SunJournal.com
Reported by Terry Karkos, Staff Writer (tkarkos@sunjournal.com)
Published on Wednesday, Oct 26, 2011 at 12:12 am | Last updated on Wednesday, Oct 26, 2011 at 12:12 am

CANTON, ME — A Rumford woman remained hospitalized Tuesday night at Maine Medical Center in Portland with injuries from a head-on collision on Route 108 Friday.  Longtime Canton farmer was charged with drunken-driving in the crash.  A woman, 43, of 26 Spruce St., said she suffered a fractured neck and broken leg. “I’m weak, but I’m doing alright,” she said in a phone conversation from her room. She said she’ll have to undergo therapy to walk again. Her daughter, 21, also of 26 Spruce St. and a passenger in her car, suffered chest pain in the accident. Both women were taken by Med-Care Ambulance to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston; the daughter was released Friday night and the mother was taken to the Portland hospital.

Maine State Police Trooper Ricci Cote said Tuesday afternoon by email that the woman was driving a 2002 Buick north on Route 108 at 6:13 p.m. Friday when the man, 74, of 374 Turner St. in Canton “failed to yield.” Turner Street is also Route 108.  The man ”crossed the centerline in front of the women to turn into his driveway,” Cote said. “The head-on collision caused the woman’s car to careen off into a ditch and the force of the impact swung the man’s truck around and moved it well over onto the other side of his lane.” All three had safety belts on, Cote said he was told.

Cote said he conducted field sobriety tests on the man, who wasn’t injured. He was driving a 2003 GMC pickup truck.  He was taken to the Rumford police station for an intoxilyzer test and the level of alcohol in his system was nearly twice the legal limit, the trooper said.  The man was arrested on a charge of operating under the influence and conditionally released from the Rumford police station on $700 unsecured bail. He is scheduled to be arraigned at 8:30 a.m. Jan. 3 in Rumford District Court. Conditions are that he not use or possess alcohol or illegal drugs, submit to random searches on articulable suspicion or probable cause, and not operate a motor vehicle unless lawfully licensed to do so. “He has a license as of right now, however, when I sent a report in to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles as required, he will then go under administrative suspension for OUI for 90 days, first offense,” Cote said. The man represents the town on the River Valley Growth Council.

At Berman & Simmons, we are experts in assisting clients in car accident cases like this one.  We gather all of the evidence and use the best accident reconstruction experts to recreate the conditions of the accident.  We explore all angles of recovery for the victims and their families, including liability claims, underinsured or uninsured motorist claims and product defect claims arising out of dangerous and defective cars.  We have recovered millions of dollars in cases where other lawyers were unable to find a legal remedy.  If you or someone you know have suffered an accident-related injury or death, please give us a call or send an email.  We do not charge anything for a consultation.  For more information, visit our website at www.bermansimmons.com.

Seacoastonline.com
Reported By Susan Morse
smorse@seacoastonline.com
October 20, 2011 1:10 PM

YORK, Maine — The York Police Reconstruction Team is investigating a head-on collision that occurred on Chases Pond Road early Tuesday afternoon, sending a 66-year old Cape Neddick man to the hospital.  The condition of the man, who was transported to York Hospital, was not known as of Thursday afternoon. Two other vehicles were also involved in the crash, according to Sgt. Tom Baran. Neither driver was transported, though one said he was possibly injured, Baran said. The crash was reported at 12:25 p.m. on Chases Pond Road at Lower Scituate Road, said Baran.

A man, 25,of Somersworth, driving a 2001 Audi southbound on Chases Pond Road, came across a 2000 Buick in the opposite lane attempting to turn left onto Lower Scituate Road, according to Baran. The Buick was driven a woman, 58, also of York, he said. The driver of the Audi swerved across the double yellow line into the northbound lane to avoid hitting the Buick, and crashed head-on into a 2006 Subaru being driven northbound by the man from Cape Neddick, according to Baran.

“It was a pretty substantial crash, head-on,” said Baran, who had no monetary estimates of damage done to the vehicles. No charges have been filed, he said. “Its under investigation,” Baran said. “It’s in the process of being reconstructed by the accident reconstruction team.”

At Berman & Simmons, we are experts in assisting clients in car accident cases like this one.  We gather all of the evidence and use the best accident reconstruction experts to recreate the conditions of the accident.  We explore all angles of recovery for the victims and their families, including liability claims, underinsured or uninsured motorist claims and product defect claims arising out of dangerous and defective cars.  We have recovered millions of dollars in cases where other lawyers were unable to find a legal remedy.  If you or someone you know have suffered an accident-related injury or death, please give us a call or send an email.  We do not charge anything for a consultation.  For more information, visit our website at www.bermansimmons.com.

SunJournal.com
Reported By Andrew Cullen, Staff Writer
Published on Tuesday, Oct 18, 2011 at 12:12 am | Last updated on Tuesday, Oct 18, 2011 at 10:10 pm

GREENWOOD, MAINE — A 19-year-old driver was killed and three young passengers were hospitalized after a single-vehicle crash on Greenwoods Road on Tuesday night. The young man’s 1990 Jeep Wrangler left the road while rounding a curve, traveled into a steep ravine and rolled over, Oxford County Cpl. Brian Landis said. The driver, of Greenwood, died at Stephens Memorial Hospital in Norway sometime after the 7:49 p.m. accident, despite paramedics’ efforts to revive him at the scene via CPR, Landis said. The passengers, a male, 16, of Bethel, a male, 16, of Gilead, and and female, age not available, of Bethel also were taken to Stephens Memorial for treatment.  Two of the passengers were treated in the emergency room and released Tuesday night, a nursing supervisor at Stephens Memorial said. One passenger’s status was not clear Tuesday night.

The teenagers were returning home after going out for pizza at a Norway restaurant when the accident occurred, Landis said. The cause of the accident was unknown Tuesday night, Landis said. Maine State Police were called to do reconstruction of the accident, which was still under investigation Tuesday night, Landis said. The driver was a member of the Class of 2011 at Telstar High School in Bethel.

Although this was a single car accident, recovery for the injured victims and family of the decedent may be possible.  The product liability team at Berman & Simmons has successfully recovered against major auto manufacturers in one-car accidents where a defective or dangerous condition of the car caused or contributed to the accident.  Recovery for the passengers may also be possible through the driver’s liability insurance policy, particularly if the driver was speeding or otherwise negligent, or the passenger’s own underinsured or uninsured motorist policy.   For more information, contact Berman & Simmons at 1-800-244-3576 or read more on our website on our car accident practice page. 

WCSH6.com (NEWS CENTER)
Reported/Written by Mike DeSumma
6:46 PM, Oct 10, 2011

ELLSWORTH, Maine — Heroic acts and quick-thinking by an Ellsworth police officer helped a Tremont man escape serious injury, after his car rolled over and caught fire early Sunday morning.  Officer Andrew Weatherbee, who has been with the department for four years, responded to the crash scene on Bayside Road around 6:30 a.m. He found the car turned on its side with flames spilling out of its hood. The entire rescue was captured by the dashboard camera on Weatherbee’s cruiser. Weatherbee broke the rear window of the car and pulled the driver to safety. The flames eventually spread to the passenger side of the car meaning the driver could have suffered serious burns if not rescued.

While some may say he is a hero, Weatherbee says his actions Sunday morning are all part of his job.  “It’s what I signed up for,” he said, “its what I put the uniform on every day for…stuff like this. It’s very rewarding to actually see a difference to help somebody out.”  Police say the driver of the car was taken by Life Flight helicopter to Eastern Maine Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. The Ellsworth Police Department is investigating the accident to determine what caused the crash.  

Although this was a single car accident, recovery for the injured victim may be possible.  The product liability team at Berman & Simmons has successfully recovered against major auto manufacturers in one-car accidents where a defective or dangerous condition of the car caused or contributed to the accident.  For more information, contact Berman & Simmons at 1-800-244-3576 or read more on our website on our car accident practice page. 

BangorDailyNews.com
Reported By Diana Bowley, BDN Staff
Posted Oct. 03, 2011, at 1:42 p.m.
Last modified Oct. 04, 2011, at 7:57 a.m.

DOVER-FOXCROFT, Maine — An 18-year-old local man died Monday afternoon after being critically injured in a car accident Saturday morning, according to Police Chief Dennis Dyer.  The man of Dover-Foxcroft died at 3:38 p.m. at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, Dyer said Monday afternoon.  The driver and a 17-year-old female companion had been returning home from a football game in the Bangor area early Saturday morning when he lost control of his 1977 Chevrolet Caprice on Route 15 in Dover-Foxcroft and struck a tree head-on. Dyer believes the man had fallen asleep at the wheel just before the accident. He was airlifted by LifeFlight helicopter to EMMC after the accident. His passenger, who police declined to name, was injured and initially was taken by ambulance to Mayo Regional Hospital and later transferred to EMMC, Dyer said. Her injuries were not life-threatening, he said.

Although this was a single car accident, recovery for the injured victim and family of the decedent may be possible.  The product liability team at Berman & Simmons has successfully recovered against major auto manufacturers in one-car accidents where a defective or dangerous condition of the car caused or contributed to the accident.  Recovery for the passenger may also be possible through the driver’s liability insurance policy, particularly if the driver was speeding or otherwise negligent, or the passenger’s own underinsured or uninsured motorist policy.   For more information, contact Berman & Simmons at 1-800-244-3576 or read more on our website on our car accident practice page.

BangorDailyNews.com
Reported By Dawn Gagnon, BDN Staff
Posted Sept. 26, 2011, at 7:20 p.m.
Last modified Sept. 26, 2011, at 7:55 p.m.

BANGOR, Maine — A Bucksport couple was taken to the hospital for treatment of injuries they suffered Monday afternoon when they were struck from behind on Odlin Road.  The couple, both 68, were taken to Eastern Maine Medical Center, said Sgt. Chip Hodges. The woman suffered a leg injury and her husband had unspecified minor injuries, Hodges said, citing a police report. The two still were being evaluated early Monday evening, a hospital nursing supervisor said.

Hodges said the accident happened about 3 p.m. near the intersection with Interstate 395. The couple, who were driving separate motorcycles, were stopped in traffic waiting to make a turn when the the wife’s 2005 Honda was struck from behind by a 2003 Toyota driven by a man, 30, of Hampden. The impact pushed the woman’s bike into her husband’s 2005 Suzuki, destroying hers and causing significant damage to his, Hodge said, citing an accident report. The report said the driver of the Toyota told police that he was distracted by a horn and took his eyes off the road for a moment, Hodges said. He said that when he saw the motorcycles he was unable to avoid a collision.

At Berman & Simmons, we are experts in assisting clients in accident cases like this one.  We gather all of the evidence and use the best experts to recreate the conditions of the accident.  We explore all angles of recovery for the victims and their families, including liability claims and product defect claims arising out of dangerous and defective products or equipment.  We have recovered millions of dollars in cases where other lawyers were unable to find a legal remedy.  If you or someone you know have suffered an accident-related injury or death, please give us a call or send an email.  We do not charge anything for a consultation.  For more information, visit our website at www.bermansimmons.com.

Reported by www.PressHerald.com
on September 16, 2011

RAYMOND, Maine – A man was seriously injured and his car caught fire after a four-car accident on Route 302 this afternoon. Capt. Jeff Davis of the Cumberland County Sheriff’s office said the accident occurred about 5 p.m. near the intersection of Route 302 and Hawthorne Road. Davis said it appears the accident occurred when a Ford sedan car driven by a man, age 62, was turning left into a driveway while headed east on Route 302. The car was hit from behind by a Coca-Cola pick-up truck driven by another man, age 50, Davis said. The Ford was pushed into the westbound lane of Route 302, where it was hit by a Chevy pick-up driven by a man, age 64, Davis said. The Chevy pick-up truck then went off the road and into the woods, while the Ford sedan car was pushed back into the eastbound lane, where it was hit by a Toyota SUV driven by a woman, age 61, according to Davis.

The Ford sedan car then caught fire.  Davis said the driver of the Ford sedan car was taken to Maine Medical Center for head and leg injuries that were considered serious, but not life-threatening. The driver of the Chevy pick-up truck was also taken to Maine Medical Center for possible head and neck injuries.

Davis said there was no information available on the condition of either man and he did not have the addresses or hometowns of any of the drivers. The accident is under investigation, he said.

At Berman & Simmons, we are experts in assisting clients in accident cases like this one.  We gather all of the evidence and use the best accident reconstruction experts to recreate the conditions of the accident.  We explore all angles of recovery for the victims and their families, including liability claims, underinsured or uninsured motorist claims and product defect claims arising out of dangerous and defective cars.  We have recovered millions of dollars in cases where other lawyers were unable to find a legal remedy.  If you or someone you know have suffered an accident-related injury or death, please give us a call or send an email.  We do not charge anything for a consultation.  For more information, visit our website at www.bermansimmons.com.

Seacoastonline.com
Reported By Charles McMahon
cmcmahon@seacoastonline.com
September 15, 2011 2:00 AM

YORK, Maine — A head-on crash near an Interstate 95 on-ramp resulted in four people being transported to the hospital Wednesday evening. The crash occurred shortly before 6 p.m. in the area of Spur Road. York Fire Chief Chris Balentine said the collision involved a truck and a four-door sedan. A female driver of the sedan was believed to have received a broken leg, he said. Her passenger and two males in the truck also sustained injuries that Balentine described as minor stiffness and aches. Paramedics from York, Ogunquit and AMR transported the patients to York Hospital, he said. The collision caused fluid to spill out to the roadway and traffic was delayed for a short time. A small fire also broke out in the sedan. Balentine said that is common when air bags are deployed during an accident.

At Berman & Simmons, we are experts in assisting clients in car accident cases like this one.  We gather all of the evidence and use the best accident reconstruction experts to recreate the conditions of the accident.  We explore all angles of recovery for the victims and their families, including liability claims, underinsured or uninsured motorist claims and product defect claims arising out of dangerous and defective cars.  We have recovered millions of dollars in cases where other lawyers were unable to find a legal remedy.  If you or someone you know have suffered an accident-related injury or death, please give us a call or send an email.  We do not charge anything for a consultation.  For more information, visit our website at www.bermansimmons.com.

Bangor Daily News.com
Reported By Bill Trotter, BDN Staff
Posted Sept. 05, 2011, at 6:00 p.m.
Last modified Sept. 05, 2011, at 6:48 p.m.

MACHIAS, Maine — A New Hampshire man and his passenger each suffered broken legs Sunday when their motorcycle was struck by a car at a downtown intersection, according to the local police chief.  A man, 74, of Sunapee, N.H., was driving his 2010 Harley-Davidson motorcycle north on Route 192 around 4 p.m. when he ran a stop sign at the road’s intersection with Court Street, Police Chief Grady Dwelley said late Monday afternoon.  The motorcycle was struck in the intersection by a 1996 Ford Taurus driven by a woman, 55, of Machias, the chief said. The driver of the motorcycle and his passenger, a woman, 76, of Dover-Foxcroft, took the brunt of the impact when they were hit by the car, he said.

Both the driver of the motorcycle and his passenger suffered broken legs in the collision while the driver of the Ford Taurus was unharmed. The motorcycle was “remarkably intact” after the accident, Dwelley said, though it had approximately $1,000 in damage. The car had a crack in its front fiberglass bumper, which Dwelley said also likely would cost $1,000 to fix.  The driver of the motorcycle and his passenger were taken to Down East Community Hospital in Machias for treatment after the collision, the chief said. The passenger later was taken to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor for additional treatment of her broken leg bones, he said.

Dwelley said that there have been at least three accidents at that same intersection this summer, but he said that driver inattention and unfamiliarity have been considered the main contributing factors in those collisions.  “The intersection is well marked,” he said.

At Berman & Simmons, we are experts in assisting clients in accident cases like this one.  We gather all of the evidence and use the best accident reconstruction experts to recreate the conditions of the accident.  We explore all angles of recovery for the victims and their families, including liability claims, underinsured or uninsured motorist claims and product defect claims arising out of dangerous and defective cars.  We have recovered millions of dollars in cases where other lawyers were unable to find a legal remedy.  If you or someone you know have suffered an accident-related injury or death, please give us a call or send an email.  We do not charge anything for a consultation.  For more information, visit our website at www.bermansimmons.com.

WABI TV5.com
Reported by Wayne Harvey – September 2nd 2011 01:23pm

Eddington, Maine - The cause of Thursday’s fatal accident in Eddington has been released by the Penobscot County Sherrif’s Office. A father and his three sons ages 5, 10 and 13 were traveling from Halifax, Nova Scotia on their way to Boston when the father fell asleep and their van crossed the center line of Route 9 into the path of another van. The driver of that van, a 63-year-old woman, was killed in the accident and so was her passenger, a 30-year-old woman. A 30-year-old man was also in the vehicle and was taken to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, where he remained Friday morning in critical condition. The family from Nova Scotia are still in the hospital as well, and one of the boys is also listed in critical condition. The driver’s wife flew into Bangor Thursday night to be with the family at the hospital.  The family dog was also in the other van and was transported to a local vet after the accident Thursday.  No word yet on any charges from the accident.

At Berman & Simmons, we are experts in assisting clients in car accident cases like this one.  We gather all of the evidence and use the best accident reconstruction experts to recreate the conditions of the accident.  We explore all angles of recovery for the victims and their families, as well as the families of the decedents, including liability claims, underinsured or uninsured motorist claims and product defect claims arising out of dangerous and defective cars.  We have recovered millions of dollars in cases where other lawyers were unable to find a legal remedy.  If you or someone you know have suffered an accident-related injury or death, please give us a call or send an email.  We do not charge anything for a consultation.  For more information, visit our website at www.bermansimmons.com.