Personal injury claims in Maine
This is the Maine hub of the Ask Legal Matters injury law guides. It summarizes the rules that apply to every injury claim in the state and links to local guides for 216 Maine communities, each with pages on car, truck, motorcycle and pedestrian accidents, slip and fall injuries, workplace injuries and workers' compensation, medical malpractice and wrongful death.
Maine gives injured people six years to file most personal injury lawsuits (14 M.R.S. § 752) and a different deadline for medical malpractice (three years). The state follows modified comparative negligence (50% bar): you can recover only if you were less than 50% at fault, and your award is reduced by your share of fault. Maine is an at-fault auto insurance state with minimum liability limits of 50/100/25. Injury cases are tried in the Superior Court of the county where the accident happened, and work injuries must be reported to your employer within 60 days for injuries since January 1, 2020 (39-A M.R.S. § 301).
Maine injury law at a glance
- Personal injury deadline
- six years from the injury (14 M.R.S. § 752)
- Medical malpractice deadline
- three years (discovery-rule exceptions)
- Fault rule
- modified comparative negligence (50% bar)
- Auto insurance
- At-fault
- Minimum auto liability
- 50/100/25
- Trial court
- County Superior Court
- Workers' compensation
- Maine Workers' Compensation Board
- Workers' comp claim deadline
- About two years
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Injured in Maine? Click here for a free claim review.
Tell us where and when the accident happened, how you were injured, and whether you received treatment. Your request may be shared with independent attorneys and legal services partners who handle inquiries in Maine. Partner availability and case acceptance depend on the facts of your situation.
Click here for a free claim review — submit accident detailsAsk Legal Matters is a lead-generation service, not a law firm. Submitting a request does not hire an attorney. Review the contact consent and privacy policy on the form before submitting.
Maine injury guides by county
Every Maine county has its own page covering the county court, the state rules and every community in the county, large or small.
- County, ME1 communities
- Androscoggin County, ME19 communities
- Aroostook County, ME43 communities
- Cumberland County, ME40 communities
- Franklin County, ME20 communities
- Hancock County, ME42 communities
- Kennebec County, ME29 communities
- Knox County, ME21 communities
- Lincoln County, ME28 communities
- Oxford County, ME32 communities
- Penobscot County, ME45 communities
- Piscataquis County, ME12 communities
- Sagadahoc County, ME9 communities
- Somerset County, ME25 communities
- Waldo County, ME20 communities
- Washington County, ME32 communities
- York County, ME41 communities
Largest communities in Maine
- Portland, MECumberland County · pop. 66,881
- Lewiston, MEAndroscoggin County · pop. 36,202
- South Portland, MECumberland County · pop. 25,556
- Biddeford, MEYork County · pop. 21,282
- Sanford, MEYork County · pop. 20,893
- Saco, MEYork County · pop. 19,078
- Augusta, MEKennebec County · pop. 18,471
- Westbrook, MECumberland County · pop. 17,978
- Waterville, MEKennebec County · pop. 16,261
- Brunswick, MECumberland County · pop. 15,175
- York Beach, MEYork County · pop. 12,854
- Orono, MEPenobscot County · pop. 9,474
- Lisbon, MEAndroscoggin County · pop. 9,392
- Brewer, MEPenobscot County · pop. 9,232
- Presque Isle, MEAroostook County · pop. 9,171
- Old Orchard Beach, MEYork County · pop. 8,624
- Bath, MESagadahoc County · pop. 8,305
- Buxton, MEYork County · pop. 8,136
- Ellsworth, MEHancock County · pop. 7,857
- Caribou, MEAroostook County · pop. 7,816
- Old Town, MEPenobscot County · pop. 7,624
- Waterboro, MEYork County · pop. 7,532
- South Berwick, MEYork County · pop. 7,480
- Rockland, MEKnox County · pop. 7,237
More Maine city guides: Auburn, ME, Bangor, ME.
Maine cities with the most fatal crashes, 2019-2023
These Maine communities recorded the most fatal crashes coded to them in NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System from 2019 through 2023. Each community page breaks down its own numbers by year, time of day and road.
- Portland, ME19 fatal crashes · 20 deaths
- Lewiston, ME12 fatal crashes · 14 deaths
- Saco, ME12 fatal crashes · 12 deaths
- Augusta, ME11 fatal crashes · 15 deaths
- Sanford, ME11 fatal crashes · 12 deaths
- Turner, ME11 fatal crashes · 11 deaths
- Skowhegan, ME10 fatal crashes · 10 deaths
- Ellsworth, ME9 fatal crashes · 9 deaths
- Gorham, ME9 fatal crashes · 9 deaths
- Scarborough, ME9 fatal crashes · 9 deaths
Maine claims by injury type
- Car Accident claimsHow car accident injury claims work in every state
- Truck Accident claimsHow semi-truck and commercial vehicle injury claims differ from car accidents
- Motorcycle Accident claimsHow motorcycle injury claims work across the United States
- Pedestrian Accident claimsWhat happens legally when a pedestrian is hit by a car in the United States
- Slip and Fall claimsHow premises liability works in the United States
- Workplace Injury claimsHow injured workers get paid in the United States
- Medical Malpractice claimsWhat medical malpractice is, how it is proven, state-by-state deadlines and damage caps, and the kinds of errors that most often lead to successful claims.
- Wrongful Death claimsHow wrongful death and survival actions work across the United States
Read the statute of limitations overview for every state for a side-by-side comparison of filing deadlines.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to file a personal injury lawsuit in Maine?
Generally six years from the date of injury (14 M.R.S. § 752). Medical malpractice claims generally must be filed within three years, and claims against government entities require a notice of claim much sooner.
What happens if I was partly at fault in Maine?
Maine applies modified comparative negligence (50% bar): you can recover only if you were less than 50% at fault, and your award is reduced by your share of fault.
Is Maine a no-fault state?
No. Maine is an at-fault state; the negligent driver's liability insurance (minimum 50/100/25) is the primary source of compensation.
Where are injury lawsuits filed in Maine?
In the Superior Court of the county where the accident happened or where the defendant resides. Claims against out-of-state companies may be removed to federal court.
How do I find a personal injury lawyer near me in Maine?
Choose your county or community below for local information, or click the free claim review button; your request may be shared with independent attorneys and legal services partners who handle inquiries in Maine.
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Ready to share what happened in Maine?
Tell us where and when the accident happened, how you were injured, and whether you received treatment. Your request may be shared with independent attorneys and legal services partners who handle inquiries in Maine. Partner availability and case acceptance depend on the facts of your situation.
Click here for a free claim review — submit accident detailsAsk Legal Matters is a lead-generation service, not a law firm. Submitting a request does not hire an attorney. Review the contact consent and privacy policy on the form before submitting.