Norway maples seem particularly prone. Inspect roots of new stock carefully. This weak union is a common point of failure on older maples. Inspect suspicious unions showing swelling, plants, or leakage. Maple decline - Decline or dieback of sugar maples is becoming more common.
Probable cause is a combination of factors aggravated by environmental conditions.
There is no permanent solution. Verticillium wilt - This destructive disease attacks through the roots, causing the xylem to plug up. Prune out affected limbs. Avoid wounding roots, and water new trees. If replacing with another tree on the same site, select a resistant species.