Transportation Passenger Accident Lawyer in Maine
When you’re injured as a passenger in Maine, the Law Offices of Joe Bornstein can help determine who is responsible and pursue the compensation you deserve. With more than five decades serving communities statewide, our law firm handles claims involving cars, rideshares, buses, trains, and ferries. Contact our law firm anytime to speak with a transportation passenger accident attorney.
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Serving all 16 counties in Maine
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Available day and night for all new and existing clients
Were You Hurt as a Passenger in a Maine Transportation Accident?
Passenger claims are rarely as simple as they look. The driver you were riding with, another driver, or a transportation company, such as a Concord Coach bus, a Casco Bay ferry, or a rideshare service, could all share responsibility, and each may carry its own insurance coverage. You shouldn’t have to sort out which policy applies while you’re still recovering.
Call Joe Bornstein’s office, and a transportation passenger accident lawyer in Maine will help sort out who’s responsible and what your claim may be worth. We’re available 24/7.
Why Injured Passengers in Maine Choose Joe Bornstein’s Office
Choosing the right attorney matters even more when a claim involves multiple drivers or a transportation company, all pointing fingers at each other. For more than 50 years, the car accident lawyers in Maine at the Law Offices of Joe Bornstein have represented injured passengers in exactly these kinds of multi-party cases, and built a reputation for untangling them in our clients’ favor.
- AV Preeminent Rating from Martindale-Hubbell
- Best Lawyers in America – Personal Injury
- Super Lawyers – Maine Personal Injury
- National Trial Lawyers – Top 100
No Fee Unless We Recover Compensation for You
There’s no cost to hire a Maine transportation passenger accident lawyer at our firm, and nothing owed while your case is open. Our fee comes only from what we recover, so if there’s no recovery, there’s no fee.
Decades of Experience With Maine Insurance Companies
Passenger claims can involve several policies at once: the driver you were with, another driver, and sometimes a transportation company’s commercial coverage. We know how Maine insurers handle these claims and how to identify every policy that applies.
Reachable 24/7, Wherever the Accident Happened
A crash doesn’t wait for a convenient time, and neither should your first call. Someone at our office is available around the clock to talk through what happened and what comes next.
Working With a Lawyer at Joe Bornstein’s Office Is as Easy as 1-2-3
Passenger claims can feel overwhelming precisely because there are so many parties involved. You might end up fielding calls from two or three different insurance adjusters, each one trying to convince you their driver wasn’t the one at fault.
Working with the Law Offices of Joe Bornstein means you’re no longer the one sorting through that alone. Here’s what the process looks like once you bring us on.
A Free, No-Pressure Case Evaluation
Tell us how the accident happened and who was involved, whether that’s one other driver or several. We’ll help you understand who may be responsible and what your options look like, at no cost and no obligation.
We Identify Every Source of Compensation
Passenger claims frequently involve more than one insurance policy. We investigate every driver, every vehicle, and every applicable policy, including any commercial coverage from a rideshare, taxi, or transit company, to build the strongest possible claim.
We Manage Every Party’s Insurer Until It’s Resolved
Once we take on your case, we deal with the insurers and other parties involved. That includes gathering records, preserving evidence, negotiating your claim, and keeping track of the deadlines that apply to your case.
What Compensation Can I Recover After a Transportation Passenger Accident in Maine?
The compensation available in a passenger injury claim depends on the injuries you suffered and the losses they caused. Depending on your circumstances, a claim may include:
- Emergency transportation, hospitalization, and medical treatment
- Rehabilitation, physical therapy, and other ongoing care
- Income lost while you recover
- Reduced earning capacity when an injury affects your ability to work in the future
- Pain, suffering, and the emotional effects of the accident
- Scarring, disfigurement, permanent injury, or disability
- Loss of the ability to participate in activities you enjoyed before the accident
- A spouse’s loss of consortium, where Maine law permits such a claim
Being a passenger can also affect how fault is analyzed. Because you weren’t controlling the vehicle, you may have a different fault picture from the drivers involved, but that does not automatically establish liability. Your personal injury claim still requires evidence showing who caused or contributed to your injuries and how the accident caused your losses.
Not sure who is responsible for your passenger accident or what compensation you may be able to pursue? Our transportation passenger accident lawyers in Maine can review your case for free.
How a Transportation Passenger Accident Lawyer at Joe Bornstein’s Office Can Help
Passenger accidents can raise questions that don’t come up in a straightforward two-car claim: Was the driver you were riding with negligent? Did another driver cause the collision? Does a transportation company share responsibility? Which insurance policies apply?
A passenger accident attorney can investigate those questions while you focus on your recovery.
Pursuing Commercial Insurance Under Maine Law
Maine law sets specific insurance requirements for transportation network companies like Uber and Lyft, requirements that go well beyond an ordinary personal auto policy. We know those requirements and pursue the commercial coverage they’re designed to guarantee, rather than settling for whatever a driver’s personal insurer offers.
Preserving Evidence in Your Maine Passenger Accident Case
Depending on how you were hurt, that can mean requesting a Maine State Police crash report, pulling maintenance records from a regional bus operator, or securing dispatch logs from a ferry service on Casco Bay. We move quickly, since transportation companies aren’t required to hold onto this evidence indefinitely.
Calculating the True Value of Your Claim
An insurer’s early offer typically reflects only the bills already submitted. We build the value of your claim around the full course of treatment, lost income, and any lasting impact on your daily life. Learn more about how settlements are awarded in Maine.
Negotiating With Every Insurance Company Involved
Passenger claims routinely put us across the table from more than one Maine-licensed insurer at once. We handle every one of those negotiations directly, so you’re never stuck between two companies each blaming the other.
Wherever You Are in Maine, a Transportation Passenger Accident Attorney Is Nearby
A passenger accident can happen on a city bus, in a rideshare vehicle, or on a ferry crossing to one of Maine’s islands, and wherever yours happened, help is within reach. When an injury makes travel difficult, a transportation passenger accident lawyer can meet you at home, at the hospital, or by video.
With seven offices across the state, the Law Offices of Joe Bornstein keeps a personal injury lawyer close by, wherever you’re recovering.
$750+ Million Recovered for Injured Mainers
Our record of results reflects decades of strategic representation against national insurance carriers and local defense firms.
These are not isolated wins, but represent our long-standing commitment to pursuing full and fair compensation for all types of personal injury claims in Maine.
Common Types of Transportation Passenger Accident Cases We Handle in Maine
Passengers accounted for 18% of all serious traffic injuries in Maine in 2021, the second-largest share behind drivers, according to the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety. Being a passenger doesn’t limit you to one kind of claim; it depends entirely on how you were traveling when the crash happened. Our attorneys handle cases involving:
- Passengers injured in a friend’s or family member’s vehicle
- Rideshare accidents involving Uber, Lyft, or similar services
- Taxi and livery vehicle accidents
- Public transit and city bus accidents
- Charter bus and tour bus accidents
- Amtrak Downeaster and other train accidents
- Ferry accidents on Casco Bay and Maine’s island routes
Each type of accident can raise different questions about liability, insurance coverage, and applicable law. For example, rideshare coverage can depend in part on what the driver was doing through the rideshare platform when the accident occurred. A claim involving a ferry or train may also involve rules that don’t apply to an ordinary motor vehicle accident. Matching the right approach to how you were traveling is where experience matters.
If you were injured as a passenger in Maine, the first step is understanding your legal options. Contact the Law Offices of Joe Bornstein for a free case evaluation.
Statute of Limitations for Transportation Passenger Accident Claims in Maine
Maine’s general civil statute of limitations is six years, but passenger accident claims may involve different deadlines and procedural requirements depending on who is responsible. Claims against governmental entities, for example, may require written notice within 365 days under the Maine Tort Claims Act, while federally regulated transportation providers may be subject to separate rules.
Because passenger claims frequently involve more than one potential defendant, more than one deadline can apply to the same accident. Speaking with a Maine transportation passenger accident lawyer early is the surest way to identify every deadline that governs your case.
Client Testimonials
Call Joe, Text Joe, or Email Joe Bornstein Anytime
Questions about your passenger accident claim don’t wait for business hours, and neither do we. Call, text, or email the Law Offices of Joe Bornstein any time, day or night, and you’ll reach someone ready to help.
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Rated 5 Stars by Our Clients
With decades of experience handling personal injury claims, The Law Offices of Joe Bornstein has the skill and dedication to pursue the best possible outcome for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Read short answers to the questions injured passengers across Maine ask most often about responsibility, insurance, deadlines, and hiring a passenger accident lawyer.
What should I do immediately after a passenger accident in Maine?
Get medical attention as soon as possible, even if you feel only shaken up, since some injuries, including concussions, don’t show symptoms right away. If you’re able, get the names of everyone involved, including the driver you were riding with, and take photos of the vehicles and scene. Avoid giving a recorded statement to any insurance company before speaking with a lawyer. Our guide on the steps to take after a car accident covers this in more detail.
Can I sue the driver I was riding with if they caused the accident?
Yes. If the driver you were riding with was negligent and caused your injuries, you may be able to pursue a personal injury claim against that driver’s insurance. This can be true even when the driver is a friend, relative, spouse, or someone else you know. Seeking compensation does not necessarily mean you are personally suing the driver for money out of their own pocket; in many cases, the driver’s liability insurance is what responds to the claim.
Does my own car insurance cover me if I was injured as a passenger in Maine?
It may. Maine requires automobile insurance policies to include medical payments coverage, which can cover medical expenses for the insured and passengers, and Maine also requires uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage subject to the applicable policy terms. Whether your own policy provides coverage in your particular accident depends on the policy and the circumstances.
Can I recover compensation if the accident was partly my fault as a passenger?
Possibly, but the answer depends on what you did and whether your conduct contributed to your injuries. Maine follows a modified comparative negligence rule, so a passenger’s own negligence can affect recovery. Simply being a passenger, however, does not make you responsible for a driver’s negligent driving. An attorney can review the facts to determine whether comparative negligence is likely to affect your claim.
How much does it cost to hire a transportation passenger accident lawyer?
Nothing upfront. The Law Offices of Joe Bornstein handles these cases on a contingency basis, so our fee comes only from the compensation we recover for you, and if there’s no recovery, there’s no fee. We walk through exactly how that fee structure works during your free case evaluation, so you know what to expect before you decide anything.
What if I was injured in a rideshare accident in Maine?
Rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft carry substantial commercial insurance coverage while a driver is logged into the app, often far more than a typical personal auto policy. Which policy applies can depend on whether the driver was waiting for a ride request, en route to pick you up, or actively transporting you, so it’s worth having an attorney in Maine sort out the details for you.
Do you have other questions about your accident?
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Call, Text, or Email Joe Bornstein’s Office for a Free Case Evaluation Today!
Few firms in Maine have the depth of experience that comes from representing injured clients consistently for over half a century. Law Offices of Joe Bornstein combine experience, recognized professional excellence, and responsive client care to guide you every step of the way.
Call today to speak with a Maine personal injury lawyer near you. Your case evaluation is free, confidential, and available 24/7.
Hurt in a car, truck, or motorcycle accident, slip and fall, dog attack, or other serious incident?
We represent clients across all 16 Maine counties with offices statewide and 24/7 availability.
Award-Winning Attorneys
You can feel confident your case is in experienced hands.
The Law Offices of Joe Bornstein has earned the highest awards and recognitions.
