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

In personal injury claims, over 99% of the money paid out comes from insurance companies, most of them large, national companies with headquarters far away from Maine. You've heard of them: State Farm, Allstate, Progressive, Concord, Peerless, GEICO, Dairyland, USAA, AMICA, Chubb - there is a long list. They are quick to take insurance premium dollars from Mainers, but when an injury occurs and the time comes to pay money to a victim, the situation can change dramatically. If often takes a law firm like ours to force the insurance companies to pay a fair and just settlement to injury victims.

In Social Security Disability claims, for years you've paid dearly into our federal system. The SSA system is there to help our disabled clients, but not without some major legal advocacy by our experienced attorneys on their behalf.

In our 37-year history, we have successfully recovered more than $200 million in settlements and benefits for our over 18,000 clients, greatly helping the Maine economy. Think of the financial relief for these Mainers whose medical bills and lost wages have been paid. We offer a free initial consultation, either by phone or in person at one of our six conveniently located offices, your home or the hospital. 100% of the claims in which we represent clients here in Maine are handled on a contingent fee basis. Few if any other Maine law firms can make this pledge.

Plain and simple: If you don't get paid, we don't get paid.

Contact us today and let our staff of 12 attorneys and 65 legal professionals help you get the justice you deserve.

The Law Offices of Joe Bornstein - Maine Lawyers Working For Maine People.

bladder infections, acne, ear aches, minor wounds, insect bites and stings, sinus infections, wart removal and upper respiratory infections. The facility also provides routine camp and school physicals, blood sugar testing, cholesterol screening and administers common vaccinations.

The clinic is not meant to be a treatment center for major health problems. Those who are suffering from trauma or severe health problems should seek an ambulance and hospital emergency room.

Should there be a long waiting line, The Clinic At Walmart in Auburn provides visitors with a portable paging device that will buzz to alert the individual when one of the medical professionals is available to see them. Visitors to the clinic are welcome to sit in the clinic reception area or shop around the store while waiting for their appointment.

The price of the clinic is $48 and the expenses are covered by most insurance plans.

There are similar health clinics at the Augusta and Waterville Walmart SuperCenter stores.

With the grand opening of this new walk-in community health clinic, St. Mary’s and the Walmart store in Auburn are doing their part to make the ‘live better’ part of the retail chain’s ‘Save money. Live better’ slogan hold true. Because after all, you can’t put a price on health.

The Law Offices of Joe Bornstein- Maine Lawyers Working For Maine People.

The revamped www.joebornstein.com includes a ‘Get Help Now’ feature that allows visitors to enter their name and phone number in order to be contacted for a free and confidential consultation and a translate button for the site to be viewed in multiple languages.

At the Law Offices of Joe Bornstein, we understand that Mainers are in need of timely, reliable information and advice on what steps to take when injured or disabled. Our website provides important post-injury tips, including an instructional guide on ‘How To Read Your Accident Report,’ ‘What To Do When Injured,’ as well as ‘84 Arguments Made By Insurance Companies.’

Online, visitors will also find links to our blog and newsletter archive, as well as learn about the many different programs we offer including our firm’s Arrive Alive Creative Contest, Law Night, pro bono work, and community service efforts.

Visit us online at the new and improved www.joebornstein.com to learn more about our law firm and discover the ways in which we help injured and disabled Mainers get the justice they deserve.

The Law Offices of Joe Bornstein - Maine Lawyers Working For Maine People.

In 1989, an eighteen year old from Kennebunk was diagnosed with cancer. For two years he fought to overcome his disease, first by seeking treatment in nearby Portland and then in Boston. During this time, his family faced severe financial hardship due to overwhelming medical expenses.

His mother, determined to stay with her son through thick and thin, often slept on the hospital room floor. It was through her sacrifice that the concept for Gary's House was born.

Gary Pike’s dream was to enable families to be with loved ones when they were faced with serious injury or life threatening illness that required hospitalization. Gary lost his battle against cancer in 1991, yet the dream did not die with him. Over the next seven years his family and friends worked to fulfill his dream.

Gary's House was opened in 1998 in an elegant Federal-style home in Portland. Since then it has welcomed families from all walks of life all across the world. Today, Gary's House stands as a tribute to a young man who dreamed of making life better for others, while fighting to save his own.

As a business that sees firsthand the effects an extended hospital stay can have on both a patient and his or her family, the Law Offices of Joe Bornstein is proud to support Gary’s House and the wonderful service it provides.

Nearly twenty years ago a teenager from Kennebunk wanted families to be able to remain by the sides of loved ones in hospitals without being financially burdened. Today, thanks to his vision and the hard work of his family and friends, Gary Pike’s dream is a reality.

For more information on Gary’s House or to schedule a stay, please call (207) 773-9800 or visit them online at: www.mercyhospital.com/content/garyshouse.htm.
 

Many other fundraising opportunities arise throughout the year as well, such as the annual Hot Stove Dinner which includes a silent auction.

In 15 seasons, the Strike Out Cancer in Kids Program has raised more than $3.8 million to benefit children and their families throughout Maine.

The Law Offices of Joe Bornstein is a proud sponsor of the Strike Out Cancer in Kids Program. With the help of local athletes, local sports teams, and local businesses, together we can help Strike Out Cancer in Kids.

And that would be considered a “perfect game.”

For more information on the Strike Out Cancer in Kids program please visit: https://fundraising.mmc.org.

Proponents of the rule feel that the security of our nation’s borders will be strengthened, while critics question how trade, tourism, and commerce will be affected. Air travelers have been required to carry passports to these neighboring countries since 2007, however many more people cross U.S. borders by car than by plane or boat. As a result, retailers in border towns are worried that consumers will stay in their home country rather than acquire the proper travel documents necessary to shop, even if the store is right down the street.

In addition to passports, Americans may enroll in “trusted traveler” programs, whose cards serve as sufficient border documentation, or obtain “enhanced driver’s licenses” from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It is advised to plan two months ahead when acquiring a passport or other identification for travel as a processing delay is common. An estimated 30 percent of Americans currently have proper identification to cross into neighboring countries by car.

To facilitate travel between countries, border crossing stations are now equipped with electronic proximity readers which allow border agents to access information faster than ever. The savings in time per car is small, but multiplied by millions of travelers and it adds up to improved efficiency. For travelers who forget their identification, border patrols will work to verify that they are a U.S. citizen, acknowledging that it will take more time to do so. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has said that no U.S. citizen will be denied entry back into their home country.

For more information on the new passport rule and to learn more about the “trusted traveler” programs and “enhanced driver’s licenses” please visit the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s website: www.dhs.gov/xtrvlsec/crossingborders/index.shtm.

Held each March to commemorate Women’s History Month, Girls’ Day at the State House teaches young girls about the legislative process and the important role women play in shaping public policy. The underlying theme of the day is to give a diverse group of girls the opportunity to learn how they can have a future impact in the policymaking process of Maine, as well as an immediate impact in their communities throughout the state.

The Maine Women’s Policy Center was founded in 1990 and strives to increase economic, social, and political opportunities for women and girls through public policy and leadership development. With their focus set on economic security, civil rights, freedom from violence, and secure health care and reproductive rights, the center seeks to break down any biases and barriers that still exist against women in society today. Currently, seventy percent of the Maine Legislative is male.

At the Law Offices of Joe Bornstein we know well the result of hard work and a good education. With three female attorneys and nearly forty other female legal professionals on staff, we are proud to support the efforts of the Maine Women’s Policy Center and its annual Girls' Day at the State House.

Happy 30th Anniversary Maine Women’s Policy Center. May you continue to influence the young girls of today and help shape the future of tomorrow.

For more information on the Maine Women’s Policy Center and the Girls' Day at the State House, please visit: www.mainewomenspolicycenter.org.
 

While undergoing treatment for cancer in Boston at the age of eighteen, Maine native Gary Pike saw the financial burden his family faced while trying to stay by his side throughout his two and a half year illness. As the teenager’s time in the hospital prolonged, his parents often slept in their car or on the hospital room floor to offset their mounting hotel bills. The battle with cancer would eventually cost Gary his life, but it would be his final wish to see that unlike his parents, Mainers had no such provisions.

In 1998, after seven years of fundraising and donations, Gary’s dream came true, as Gary’s House opened their doors on State Street in Portland. Today, the home offers nine bedrooms, six common rooms, and a place for Mainers to stay while a family member is being treated in either of the nearby hospitals. The cost to stay at Gary’s House is $15 per night, a mere nominal fee for keeping a family together at a most important time, and considerably less than what Gary Pike’s parents once faced.

As a business that sees firsthand the effects an extended hospital stay can have on both a patient and his or her family, the Law Offices of Joe Bornstein is proud to support Gary’s House and the wonderful service it provides.

Nearly twenty years ago a teenager from Kennebunk wanted Maine families to be able to remain by the sides of loved ones in hospitals without being financially burdened. Today, thanks to his vision and the hard work of his parents and the numerous employees, volunteers, and supporters of Gary’s House, Gary Pike’s dream is a reality. A reality we look forward to supporting at next year’s 5th annual Dine Around The World Food and Wine Tasting Extravaganza.

For more information on Gary’s House or to schedule a stay, please call (207) 773-9800 or visit them online at: http://www.mercyhospital.com/content/garyshouse.htm.
 

Key Bank is now providing MaineCare applications at all 62 of the bank’s locations throughout the state, and has trained business personnel to help assist Mainers in the application process. Families who earn up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level, or approximately $28,000 annually for a family of four, qualify for MaineCare.

For those families who earn too much to qualify for MaineCare, but cannot afford private insurance, the State Children's Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP) also helps provide health insurance for children. Families who earn up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level, or approximately $42,000 annually for a family of four, are eligible for coverage under S-CHIP.

For more information on health care, and to see if your child is eligible under either MaineCare or S-CHIP, please visit the Maine Children's Alliance website at: www.mekids.org. 

And take advantage of the opportunities that Maine offers to help protect your children. Because the children of today, are the leaders of tomorrow.

• The first on Thursday October 16th from 9am to 3pm, starting with exams at the Leavitt’s Mill facility in Buxton, followed by the breast exam at the SMMC Diagnostic and Therapy Center in Saco.
• The second on Saturday November 1^st from 8am to 12pm at the SMMC Women’s Center in Biddeford. 

According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 184,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer each year, with approximately 1000 in Maine alone. The Southern Maine Medical Center is encouraging all women to be screened, and is generously donating their time and resources to help educate women of all ages.

For more information on the free healthcare screening, please visit www.smmcvisitingnurses.org, or to schedule an appointment call 985-1028.