Maritime lawyers, Admiralty attorneys, and maritime law firms not surprisingly practice their trade-in and around seaports and navigable waters. The Key West maritime attorneys at the law firm of Brais Law Firm routinely handle boating, yachting, scuba diving personal injury and death claims as well as other maritime accident, injury, and collision claims, throughout the Florida Keys from Key Largo to Key West. The law firm’s lawyers have 70 years of collective trial experience, with Florida board-certified maritime attorneys making up 28 of those years to serve and protect your rights under Maritime Law.
The Florida Keys begin at Key Largo and continue to Key West, forming an archipelago of about 1,700 small islands called “keys” which divide the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. Beginning at the southeastern tip of Florida, the Florida Keys & Key West offer some of the world’s best boating, sailing, scuba diving, snorkeling, and fishing.
The Florida Keys are known as one of the great places to boat in the United States. From Key Largo to Key West, the entire stretch of the Florida Keys has something to offer to boaters, and Big Pine Key, Duck Key, Islamorada, Key Biscayne, Long Key, Marathon, Sugarloaf, and Tavernier (among others) all have their own unique characteristics that make them unlike anywhere else on earth.
Unfortunately, with the popularity of boating in the Florida keys, boating accidents are also very common. Commercial maritime accidents are common as well. In fact, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) boating accident statistics, Monroe County has more boating accidents each year than any other county in Florida. Almost all of these accidents happen in the Florida Keys.
If you have been injured in a recreational or commercial boating accident in the Florida Keys, you should speak with a Key West maritime lawyer about your legal rights. At Brais Law Firm, our local lawyers represent individuals and families in cases involving all types of maritime accidents. We handle boating accidents throughout the Florida Keys, including accidents at (or en route to) popular destinations such as:
Regardless of where your accident happened, and regardless of whether you were on the water for work or for pleasure, we strongly encourage you to speak with one of our Key West maritime accident lawyers. While you may be entitled to financial compensation, filing a successful claim is not easy, and you will want an experienced local lawyer on your side.
Many cruise ships also “call” on the Port of Key West. The following is a list of cruise lines and ships that currently make Key West a destination:
Carnival Line
Celebrity
Costa
Disney
Holland America
MSC
Norwegian (NCL)
Royal Caribbean
Silver Seas
The FWC publishes statistics on boating accidents in Florida each year, and each year Monroe County ranks among the counties with the most boating accidents in the state. This is largely due to the high number of recreational and commercial boating accidents in the Florida Keys. Here are some more notable statistics on boating accidents in the Florida Keys from the FWC:
If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a maritime accident in the Florida Keys, your choice of legal representation matters. You need a local attorney who knows the local waters, but you also need an attorney who is intimately familiar with the state and federal laws that govern maritime accident claims. At Brais Law Firm, we have been handling accidents in the Florida Keys for decades. Our results speak for themselves, and our award-winning legal team is well known for its experience in maritime law.
How can we help you? Contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation if you have been injured or lost a loved one in any of the following types of maritime accidents in the Florida Keys:
People come from all over the world to boat in the Florida Keys, and many locals call the Keys home because it affords the opportunity to spend every day of their life on the water. Unfortunately, some people are more cautious at the helm than others, and some vessels are more seaworthy than others as well.
If you have been injured or a loved one has been killed in a recreational boating, fishing, or jet ski accident in the Florida Keys, you may be entitled to financial compensation. Boater’s insurance covers accidents on the water; and, in many cases, boat accident victims and their families will have claims against boat manufacturers, marinas, rental companies, outfitters and others. Our Key West maritime accident lawyer can determine who is responsible for your (or your loved one’s) accident, and we can fight to recover just compensation on your behalf.
We also handle cases involving scuba diving and snorkeling accidents in the Florida Keys. Sadly, these accidents often have tragic consequences, and they will leave victims and families facing substantial losses.
Charters, sightseeing tours, dinner tours, and yacht rentals are common attractions in Key West. Unfortunately, some charter and tour operators follow the rules more closely than others, and some yacht owners seem to think that the rules do not apply to them. As a result, accidents are fairly common—from slip-and-fall accidents on deck to groundings and falls overboard.
If you have a claim involving a charter, tour or yacht accident in the Florida Keys, our attorneys can use their experience to help you fight for just compensation. We are familiar with the unique issues and challenges involved in these types of cases, and we can use our knowledge to your advantage.
Commercial fishing is big business in the Florida Keys, and many local businesses rely on local fishing boats to deliver a fresh catch every single day. But, as many local fishermen know, commercial fishing can be dangerous, especially when fishing boat operators don’t prioritize their workers’ safety.
We represent local fishermen in the Florida Keys who have been injured on the job. Whether you got caught in a line, fell overboard or got injured in any other type of accident, we can help you file for benefits under the Jones Act. If your employer is to blame for your accident or your accident was the result of working on an unseaworthy vessel, we can seek additional compensation on your behalf.
We represent all types of maritime workers injured in all types of work-related accidents in the Florida Keys. This includes captains and crewmembers, longshoremen and harbor workers, tour guides, boat mechanics and cleaners, and others.
Regardless of what happened, you have legal rights if you have been injured in a work-related maritime accident. Our Key West maritime accident lawyer can help you assert your legal rights, and we will do everything we can to make sure you receive just compensation.
With the Port of Key West being a key stop on many cruise liners’ routes, we handle a significant volume of cases involving cruise ship accidents. This includes slips, trips, falls overboard, collisions, and medical malpractice onboard. We also handle cases involving accidents during shore excursions in Key West, and we represent victims of violence, rape, and sexual assault on cruise ships as well.
When cruise lines and other companies fail to protect their passengers and patrons, they deserve to be held accountable. At Brais Law Firm, we use our experience to make sure this happens. Whether you personally suffered an injury or assault onboard a cruise ship, your child or spouse was harmed or you have tragically lost a loved one, we want to help you recover.
The steps involved in filing a maritime accident claim in Key West depend on the specific type of claim you need to file. To find out what you need to do to protect your rights, you should speak with a local attorney as soon as possible.
Yes, if you were injured during a shore excursion in Key West, you should absolutely speak with a lawyer. Our lawyers have significant experience helping cruise passengers pursue claims for all types of onboard and onshore accidents.
Yes, if you have been injured on the job, you should consult with an attorney promptly. While you are most likely entitled to compensation, collecting this compensation won’t be easy. An experienced Key West maritime lawyer can help.
The attorneys at the law firm of Brais Law Firm have the experience to protect your rights, the compassion to serve your needs, and the skill to obtain the compensation you deserve. 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.