Do I need a lawyer after a car accident in Maine?
Every rule below is quoted from Maine law or a state agency, with a link. Checked September 17, 2026.
The short answer
We can't tell you whether you need a lawyer. We can show you the Maine rules that usually decide it: how fault is split, how long you have, and how injury lawyers are allowed to charge. Many people with only car damage settle directly with the insurer. People with injuries, disputed fault or a claim near a deadline often talk to a lawyer first.
How fault changes your claim
If you were partly at fault
Maine uses modified comparative fault with a 50 percent bar. You can recover damages only if you are less at fault than the other driver. If the jury finds you equally at fault or more at fault, you get nothing.
“If such claimant is found by the jury to be equally at fault, the claimant may not recover.”
How long you have
- 6 years
- to sue for injuries14 M.R.S. 752
- 6 years
- to sue for car or property damage14 M.R.S. 752
- 3 years
- for a family to sue after a death18-C M.R.S. 2-807(2)
- 365 days
- to notify the government if a public vehicle or road was involved14 M.R.S. 8107(1)
Deadline to sue for injuries
You have 6 years to sue for injuries from a car crash in Maine.
“All civil actions shall be commenced within 6 years after the cause of action accrues and not afterwards”
If a government vehicle or road was involved
If a state or local government vehicle or road is involved, you must file a written notice of claim within 365 days of the crash, before you can sue.
“Within 365 days after any claim or cause of action permitted by this chapter accrues...a claimant...shall file a written notice”
How injury lawyers charge in Maine
Contingency fee rules
A contingency fee agreement in Maine must be in writing, signed by the client, and state how the fee is calculated.
“A fee may be contingent on the outcome of the matter for which the service is rendered, except in a matter in which a contingent fee is prohibited by paragraph (d) or other law.”
Questions to ask any lawyer before you sign
- What percentage do you charge, and does it change if the case goes to trial?
- Who pays case costs like records and expert fees if we lose?
- Will you handle my case yourself, or pass it to someone else?
- How long do cases like mine usually take here?
- What is the deadline for my claim, and when will you file?
If the insurer is the problem
File a complaint with the state
File a complaint against an insurance company with the Maine Bureau of Insurance online.
Sources on this page
Each one was opened and checked on September 17, 2026.
Know My Claim is not a law firm or a government agency, and this page is not legal advice. Laws change, so check the linked source before you rely on a deadline.