Last month the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee heard horrific stories from cruise line passengers recounting their experiences. The man behind this hearing was Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) the committee chairman. Senator Rockefeller has been on a mission to hold the cruise line industry accountable for their dangerous practices regarding the
As a practicing maritime attorney in South Florida, I often get questions regarding maritime law issues. While each case is different, here are some answers to those questions I hear most often. 1. What is the difference between maritime law and admiralty law? The difference between admiralty and maritime law
The unpredictable allure of the seas has called out to adventurers for centuries. Yet, with this call comes responsibility. The dramatic episode of a boat capsizing off the coast of Palm Beach serves as a pertinent reminder of the unpredictable nature of oceans. As a boat owner or an enthusiast,
Florida leads the nation in boats with more than 900,000 registered vessels. It should come as no surprise then that Florida also leads the nation with the most watercraft thefts. According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), a non-profit organization that analyzes data on insurance claims, the top five
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) stated that on Sunday, June 8, 2014, a 26-year-old man was killed when he and a young woman were apparently struck by a boat while snorkeling near the Jupiter Inlet. The woman was treated and released. The boat that collided with the
Florida is blessed with beautiful seas and wonderful weather. That is why we lead the nation in our amount of registered boats. In part one of this series, we discussed boating accidents in Florida, how liability is attached to the responsible party and how property damages are calculated. In part
In late 2011, Everglades Island Boat Tours was operating their airboat in navigable waters when one of its passengers was injured. In early 2013, the Middle District of Florida released an admiralty decision interpreting the longstanding maritime rule of “limitation of liability.” In the matter of Everglades Island Boat Tours,
The April 16 South Korean ferry disaster killed more than 300 passengers. About 80 percent of those people were innocent high school students. Apparently, the captain and crew caused the ferry to sink by improperly stowing and overloading cargo. Their failure to protect their passengers was also seen as negligent.
Last week a South Korean ferry boat on an overnight 14-hour journey tipped and partially sank only three hours away from its destination. Of the 476 people on board, 121 people have been confirmed dead, and 181 still remain unaccounted for. Much like the captain of the Costa Concordia (the
Last month I wrote about boating accidents in Florida and how liability is attached to the responsible party, as well as how property damages are calculated. In this next part, I will discuss the personal injury side of boating accidents and why it takes an attorney with specific knowledge of
