Maine International Flight Injury Lawyer

If you live in Maine and were injured on an international flight, your claim against the airline is usually governed by the Montreal Convention, an international treaty with its own rules on liability, deadlines and where you can sue. Muggeo & Associates represents passengers from across New England in international flight injury claims against U.S. and foreign airlines. Attorney Louis J. Muggeo brings more than 2,000 hours of civilian flight time to the firm’s aviation work.

How Maine Travelers Fly Internationally

Maine’s main commercial airports include Portland International Jetport and Bangor International Airport. Most Maine travelers reach Europe, the Caribbean and Latin America by connecting through Boston Logan, New York or another hub, or by driving to Boston. Some also connect through Canadian airports. A connecting flight booked on the same ticket as an international trip is generally part of international carriage under the Montreal Convention, even if the injury happened on a domestic leg.

Montreal Convention Basics

Accident: The airline is liable for bodily injury caused by an “accident” on board or during embarking or disembarking, meaning an unexpected or unusual event external to the passenger.
Strict liability: Since December 28, 2024, the airline is liable without proof of fault up to 151,880 Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) per passenger, and above that amount unless it proves it was not negligent or the damage was caused solely by a third party.
Two-year deadline: Suit must be filed within two years of arrival at the destination, or of when the flight should have arrived.
Where to sue: Article 33 limits the places a claim can be filed, including the destination on the ticket and, for injury or death, the country of the passenger’s principal and permanent residence if the airline serves it.

Read our step-by-step guide on how to make a claim under the Montreal Convention.

Common International Flight Injuries

Falling bags from overhead bins
Severe turbulence
Hot drink and meal burns
Beverage cart injuries
Falls in the aisle, on air stairs or on the jet bridge
Injuries during wheelchair assistance
Hard landings and emergency evacuations

See how courts analyze each in our guide to airline injury types.

Injuries Outside the Convention

If the Montreal Convention does not apply, for example an injury in a terminal or on a purely domestic trip, Maine’s general limitations period for civil actions is six years, but other rules and shorter notice requirements can apply, especially for claims against public entities.

Representing Maine Passengers From Outside the State

Our attorneys are not admitted in Maine. Many international flight injury cases are filed in federal court or in Massachusetts or New York, depending on the itinerary and the airline. When a case must be filed in Maine, we may work with local counsel.

Frequently Asked Questions

I live in Maine and was hurt on a flight to Europe. Can I sue in the United States?

Often, yes. If the trip began or ended in the United States, or if Maine is your principal and permanent residence and the airline operates services to or from the United States and does business here, the Montreal Convention generally allows suit in the United States. The court must also have personal jurisdiction over the airline.

My injury happened on the Portland-to-Boston leg of an international trip. Does the Convention apply?

Usually, if that leg was booked on the same ticket as the international journey. The Convention looks at the whole itinerary as shown on the ticket.

Are you licensed in Maine?

Our attorneys are not admitted in Maine. Montreal Convention cases are often filed in federal court, and the right forum depends on the itinerary and the airline. Where a case must be filed in Maine, we may work with local counsel.

Hurt on an international flight? Call Muggeo & Associates at (978) 741-1177 or request a consultation. Montreal Convention claims must be filed within two years of arrival, so do not wait.

This page is general information, not legal advice. Whether the Montreal Convention applies, where a claim can be filed and what can be recovered depend on the ticket, the itinerary and the facts. Our attorneys are admitted in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Florida; where a case must be filed elsewhere, we may work with local counsel. Contacting the firm does not create an attorney-client relationship. Prior results do not guarantee future outcomes. Last reviewed November 2026.

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