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Port Everglades & Fort Lauderdale Maritime Attorneys
The Fort Lauderdale maritime lawyers of Brais Law Firm routinely handle cruise ship passenger injuries and crew, boating, yachting, scuba diving, personal injury and death claims in and throughout Florida. With Ft. Lauderdale and Port Everglades being just minutes North of our Miami office, our firm is well situated to represent clients who have sustained serious injuries in all types of accidents that have taken place in the seaports and navigable waters of the South East Florida region.
Maritime law governs all accidents that occur on the Atlantic Ocean, in the Gulf of Mexico, and on Florida’s inland and coastal navigable waterways. This includes recreational boating, yachting and cruise ship accidents as well as accidents involving maritime workers.
There is not one single law that determines accident victims’ legal rights. Rather, “maritime law” is made up of multiple international treaties, federal statutes and federal court decisions. As such, maritime law is extremely complex, and not many lawyers have the knowledge and experience required to represent injured passengers, crewmembers and their families effectively.
Keith Brais has been a board certified admiralty and maritime attorney in Florida since 1996. He has helped his clients recover millions of dollars in financial compensation. Several of Mr. Brais’s cases have helped shape maritime law, and he is recognized as a leading attorney in the field of maritime injury and wrongful death litigation. If you have a maritime law claim in Fort Lauderdale, you can trust Mr. Brais to help you fight to win the compensation you deserve.
Understanding Your Legal Rights After a Maritime Accident in Fort Lauderdale
If you have been injured or lost a loved one in any type of boating accident, you should speak with a Fort Lauderdale maritime injury lawyer about your legal rights. Maritime laws protect individuals and families who suffer losses in all types of boating and watercraft accidents—both inshore and offshore. At Brais Law Firm, we handle all types of maritime accident cases in and around Fort Lauderdale, including cases involving:
Commercial Boating and Maritime Accidents
A significant portion of our practice is devoted to representing workers in commercial boating and maritime accidents. Many maritime occupations are among the most dangerous jobs in the country, and accidents on the water are extremely common. Our Fort Lauderdale maritime attorneys handle cases involving all types of commercial vessels, onshore operations, rigs, and platforms. This includes (but is not limited to):
- Barges
- Cargo ships
- Crew boats
- Drillships
- Fishing vessels
- Jackup rigs and floating rigs
- Marinas
- Offshore platforms
- Patrol vessels
- Ports
- Tug boats
- Shrimp boats
- Supply boats
As a maritime in Fort Lauderdale, your legal rights depend on where you work. While most maritime workers qualify as “seamen” under the Jones Act, others will need to pursue claims under the Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act (LHWCA) or the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA). Family members who have lost loved ones will typically need to pursue claims under the Jones Act or the Death on the High Seas Act (DOHSA). While understanding your legal rights can be difficult, it is also extremely important, and our Fort Lauderdale maritime lawyer is here to help.
Fort Lauderdale Maritime Attorneys Handling Yacht Accidents
Our lawyers have decades of collective trial experience in cruise ship accident and boating injury lawsuits and Attorney Keith Brais is a Florida board certified maritime lawyer. Known as the “Yacht Capitol of the United States” and “Venice of America,” Ft. Lauderdale is also the county seat of Broward County. As you might expect, the city and surrounding area offers some of the world’s best boating, yachting, sailing, scuba diving, snorkeling and fishing. In addition, each October, Ft. Lauderdale is the home of one of the biggest international boat shows in the world.
Unfortunately, the sheer number of yachts and other recreational boats populating the waters of Ft. Lauderdale means that accidents and injuries are a common occurrence. When a yacht crashes into another vessel, a boat capsizes, or any other type of maritime accident takes place, both passengers and crew members can sustain serious and often life-threatening injuries. These types of cases tend to be very complicated, particularly for yacht crew members whose claims may fall under maritime law and the Jones Act. At Brais Law Firm, our boat accident attorneys are well equipped to handle boat accident cases involving both crew members and passengers. We know what boat accident victims are entitled to under the law, and we do everything in our power to ensure that our clients recover the financial compensation they deserve.
Charter, Sightseeing and Tour Boat Accidents
As a popular vacation destination, Fort Lauderdale is home to numerous charter, yacht rental, and tour companies. Unfortunately, while many of these companies have strong safety records and go above and beyond to keep their passengers safe, accidents still happen from time to time.
If you were injured in an accident while on an offshore fishing charter, sightseeing tour, dinner cruise, or at a party on the water, you may be entitled to financial compensation. This includes compensation not only for your medical bills, but also for your loss of income, pain and suffering, emotional trauma, and other losses. Our Fort Lauderdale maritime accident lawyer routinely handles these types of cases, and we can use our experience to help make sure the appropriate party is held accountable.
Other Types of Maritime Accidents
In addition to the types of accidents discussed above, we also have experience handling a broad range of other types of maritime accident and injury claims. Some additional examples of cases we handle in Fort Lauderdale include:
- Cruise ship accidents
- Fishing accidents
- Marina, boat landing and dock accidents
- Recreational boating accidents
- Parasailing accidents
- Personal watercraft (PWC) accidents
- Scuba diving and snorkeling accidents
Why Choose Brais Law Firm for Your Maritime Accident or Injury Claim
If you need to seek just compensation for a maritime accident or injury, it is important that you choose the right law firm to represent you. Here are just some of the reasons why boaters, passengers, seamen, longshoremen and families have trusted Brais Law Firm for decades:
1. Our Focus on Maritime Accident and Injury Cases
Much of our practice is devoted to representing individuals and families in maritime accident and injury cases. We are intimately familiar with the unique laws that apply in these cases, and we have extensive experience investigating all types of accidents on the water and onshore.
2. Our Location in South Florida
With offices in South Florida, we are located in the boating capital of the world. We regularly handle all types of maritime accident and injury cases, from accidents onboard yachts and cruise ships to cases involving work injury claims under the Jones Act and Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA).
3. Our Results in Maritime Accident and Injury Cases
We have recovered millions of dollars in compensation for our clients in maritime accident and injury cases. This includes several multi-million-dollar awards secured for boaters, personal watercraft (PWC) operators, crewmembers and their families. When you choose our firm to represent you, we will carefully calculate the long-term costs of your (or your loved one’s) accident to make sure we are seeking the full compensation you deserve.
4. Our Reviews, Accolades and Awards
We have received numerous five-star reviews from our past clients. Our firm and attorney Keith Brais are recognized as leaders in the maritime law field, and we have received awards and accolades including top rankings from Best Lawyers, U.S. News & World Report, and Florida Trend’s Legal Elite.
5. Our Commitment to Securing Maximum Compensation
Above all, individuals and families choose Brais Law Firm because they know we are committed to helping them recover maximum compensation. Regardless of how much your case is worth, we will do everything we can to win your case and help you move on. While we have helped many of our clients obtain favorable settlements, as our record shows, we do not hesitate to fight for our clients’ rights in court when necessary.
What To Do After a Maritime Accident
If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a maritime accident, we encourage you to contact us right away. Under maritime law, there are steps you need to take promptly to protect your legal rights. Attorney Keith Brais handles cases involving accidents in and around Fort Lauderdale, cruise ship injury and death claims involving Atlantic and Caribbean itineraries, and claims involving all types of on-the-job maritime accidents. When you contact us, we will arrange for you to speak with Mr. Brais in confidence as soon as possible, and he will walk you through everything you need to know about recovering just compensation.
FAQs: Maritime Accident, Injury and Wrongful Death Claims in Fort Lauderdale
What Are My Rights if I Was Injured in a Boat Accident in Fort Lauderdale?
If you were injured in a boating accident in Fort Lauderdale, your rights depend on who (or what) caused the accident. For example, if another boater caused the accident, you should have a claim under the boater’s insurance policy (if the boater has coverage). If your accident was the result of a mechanical issue, the boat’s manufacturer, a marina that serviced the boat or various other companies could be liable. Our Fort Lauderdale boat accident lawyer can assess your legal rights and pursue all available claims on your behalf.
What Are My Rights if I Was Hurt in a Maritime Work Accident in Fort Lauderdale?
If you were injured in a maritime work accident in Fort Lauderdale, your rights depend primarily on your occupation, where you work, and how you got injured. In any case, you should be able to file a claim for “no-fault” benefits—whether under the Jones Act, LHWCA or OCSLA. But, you may be entitled to additional compensation as well, and you will want to hire an experienced Fort Lauderdale maritime attorney to help make sure you receive the full compensation you deserve.
Should I Hire a Lawyer in Fort Lauderdale if I Was Injured on a Cruise Ship that Departed Port Everglades?
Yes, if you have been injured on a cruise ship, you should absolutely speak with a lawyer about your legal rights—and you will want to speak with a Fort Lauderdale cruise ship injury attorney if the ship departed from Port Everglades. Our firm has significant experience handling claims against cruise lines operating out of Port Everglades, and we can use this experience to your advantage.
Injured in Fort Lauderdale or at Port Everglades? Discuss Your Injury Claim With Our Fort Lauderdale Maritime Attorneys
If you are a passenger or a crew member who has been injured in a yacht, recreational boating, cruise ship, or other maritime accident at Port Everglades or anywhere else in the Ft. Lauderdale area, the attorneys at Brais Law Firm can help. Our lawyers are seasoned professionals who have the knowledge and resources to help you obtain maximum compensation for your injuries. Call our law offices today at 800-499-0551 or complete our online contact form to schedule a free consultation with our Fort Lauderdale maritime attorneys.
