Boothbay Harbor man sues apartment complex

Wed, 07/01/2015 - 8:00am

    A Boothbay Harbor man is claiming that a snow-covered awning collapsed on him in February, outside an apartment complex on Bay Landing Lane. George Larrabee is suing Statewide Bay Landing II for medical and other costs.

    Larrabee’s civil suit, filed June 18 in Lincoln County Superior Court in Wiscasset, states that the winter brought heavy snowfall to Boothbay Harbor; snow built up on the building’s awning, followed by more snow on Feb. 8 and 9, according to the suit. When Larrabee went out the building’s main entrance on Feb. 9, he noticed the awning was significantly lower, the suit states.

    “George did not turn back and use the side exits ... because he knew from experience that they would be ‘snowed in’ ... George attempted to crouch underneath the awning to leave the premises and the awning collapsed on top of him,” the complaint reads.

    The suit accuses Statewide Bay Landing II of breaching a duty to clear snow from the awning and from the side entrances. “As a result of the defendant’s careless and negligent actions, the awning fell on top of George and he suffered serious personal injuries, past and future pain and mental anguish ...,” it states.

    The court file contained no response to the suit yet from the defendant.

    Statewide Bay Landing II is a Rhode Island-based nonprofit, according to information available at the Maine Secretary of State’s Office website at www.maine.gov/sos. The Maine State Housing Authority website at www.mainehousing.org lists Statewide Bay Landing II as elderly, income-based rental housing.

    Attempts to seek comment from Statewide Bay Landing II regarding Larrabee’s suit were not immediately successful.

    Larrabee’s attorney Christopher Harmon on June 30 declined to give details on the injuries the suit cites. “George is a great guy. I’m very happy to represent him,” Harmon said in Tuesday’s telephone interview.

    “It’s really unfortunate what happened,” he said.