Maine Injury, Accident, & Disability Law Blog : Maine Personal Injury Lawyer & Attorney : Joe Bornstein Law Firm : Portland Bangor Maine

The Law Offices of Joe Bornstein recently helped raise money for the University of Maine School of Law. The state’s only law school was in the midst of collecting donations for their Annual Fund Campaign when they were presented with a unique fundraising idea: The Bornstein/Aronson ’81 Challenge Grant.

The grant challenged fellow law school alumni to donate to the Annual Fund Campaign, only to see their donation matched by the Law Offices of Joe Bornstein. With six days left in the fundraising efforts and over $10,000 left to raise, the Bornstein/Aronson ’81 Challenge Grant matched 50% of every unrestricted gift up to $2,500.

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On June 24, the Cromwell Center for Disabilities Awareness held their annual awards dinner and silent auction. This year’s event celebrated William J. Ryan as the Center’s Person of the Year and raised over $100,000 for the non-profit organization. Ryan is the past Chair of TD Bank and has been a supporter of the Center since its inception.

The Cromwell Center is a leader in disabilities awareness education. The goal of the Center is to inform people without disabilities by teaching them about those who have a disability. The Center strives to make sure that people with disabilities - be it learning, behavioral and emotional, developmental or physical - receive the same respect, recognition and opportunity that every person deserves regardless of physical or mental condition.

By teaching kids, educators, employers and employees, the Cromwell Center has reached more than 25,000 students in over 100 schools since 2004. In addition to hands on education, the Cromwell Center provides public and school libraries with collections of informational books on special needs.

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Because of Maine’s mild winter and early spring, tick season in Vacationland will be more severe than in the past. Unfortunately, with the increase in the amount of ticks comes an increase in the amount of Lyme disease incidents. In 2008, there were 780 confirmed and 128 probable cases of Lyme disease in Maine.

Lyme disease was named in 1977 when several children in Lyme, Connecticut suffering from similar symptoms came down with an unidentified illness later found to be transmitted by deer ticks. Over 20 years later, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that there are nearly 29,000 cases of Lyme disease annually in the U.S., with the majority occurring in the northeast and mid-Atlantic regions.

It is estimated that more than 75 percent of Lyme disease cases are contracted within 100 feet of the home and that 80 percent of Lyme disease cases occur between May and August.

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The Muskie Fund for Legal Services held their 15th annual Access to Justice Award Dinner on June 2nd. This year’s dinner honored Dr. Robert McAfee for his leadership in mobilizing healthcare providers to address the problem of family violence in our community.

Founded in 1995, the Muskie Fund for Legal Services celebrates the commitment of those who work for an access to justice on behalf of Mainers. Named after Maine Senator Edmund S. Muskie, the nonprofit organization supports legal services throughout the state while carrying out the legacy of the late senator who worked on behalf of poor, elderly, and disadvantaged Maine residents.

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With more than 6,000 lakes and ponds, 3,000 miles of coastline, and 32,000 miles of rivers and streams, few states can match the magnitude of water that Maine has to offer. And now that summer is in full swing, there’s no better time to enjoy our many great bodies of water.

Each year, boating adds approximately $153 million to the state’s economy. But with the additional revenue comes more watercrafts on Maine’s waterways. And with the increase in boats comes an increased amount of boating accidents.

In 2008, there were nearly 5,000 recreational boating accidents in the United States. According to the United States Coast Guard, the accidents resulted in more than 700 deaths, 3,000 injuries, and $54 million in property damage. Of the 700 deaths, over 500 were from victims who drowned without wearing a life jacket.

At the Law Offices of Joe Bornstein we see victims of summer boating accidents each year, which is why we want to help educate boaters on how to be safe on the open seas. Because when it comes to boating safety, a little education can be the difference between life and death.

The following are a few boating safety tips that all Mainers should know before they shove off from land:

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The two-week public safety campaign, Click It or Ticket, recently came to a close, but the effects may well last a lifetime. The campaign helps promote the use of seatbelts and increases awareness of their benefits.

Started in North Carolina in 1993, Click It or Ticket has spread nationwide. A recently approved $30 million grant from Congress for television and radio advertising helped promote the campaign which was observed from May 24-June 6.

During the two-week window, police cracked down on seatbelt usage, or the lack there of, in an attempt to help save lives while educating the general public. Fines during the Click It or Ticket campaign for drivers and passengers not using their seatbelts ranged from $70 to $310.

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