Boating and Maritime Accidents

With miles of coastline and abundance of deep water, shallow water and shipping ports, as well as a vast network of inland lakes, canals, rivers and boating areas, Florida is home to thousands of vessels and a major hub for the cruise ship industry.  It’s no surprise, then, that Florida led the nation in 2009 in boating fatalities.  Meanwhile, its role as the “Cruise Capital of the World” makes Miami, Fort Lauderdale and the Palm Beaches the forum for a significant number of lawsuits arising from passenger and staff assaults that occur onboard cruise ships sailing to and from Port of Miami, Port Everglades and the Port of Palm Beach.

As the recent Costa Concordia accident demonstrates, cruise ship accidents can be devastating, causing loss of life, damage to property, and devastation to the environment. In the case of the Costa Concordia disaster, passengers injured (or the loved ones of those killed) will likely find that the tickets they purchased significantly limit the kinds of claims they can bring, and where they can bring them. Costa Cruise Lines, Inc., and Costa Crociere, S.p.A., are part of Carnival Corporation, which is located in Miami, Florida. Carnival typically requires its passengers to file suit in Miami, even if their claims arose in Italy or elsewhere outside the United States. Costa, on the other hand, likely will try to force claimants to bring their actions in Italy. If you have a claim arising out of the Costa Concordia sinking, you need experienced counsel who can help you navigate the court system and the limitations imposed by your ticket and international maritime law. The Miami cruise ship accident attorneys at Grossman Roth can help.
Over the years we have brought a number of actions against cruise lines, including Carnival Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean.

In 2009, Florida boaters reported 620 accidents to state law enforcement, with 65 of those accidents resulting in fatalities.  The most common incident was a passenger falling overboard and drowning, followed by collision with another vessel, and capsizing.  As the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission puts it, “[a] large number of these deaths could have been prevented if the victims had worn life jackets.”  Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 2009 Boating Accidents Statistical Report at 3.

At Grossman Roth, P.A., we represent people injured, and the families of those killed, in boating  and scuba diving accidents or as the result of maritime or cruise line negligence, or who are the victims of assaults aboard ship.  Among the lawyers and staff at Grossman Roth are experienced boaters and experienced trial lawyers versed in boating, maritime, admiralty and cruise industry cases and the specialized law that applies to cases arising in admiralty, including the Longshoreman and Harbor Workers Act, Jones Act, and the Cargo Claims-Carriage of Good by Sea Act (COGSA).

The trial lawyers of Grossman Roth regularly appear in state and federal court in Florida and around the United States on behalf of clients from all over the United States and from Europe, Latin America, and around the world.  Formed in 1988, the firm has an unrivaled record of favorable verdicts and multi-million dollar settlements for clients, offering a full range of legal services for their unique needs.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a boating, maritime or cruise industry incident, contact the Florida maritime injury attorneys of Grossman Roth, P.A., today by calling 1-888-296-1681 for a free evaluation of your case.  Or, you can fill out the contact form on our website, and someone will contact you.