Whistleblower: A high paid executive was terminated by his company due to his alleged insubordination. He denied the insubordination, asserting that the real reason for his termination was because he fulfilled his obligations to report illegal activity that was occurring within the company. Through our representation in this Maine Human Rights Act/ Whistleblower Protection case we were able to vindicate his reputation and secure him a settlement in excess of a quarter of a million dollars.
Negligence Action: A Work-site Staffing Coordinator for a temporary agency was injured while on the premises of a manufacturer employing workers from the temporary agency. The manufacturer asserted that any claim against it was barred because the Workers' Compensation Act is the sole avenue for compensation when a worker is injured on the job. It was our position that the client was not an employee of the manufacturer; therefore the manufacturer was not entitled to immunity from suit. At mediation the manufacturer offered a nominal settlement confident its legal position would prevail if the claim was pursued further. We took the case to court and successfully argued the employer was not entitled to immunity. The case settled for over a half million dollars.
Workers' Compensation: A registered nurse was seriously injured in a car accident traveling with her supervisor to a conference in her personal car, sustaining paralyzing injuries. The Workers' Compensation Board decided that since she chose to travel in her private car with her supervisor, her manner of travel was one of convenience. Therefore, it found that her injury did not arise out of or during the course of her employment, ruling that she had no right to recover for her incapacitating injuries. We appealed the Board's harsh decision to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court. Following oral argument, we settled the case for $1.1 million, including a coordinated special needs trust to protect her interests.
Auto Accident: A client was injured when the driver of another vehicle fell asleep at the wheel of her SUV, crossed the center line, and slammed head-on into our client's car. It took rescue crews almost an hour, using 4 Jaws-of-Life and 2 saws, to remove her from the crumbled car. Through our representation we were able to secure her a $200,000 settlement.
Slip and Fall: A truck driver was delivering goods in December. The property had no loading dock, requiring drivers to exit their trucks and walk into the building with the delivered goods. Upon completing his delivery and exiting the building, the driver slipped on an icy incline covered with a thin layer of snow, striking his head and suffering a severe head injury. As a result of our ability to pursue negligence and workers compensation claims simultaneously, we were able to secure the client a settlement award of $140,000 against the property where the client fell as well as a Workers' Compensation settlement for $85,000.
Slip and Fall Jury Trial: An elderly man suffering from Parkinson's Disease and Dementia was injured when he slipped and fell at a department store. We pursued all legal theories of recovery on his behalf for the injuries as well as for the loss of consortium his wife suffered as a result of the fall. Opposing counsel fought hard to deny recovery for client's loss of consortium claim. We chose to fight for the dignity of our client, declining to accept a settlement that did not recognize all of our client's losses. We took his claims before a jury and received a verdict in the amount $115,000 that compensated him for his injuries as well as provided him a sense of dignity by granting him recovery for his loss of consortium.
Bruns v. Sebago, Inc. and Acadia
