Injured Maine Man Wins $5M Award for Electrical Accident

A Maine man has been awarded nearly $5 million in damages for injuries he sustained six years ago in an electrical accident at a Penobscot boatyard.

Bryan Smith, now 24 and formerly from Bucksport, was operating a crane to move a sailboat when the mast hit a high-voltage power line.

Superior Court Justice Michaela Murphy found that Central Maine Power caused the accident because the power line was more than 15 feet closer to the ground than it should have been. The judge awarded Smith $3 million in damages for loss of enjoyment of life, pain and suffering, more than $1 million in lost earnings, and $783,000 for past and future medical and rehabilitation expenses.

A spokeswoman for CMP declined to comment on the decision.

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Information from: Bangor Daily News