About the Florida Panhandle
The Florida Panhandle is the narrow strip of land running approximate 200 miles long in northwest Florida that borders Alabama, Georgia, and the Gulf of Mexico. The Florida Panhandle is a popular tourist destination known for its charming beach towns and many water-based activities and includes the cities of Pensacola, Destin and Panama City. Many tourists as well as local residents enjoy the beautiful Florida waters taking part in activities such as swimming, jet-skiing, snorkeling, sailing, speed boating, and scuba diving, among other activities.
Maritime Injuries to Tourists and Residents in the Florida Panhandle
With so many visitors and residents taking advantage of the Panhandle’s waters, boating and other water-related accidents are a frequent occurrence. These types of accident claims involve complicated laws requiring assistance from an experienced Florida Panhandle maritime injury lawyer. The attorneys with Brais Law Firm have decades of combined experience litigating all types of water-related injury lawsuits, including cases involving boating, diving, jet skiing and other watercraft accidents. We fully understand the complex laws covering these types of claims and are prepared to put our skills and knowledge to work for you.
If you are injured while participating in activities in the Florida Panhandle, you should consult a Florida Panhandle Maritime Lawyer for assistance with your case. Accidents involving maritime laws can be complicated. The maritime lawyers at Brais Law Firm have decades of experience handling maritime cases specific to the Florida Panhandle.
Port of Pensacola, Port Panama City and Port St. Joe
Beyond its recreational offerings, the Florida Panhandle is home to several key ports and harbors, including the Port of Pensacola, Port Panama City and Port St. Joe. Established in 1754, the Port of Pensacola is a full-service port offering 50 acres of terminals and facilities to national, international and multi-national shippers. Port Panama City is a growing port that handles over 1.7 million tons of cargo yearly and provides key support services for several manufacturing companies. Port St. Joe is a deep-water seaport that handles bulk and cargo shipments and offers easy access to rail services, intracoastal water, and state and U.S. highways.
The working conditions at ports and harbors in the Florida panhandle and around the globe put seamen, crew member, longshoremen and other maritime workers at risk for injuries every day. Vessel collisions, loading accidents involving defective cranes and forklifts, and commercial fishing mishaps are just a few of the events that can result in catastrophic injuries. Whether you have been hurt while working onshore at a Panhandle area port or offshore on a vessel, you deserve to receive fair compensation for your injuries. In many cases, these types of accidents could have been prevented if employers and operators had taken appropriate measures to protect their workers.
At Brais Law Firm, we know firsthand just how dangerous the maritime industry can be. Attorney Keith Brais holds three U.S. Coast Guard licenses and spent over seven years working on offshore drilling platforms. As a Florida Bar board certified maritime law attorney, he combines his legal expertise with real world industry experience to provide superior representation to clients injured in all kinds of maritime accidents.
Workers in the Florida Panhandle
In addition to its gorgeous beaches and many attractions and activities, the Florida Panhandle also has numerous ports that receive a variety of shipments daily, bringing maritime employment opportunities to many residents in the area. Because working on vessels in the navigable waters can be dangerous, these workers are at risk for injuries while at work on and offshore.
Examples of accidents that could lead to compensatory damages for injured maritime workers include, but are not limited to: falling offboard while making repairs to a ship, collisions with other vessels on the navigable waters, and accidents that occur onshore while loading and unloading vessels, among other vessel-related accidents.
Maritime workers who perform work on vessels on and offshore are typically covered under either the Jones Act or the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA).The LHWCA is a federal law that provides compensation to traditional maritime workers (such as shipbuilders and harbor construction workers) disabled from work performed on the navigable waters or in loading or repairing a vessel. The LHWCA also provides survivor benefits to dependents if the employee dies from work-related injuries. The Jones Act provides compensation for crew members injured while working aboard a vessel.
If you are injured while working on or offshore a vessel in the Panhandle, the experienced Florida Panhandle maritime lawyers at Brais Law Firm have decades of experience with maritime claims involving personal injury or death on navigable waters. They can evaluate your claim, and advise you of your rights to ensure you receive the compensation you deserve.
Contact a Florida Panhandle Maritime Lawyer at Brais Law Firm
Whether you have been injured on a recreational watercraft or hurt while working in the Panhandle’s bustling maritime industry, Brais Law Firm is committed to helping you get a fair recovery for your injuries. Maritime accident and other personal injury claims are often governed by strict statutes of limitation. This means that if you fail to act in time, you may be permanently barred from pursuing a lawsuit against the parties responsible for your injuries.
Contact the maritime attorneys at Brais Law Firm for assistance with your Florida Panhandle maritime injury claim. To reach our lawyers, you may click email the firm, call 800-499-0551 from within the U.S., Skype BraisLaw worldwide, or click contact us to select and complete a form for a free evaluation of your case.
