Our yacht crew injury attorneys have represented deckhands to masters over the years seeking just compensation for their accidents. The attorneys at Brais Law Firm know that yacht crew do not have an easy job. Demanding owners oftentimes require long working hours and many times the yachts are not fitted with properly working equipment. This oftentimes leads to accidents and injuries. Injuries and deaths which occur on yachts are typically a result of:

  • Slippery surfaces
  • Unseaworthy decks
  • Poorly maintained or broken equipment
  • Line handling accidents
  • Understaffing
  • Improper deployed gangways
  • Insufficiently trained co-workers
  • Inadequate railings
  • Failure to provide prompt, proper or adequate medical treatment
  • Dock collisions
  • Working excessive hours

Yacht owners are represented by attorneys appointed by their insurance companies. These attorneys are paid to obtain the best result for the owners and the insurance companies and not necessarily looking out for the injured crew member. Retaining qualified representation is imperative if you or a loved one suffered a serious injury on a yacht.

Legal Rights Afforded to Injured Yacht Crew

First and foremost, injured yacht crew members are owed medical care and treatment along with payment of daily living expenses during the period of time the crew member is recovering from the injury. This is commonly known as the maintenance and cure obligation and is owed to injured crew members regardless of fault. Should the yacht owners not pay for appropriate medical care and daily living expenses, they may be held liable for the pain and suffering caused for the delay in treatment as well as punitive damages. In addition to payment of medical care and treatment, crew members are entitled to compensation for lost wages as well as pain and suffering if the injury was caused by an unseaworthy condition aboard the yacht.

To prove unseaworthiness, it must be shown that the yacht or a part of its machinery was not reasonably fit for its intended purpose.

This is a strict form of liability meaning that notice of the unseaworthy condition need not be proven. Injured yacht crew may also seek compensation against their employers for negligence under the federal Jones Act. This means that if it could be proven that the employer was negligent and such negligent acts were the cause of the injury, the injured crew member could be compensated for pain and suffering, lost wages and future medical care and treatment.

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Experienced Yacht Accident Lawyers

Florida’s year-round temperate waters attract several thousands of yachts with the most concentration occurring in the winter. This high volume of yachts gives rise to an above average amount of accidents compared to the rest of the country. Located in Miami, our lawyers are routinely called upon to represent injured yacht crew members. Once our maritime attorneys represent an injured yacht crew member, we identify the key witnesses, evidence and start building a case. We fight to make sure our clients are provided all the required medical care, wages, and compensation for the pain and suffering they endured as a result of their accident.

Contact the Firm for a Free Evaluation

The Florida tug and barge accident attorneys of the law firm at Brais Law Firm have the experience to protect your rights, the compassion to serve your needs, and the skills to obtain the compensation you deserve. Our firm’s primary office is located in Miami, FL, although we routinely handle claims throughout the state of Florida. To reach our lawyers call 305-709-4117 from within Florida, call 800-499-0551 from within the U.S., or click Contact Us to complete a form for a free evaluation of your case and to learn how the “AV” Preeminent, Multi-Million Dollar Advocates, Super Lawyers and Board Certified Maritime Attorneys with Brais Law Firm might be able to help you.

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Who Will be Handling my Case?

Your case will be handled by an experienced personal injury attorney who knows what it takes to get the results you deserve. The practitioners at our firm have over 70 years of collective trial experience. Our credentials and qualifications are extensive, including an “AV” Preeminent rating by Martindale-Hubbell and membership in the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. More importantly, we have a first-hand understanding of how insurance carriers operate because we represented clients insured with major insurance companies for nearly 20 years before we made a choice to change sides so that we could help the people who need us most – individuals just like you. Learn more.

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Perfect 5.0 Client Review Rating Inspiring Words from our Clients

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Cruise Ship Crew Member Injury

"I was in pain for a good 6 months, it was just a nightmare. It wasn't until I got Mr. Brais that I really started getting the help I needed from the doctors. You need somebody you can trust, somebody to give you some guidance. They stuck in there with me the whole way."

— Client

I highly recommend Brais Law Firm

"I highly recommend Brais Law Firm. Their professionalism and expertise were top notch. My slip and fall injury case involved a well known cruise ship and was nerve racking to me. They calmed all my fears and walked me through step by step. In the end they helped me obtain a favorable recovery. Look no further, call them with your Maritime case!!!"

— P.C.

Tug & Barge Crew Member Death

"I just thought he [Mr. Brais] was the man to do it. I felt comfortable with him being by my side. The pain my family has suffered has been immeasurable, but he was there with me. It’s not just him, it’s his team also. Keith really stood up for my son. I know I made the best choice."

— Client

I recommend Keith Brais

"I was in an accident where I was struck by a boat and boat propeller. The Brais Law Firm represented me in a very professional manner. I am very satisfied with the service and support I received from the firm and happy with the results they achieved. I recommend Keith Brais and his firm to anyone needing representation related to a maritime personal injury."

— M.C.

Resort Guest Injury

"As we worked with Keith, I realized what would have happened had we just selected an attorney in town…I realized that the outcome would have been probably entirely different, and not as successful as it was. I felt very comfortable going through with the whole process. I would say Keith is a superhero."

— Client

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Brais Law Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® for Admiralty and Maritime Law

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