Skip to content
Maine accident law

Maine car accident settlement calculator

Maine is an at-fault state that uses modified comparative negligence, 50% bar. You generally have 6 years to file an injury lawsuit. The calculator below applies these rules to your numbers.

Checked against official sources November 5, 20265 cited sourcesHow we calculate

Injury lawsuit deadline6 years14 M.R.S. sec. 752 (6 years, PI and property); 18-C M.R.S. sec. 2-807(2) (wrongful death, 3 years after death); 14 M.R.S. sec. 8107(1) (Maine Tort Claims Act notice)
Fault ruleModified (50% bar)14 M.R.S. sec. 156
Insurance systemAt-faultNo PIP requirement
Minimum liability50/100/25thousands of dollars

Maine settlement estimate

How serious is the injury?
Moderate: months of treatment, full recovery. Typical multiplier 2 to 3.
Applied to your medical bills. Set by the injury above, adjust if you like.
Leave at 0 if unknown.
Lawyer fee, costs and liens
Estimated amount to you
$46,500

Likely range depends on the injury

Economic damages
$16,500
Pain and suffering
$30,000
Injury claim value
$46,500
After your share of fault
$46,500
Attorney fee and costs
$0
Liens repaid
$0

Maine: Modified comparative negligence, 50% bar, at-fault (tort) state.

An estimate, not legal advice. Deadlines can be shorter in some situations, for example for claims against a city or state agency. Talk to a Maine attorney about your case.

Maine filing deadlines

ClaimDeadline
Personal injury lawsuit6 years
Vehicle and property damage6 years
Wrongful death3 years
Notice of a claim against a government365 days written notice of claim (14 M.R.S. sec. 8107); later filing allowed only for good cause
14 M.R.S. sec. 752 (6 years, PI and property); 18-C M.R.S. sec. 2-807(2) (wrongful death, 3 years after death); 14 M.R.S. sec. 8107(1) (Maine Tort Claims Act notice). Counted from the accident date in most cases.

Maine's general 6-year catch-all covers negligence personal injury and vehicle property damage. Wrongful death period is 3 years (amended by PL 2023, c. 390; previously 2 years); 6 years from discovery if death caused by homicide. Wrongful death damages for loss of comfort/society capped at $1,000,000 adjusted for inflation. Tort Claims Act: notice within 365 days; minors may give notice within 365 days of turning 18.

If you were partly at fault

Maine follows modified comparative negligence, 50% bar. Your damages are reduced by your percentage of fault, and you recover nothing if you were at least as much at fault as the other side (50% or more).

  • With $100,000 in damages and 30% of the fault, you would recover $70,000.
  • With 55% of the fault, you would recover $0, because the rule bars your claim.

Maine statute reduces damages 'to such extent as the jury thinks just and equitable' and bars recovery where the claimant is equally at fault (or more). Plaintiff must be less at fault than the defendant to recover. Defendants are jointly and severally liable.

Source: 14 M.R.S. sec. 156. Compare all states in the comparative negligence table.

At-fault (tort) state

In Maine the driver who caused the crash is responsible for the damage, so you claim against their liability insurance or sue them. Your own medical payments or health coverage can pay bills while the claim is pending.

Medical payments coverage is not no-fault PIP and does not limit the right to sue.

Minimum car insurance in Maine

$50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident for injuries, $25,000 for property damage. Uninsured motorist coverage is required.

Many drivers carry only the minimum, so the bodily injury limit is often the most the at-fault driver's insurer will pay one person. Also $500 towing and storage. 24-A Sec. 2902(1): a liability policy may not be issued unless uninsured, underinsured and hit-and-run motorist coverage is provided.

Damage caps

Maine does not cap pain and suffering in ordinary car accident cases.

Caps apply only to wrongful death (loss of comfort $1,000,000 inflation-adjusted; punitive $500,000).

Dog bite law

Mixed rule. Strict liability when the victim is off the owner's/keeper's premises; victim's fault reduces damages for physical injury only if it exceeded the owner's fault. On the owner's premises, liability requires negligence of the owner or keeper (subsection 1) and no fault of the injured person.

Source: 7 M.R.S. sec. 3961. Estimate a claim with the dog bite calculator.

Frequently asked questions

How long do I have to file a car accident claim in Maine?

6 years from the accident for an injury lawsuit and 6 years for vehicle damage (14 M.R.S. sec. 752 (6 years, PI and property); 18-C M.R.S. sec. 2-807(2) (wrongful death, 3 years after death); 14 M.R.S. sec. 8107(1) (Maine Tort Claims Act notice)). Insurance claims should be reported much sooner, and claims against a government agency can have shorter notice deadlines.

Is Maine a no-fault state?

No. Maine is an at-fault state: the driver who caused the crash, through their liability insurance, pays for the other people's injuries and damage.

What happens if I was partly at fault in Maine?

Maine follows modified comparative negligence, 50% bar (14 M.R.S. sec. 156). Your damages are reduced by your percentage of fault, and you recover nothing if you were at least as much at fault as the other side (50% or more).

What is the minimum car insurance in Maine?

$50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident for injuries, $25,000 for property damage (50/100/25). Uninsured motorist coverage is also required.

Does Maine cap pain and suffering damages?

Not in ordinary car accident cases. Caps apply only to wrongful death (loss of comfort $1,000,000 inflation-adjusted; punitive $500,000).

Sources

Checked against official Maine sources November 5, 2026.

  1. Maine statute of limitations: 14 M.R.S. sec. 752 (6 years, PI and property); 18-C M.R.S. sec. 2-807(2) (wrongful death, 3 years after death); 14 M.R.S. sec. 8107(1) (Maine Tort Claims Act notice)
  2. Maine comparative fault: 14 M.R.S. sec. 156
  3. Maine insurance system: 29-A M.R.S. Sec. 1605(1)(C)(4)
  4. Maine damage caps: 18-C M.R.S. Sec. 2-807(2)
  5. Maine dog bite liability: 7 M.R.S. sec. 3961