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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
On Memorial Day, our client’s young boy who was snorkeling at the time was run over by a family boat operated by a 6-grader while at full speed and on a full plane. The propeller fatally injured him. Despite having a diver’s down flag prominently displayed, the reckless teenager who…
Over the course of Leesfield & Partners’s 42-year history, we have seen a remarkable increase in grievous injuries and fatalities with the evolution of the watersports and boating industries. As water excursion operators compete vigorously for the consumer dollar, the tours, vehicles, and equipment they offer become more thrilling, and…
Diver down flag – Courtesy of diveasia.com Recently, Leesfield & Partners represented the family of a young child who was fatally injured while snorkeling by the propellers of a boat off of Cow Key Channel, in Key West, Florida. Last weekend, a very similar incident took place, this time near…
Every year the Coast Guard, Florida Marine Patrol, and local law enforcement agencies note a marked increase in injuries and deaths stemming from the negligent and careless operation of marine craft and water recreational vehicles. Ira Leesfield, Chairman of the Resort Torts Section of the American Association of Justice, has…