Intentional Harm

When someone deliberately hurts you, we’re ready to protect you

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The driver who hit your car and caused your injuries may have been driving recklessly, but they likely didn’t crash into you on purpose. The pharmaceutical company that manufactured the dangerous drug that sickened you or the doctor who misdiagnosed and failed to treat your illness may have acted negligently, but they likely didn’t intend to make you ill, hurt you, or otherwise cause you harm.

The same can’t be said of someone who throws a punch in a bar fight, embezzles from his employer, or assaults a former romantic partner or family member.

When these kinds of intentional acts, and countless more like them that people engage in, result in injury or loss to another, they are known in the law as intentional torts. While many intentional torts such as battery, sexual assault, fraud, harassment, or cyberstalking can constitute criminal offenses, victims of those crimes can also sue in civil court to recover damages for their losses and injuries. If the behavior involved is particularly egregious, victims may also be entitled to punitive damages.

Get help from Maine’s best personal injury law firm

Those hurt by intentional acts can turn to Berman & Simmons for the compensation and justice they deserve. Trusted by countless personal injury victims in Maine and throughout New England for over 100 years, we have earned recognition as Maine’s best personal injury and medical malpractice law firm. But for us, it is not enough to be recognized as the best trial firm in Maine. With our unique resources and talent, we strive to be among the very best in the country.

We bring unmatched resources, exceptional trial advocacy skills, cutting-edge technology, and fierce determination to bear on behalf of every client we have the privilege to represent. These qualities are the foundation of our unprecedented record of success in obtaining full compensation for injury victims, recovering over $1.35 billion for our clients.

We get full compensation for victims of intentional harm

The outcome of a personal injury lawsuit based on an intentional tort does not depend on the result of the criminal case based on the same act. This is because the elements of a crime and the burden of proof for obtaining a criminal conviction in Maine are different than those for recovering damages in a civil lawsuit.

We aggressively pursue full compensation from those whose deliberate conduct hurt our clients, no matter whether the harm was physical, financial, emotional, or psychological. Some of the most common intentional tort claims our attorneys handle include:

  • Assault
  • Battery
  • Stalking and cyberstalking
  • False imprisonment
  • Trespass
  • Intentional infliction of emotional distress
  • Fraud
  • Embezzlement

Call Berman & Simmons today for your free consultation with one of Maine’s best injury lawyers

With over a century of experience serving injury victims in New England, we understand how difficult things can be when you are trying to recover after a serious injury or loss. Helping people just like you through a challenging time is the reason we do what we do. As Maine’s best trial lawyers, we provide that help with personal attention, respect, and a commitment to getting our clients the maximum amount of compensation available.

Please contact Berman & Simmons today at (207)784-3576 to arrange for your free consultation to discuss your situation. You pay nothing unless we obtain compensation for you by settlement or jury verdict. We welcome the opportunity to assist you.

Ask Questions. We Have Answers.

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It never hurts to consult an attorney regardless of whether you decide to move forward.

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    Many states have strict deadlines for filing personal injury claims.

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    The other insurance company is likely already building their client’s case against you.

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    Witnesses may become unavailable and evidence may be lost or degraded with time.

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    You’ll need help navigating your medical care and dealing with financial pressures.

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    You need peace of mind to focus on your recovery.

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  • What is an intentional tort?

    A tort is a wrongful act or infringement of rights. In most cases, as in drunk driving accidents or pharmaceutical errors, harm was caused by the person’s negligence or poor decision making, but they didn’t intend to harm you. In other cases, however, the other person is purposefully trying to harm you, as in assault or embezzlement. Not only are these torts illegal, but the victim also has a claim against the offender to recover losses or injuries.

  • What are common examples of intentional harm cases?

    According to Cornell Law School, common examples of intentional harm include (but are not limited to):

    • Battery
    • Assault (physical or sexual)
    • False imprisonment
    • Trespassing 
    • Infliction of emotional distress
  • What are common risk factors to intentional harm cases?

    The Division of Disease Prevention explains that some factors that raise the risk of intentional harm occurring include:

    • Access to firearms 
    • History of violence
    • Alcoholism
    • Mental illness
    • Poverty

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