The regular lobster season has officially begun in Florida, marking the long-awaited return of this popular recreational fishing activity. Below are several important safety tips and rules you should know before you head out on the water. Legal lobsters weigh about 1 pound and have a carapace shell of at…
Articles Posted in Boating Accident
Mother whose daughter died in 2017 boat crash calls for addition of rescue boats in Florida Keys following multiple incidents earlier this month
When June Smith lost her 13-year-old daughter, Harlie Smith, in a boat crash off of Cudjoe Key in 2017, she said she didn’t realize how unprepared they would be in an emergency, according to reporting from WSVN Miami. “We’ve spent many years down in the Keys and that day, when…
Boy hit, tragically killed by boat propeller over the weekend
A 6-year-old boy was hit and killed by a boat propeller after he went overboard into a Missouri Lake, according to reporting from The Miami Herald Monday. The boy was reportedly knee-boarding on Table Rock Lake in the Ozarks, a man-made lake, around 11 a.m. when he fell in the…
FWC tells boaters to be on the lookout for divers-down flags following several incidents on the water this month
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission sent out a public notice urging boaters to keep an eye out for divers-down flags in a month known statistically for a high rate of accidents on the water. In their advisory, FWC encouraged boaters to avoid distraction and watch out for divers-down…
Man lobster diving Wednesday morning in the Florida Keys severely injured after being hit by boat
A diver was hit by a boat Wednesday morning in the Florida Keys following an advisory by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission earlier this week urging boaters to watch out for divers-down flags. The man was struck around 8 a.m. off of Big Coppitt Key in the Lower…
FWC urges boaters to turn off boats completely if someone goes overboard following the tragic death of a woman on the water Sunday
A woman died Sunday after she went overboard and was hit by a boat propeller on the Ocklawaha River, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The woman was on a Pontoon boat with at least eight other people around 1:30 p.m. when she went overboard and was…
News of yet another South Florida boat crash makes headlines and is a chilling reminder of the potential dangers on the water
At least one person has died following a Sunday morning crash with a 42-foot boat and a jet ski, officials say. Officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission responded to calls of a crash at around 8:30 a.m. near the Broad Causeway in Bay Harbor Islands, according to…
A slew of injuries reported in the Florida Keys throughout the Fourth of July weekend sets a devastating reminder of the serious consequences of boating accidents
About eight people were injured and one person died in three separate incidents in the Florida Keys over the holiday weekend, according to local officials. The latest of the three incidents happened around 2 a.m. Monday when a Contender boat crashed into the South Pine Channel Bridge, a bridge connecting…
Wrongful Death of Passenger in Boating Accident Results in Seven-figure Settlement
Leesfield & Partners secured a seven-figure confidential settlement for the family of a young woman who was killed in a single-boat accident. The accident happened under the cover of darkness and was caused by operator error. Our investigation revealed that speed and alcohol were the contributing factors to an accident…
Over $1.2 million secured in back to back Key West settlements
In the Courtroom Partner Justin Shapiro represented a family visiting Key West from California that was involved in a jet ski incident and the firm represented the family of a Monroe County Sheriff’s Deputy injured in a motor vehicle accident. Unparalleled Experience and Success Representing Victims of Jet Ski Incidents…