through a doorway, despite our client being fully capable of doing so independently. Although the act may have been well-intentioned, it caused our client to fall from his wheelchair and resulted in serious injury.  

We represented the parents of a 5-year-old child who tragically drowned in a family member’s swimming pool. The child had wandered from the shallow end to the deep end while the adults outside were not paying attention and, sadly, did not resurface.

A young driver lost control of the vehicle while trying to light a cigarette. This moment of distraction caused the vehicle to roll over, ejecting our teenage client from the passenger seat. Our client suffered severe physical injuries to her back and shoulder, had to undergo several surgeries due to complications, and emotionally struggled to cope with the accident.

While out driving, our client was involved in a head-on collision when a severely impaired driver crossed over the yellow double line into oncoming traffic. The driver who was responsible for the accident had a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .24 and a history of traffic violations. Because of the careless actions of the impaired driver, our client suffered multiple injuries that required years of medical attention.

Our client was clearing snow in his driveway after a winter storm when a teenage driver failed to navigate a turn properly and struck our client’s snow blower. The impact of the hit caused our client to be thrown backward over a snow pile. Our client suffered permanent damage to his body, altering his once active way of life.

Settlement for a client visiting Maine for a relative’s birthday. While staying at an inn, our client slipped and fell on an icy parking lot while walking to her car. The lot had been neglected by the inn’s maintenance staff, resulting in serious injuries that ultimately required surgery.

Our client, a child with special needs, was outside for recess during the wintertime under staff supervision. Unfortunately, the staff member was not positioned close enough to prevent our client from entering an untreated icy area, where he slipped and fell. Diagnostic imaging later revealed that our client had sustained a fractured hip in the fall.

Our client’s employer failed to provide him with a safety harness while he was working on a roof. A loose sheet of roofing slid into him, knocking him off, and he fell 15 feet to the ground. The Social Security Administration ultimately determined that the life-altering injuries he sustained were disabling and prevented him from returning to work.

While out for lunch at a restaurant, our client fell on a slippery floor caused by a leaking soda machine. No wet floor sign was present to warn patrons of the danger. Landing on her side, our client broke her hip and had to undergo surgery.

Our client was an experienced snowmobile rider out for a ride when a speeding snowmobiler on the trail hit him.  Our Client had to be airlifted to the hospital and sustained injuries to his left arm, nerve damage, and broken bones.

A beloved family man was out riding his motorcycle when a careless driver struck him. Our client suffered a severe head injury and later passed away from his injuries. We worked to set up a trust for his family.

While picking up her grandson from school, our client slipped and fell on a patch untreated patch of ice. Instinctively, she extended her arms to break the fall, resulting in fractures to both of her wrists. Following surgery on each wrist, she underwent several months of intensive physical and occupational therapy.

Our client suffered a gunshot wound to the leg due to the negligent handling of a loaded firearm by his cousin. The incident occurred inside his cousin’s home, and because the discharge was unintentional, the homeowner’s insurance carrier could not deny coverage under the intentional act exclusion found in most policies.

While stopped at a four-way stop, our client saw a logging truck in her rearview mirror speeding towards her. Unable to take action in time, she braced for impact and was rear-ended. Because of this careless truck driver, our client suffered back and foot pain that has lowered the quality of her life.

A volunteer driver was transporting a severally disabled person to an appointment. As our client exited the car, the driver, distracted by her cellphone, pulled away causing them to fall. The driver did not notice they fell to the ground and drove away, running over his leg in the process. We represented the injured man who suffered a fractured leg in the accident.

While walking her dogs in a local park, an unleashed dog jumped on our client, knocking her to the ground and causing a fractured knee. Liability for our client’s injuries, as well as her pain and suffering, was successfully established against the owner of the dog.   

Our client sustained severe injuries after falling 15 feet at a construction site due to a faulty railing. This incident constituted a clear breach of the employer’s duty to provide a safe work environment and was in direct violation of multiple safety standards.

hile our client was out driving for work, a tractor-trailer failed to observe that he was stopped for traffic and slammed into the rear of his truck. Our client suffered a back injury that will be with him for life because of a careless driver.

Our client was attending a family member’s graduation ceremony held indoors where the lights were dimmed. As she attempted to find a seat among the crowded benches, our client encountered a sudden elevation change she could not see. Losing her balance, our client fell to the floor and fractured her femur.

Our client was visiting her mother’s apartment when she slipped on an icy porch step. Other tenants reported this was a recurring issue, yet the landlord took no affirmative steps to remedy the dangerous conditions. As a result of this negligence, our client suffered severe injuries that have left her permanently impaired.  

Our client slipped while descending the stairs of her apartment building, which were irregular in height and depth and slick with rainwater. She experienced immediate ankle pain, later diagnosed as a fracture, and underwent open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) surgery. The settlement included compensation for the nursing care provided by our client’s son during her recovery.

Our client was attacked by his friend’s dog upon entering the porch. The bite wounds became infected and necrotic, requiring extensive medical treatment, including multiple skin graft procedures. Our client now lives with permanent scars as a lasting reminder of the attack.

While crossing the icy parking lot of her boyfriend’s apartment complex on a winter day, our client slipped and fell, suffering serious injury. Despite a recent winter storm and several consecutive days of sub-freezing temperatures, the property owner had failed to treat the area with sand or salt.

Our client was riding a friend’s dirt bike when a distracted driver put his large truck into reverse and began backing out into the road. In an attempt to avoid a collision, our client tried to stop his bike, but his momentum forced him towards the truck.  The driver never saw our client and backed into him. Our client suffered multiple fractures and severe pain all because a driver was on his cellphone.

An impatient driver of an 18-wheeler merged into our client’s lane without a clear path and struck her car. Our client lost control of her vehicle and ended up in the ditch after hitting a tree. This accident caused severe injuries to her body and required a lengthy hospital stay.

While crossing a busy road at a crosswalk in downtown Portland, our client was hit by an oncoming vehicle. She suffered a broken collarbone and head laceration.  The careless driver was very familiar with the area, having worked on the street for several years.

Husband and wife were traveling back to Maine from Logan Airport. The husband was driving while his wife (our client) was sleeping in the back. During the late-night drive, the husband fell asleep, losing control of the car causing the vehicle to flip. Our client broke her back in the accident, spent 14 days in the hospital, and was required to wear a body brace for months.

Our young adult client was being dropped off at home when the driver mistakenly put the car in drive and unknowingly struck her as she walked in front of the vehicle. The driver drove away, leaving our client in the driveway with a broken leg until her mother heard her cry for help.

Accident occurred while loading a truck. Torn tendon in arm with surgery. It was alleged that worker from another company was negligent. $23,000 in medical bills paid by client’s health insurance. Successful is getting health insurance lien reduced from $23,000 to $8,000.

While out riding his motorcycle, a dog jumped out of a parked car’s window and ran into the street.  Unable to avoid the loose dog, our client was thrown from his motorcycle. As a result of the injuries from the accident, our client suffered a loss of income while in recovery.

29-year-old client from Cumberland County who was a passenger in a motor vehicle accident that involved a phantom vehicle. Complex insurance issues of stacking of underinsured motorist coverage.

Defendant driver lost control on snowy and icy roadway and collided into client’s vehicle as he was on his way to work. Client fractured his femur; he had surgery and was hospitalized for three days. Excellent recovery with no residual problems. $27,000 in medical bills and $1,500 in lost wages. Medical bills paid by health insurance. Repayment of lien reduced to $12,500.

Our client had parked his car at a gas station on a winter morning and fell while walking into the store due to the parking lot not being properly cleared of ice and snow. He suffered a broken left fibula which needed surgical repair. His injury kept him out of work for two months at his very physical job as a crane rigger and he underwent 10 months of medical treatment. His injury made all areas of life very difficult during and after his recovery – including most household tasks, his hobby of running, and his overall enjoyment of life.

A young mother was crossing a busy street when a stopped vehicle suddenly drove through the crosswalk and hit her arm. The impact of the hit caused severe shoulder damage for our client and hindered her ability to care for her child.

Our client was stopped at a stop sign preparing to make a left turn. An impaired driver ran a stop sign and struck our client’s vehicle. Our client’s car was totaled in the accident and she suffered severe neck and back pain. The driver was arrested for OUI.

Client suffered back injury in slip and fall on defective stairway when visiting at a friend’s house. The railing had become detached and water was allowed to drip on stairs from defective roof gutter. MaineCare paid the majority of the medical bills. Successful in getting $60,000 MaineCare lien reduced to $10,000.

Client parked alongside of road talking on cell phone. Defendant driver fell asleep, traveled across the road and hit client head on. MaineCare lien of $13,000 after paying all the medical bills. MaineCare lien reduced to $10,000.

While our client was out enjoying a motorcycle ride on a summer night, a vehicle failed to yield while taking a turn; our client was unable to avoid the car and was struck, totaling his motorcycle. In the accident, our client suffered a severely broken leg that forced him to be bedridden and miss work.

Husband and wife both suffered injuries when a young driver failed to yield while making a turn, causing our client to hit the young driver’s vehicle. We worked for the wife who suffered a severe leg injury that altered her ability to care for her family.

While walking to work early one morning, our client encountered a garbage truck blocking the sidewalk. As he stepped into the street to walk around the truck, it began to reverse and struck him. Due to the carelessness of the driver, our client passed away from his injuries. We worked with the family on the wrongful death claim.

While our client was out enjoying a ride on his motorcycle with his wife, an elderly driver failed to yield when she pulled out into the road, and struck the motorcycle. Both our client and his wife were thrown from the motorcycle upon impact and taken to the hospital for their injuries. Because of our client’s injuries, this young family had to move back home while they recovered and were unable to work.

60-year-old client from Farmington fell in the mobile home park where he lived due to poor plowing, sanding, and salting. Our client suffered a right ankle fracture and had to undergo surgical repair followed by months of physical therapy and visits to a pain clinic. A couple of months following his initial injury, he also developed a blood clot in that same leg which also required close monitoring by his doctors. This injury severely impacted the quality of life for our client, who would walk daily for exercise and now requires the use of a cane when leaving his home.

Our young adult client suffered severe injuries when they were unable to avoid an oncoming vehicle after it crossed into her lane when the driver fell asleep at the wheel. Because of this motor vehicle accident, our client had to delay going to college until they were fully healed.

Our client was seriously injured when an oncoming vehicle crossed into his lane and struck his car. The driver at fault thought he could turn before our client’s car would reach him. Because of the carelessness of another driver, our client was unable to care for his young family while recovering from his injuries.

30-year-old client from Newcastle had returned to his apartment building one evening after picking up dinner for his family and fell in the driveway that had been plowed but not salted or sanded. The landlord had also disabled some outdoor lighting that could have helped prevent the fall. Our client suffered a left ankle fracture that required surgical repair and months of physical therapy. This injury had a huge impact on this hardworking client, the father of an energetic 3-year-old, and he missed out on months of precious family time. He had just started a new job as a car salesman and missed a couple of months of work. He was also unable to continue his work as a volunteer firefighter for quite some time following his injury.

49-year-old client from Kennebec County who was injured on defective stairs at the premises he was renting. $8,000 in medical bills all paid by MaineCare.

62-year-old disabled client from Westbrook, CT was visiting Maine and had rented an Airbnb with his family. Our client, who already struggled with walking, fell due to the front stairs of the rental house, which were in very poor condition and lacked handrails. Our client suffered a non-surgical fracture of his right wrist as well as multiple facial contusions. Treatment was limited due to his injury not being surgical but the insurance company for the rental company quickly realized their negligence and promptly made an offer to settle.

The motor vehicle accident involved five injured passengers from same family. Claim involved sophisticated issues of division of policy limits and underinsured motorist coverage. In addition, $5,000 of the medical bills were paid by medical payments coverage. The remainder of the bills were paid by MaineCare.

Client rear ended by driver who had been tailgating her. Client hit head on headrest and developed headaches; also had low back pain. Medical bills all paid by medical payment coverage under client’s policy.