Litigation

Civil lawsuits arise out of disputes between people, businesses, or other entities, including government entities. Civil lawsuits generally proceed through distinct steps: pleadings, discovery, trial, and possibly an appeal. However, parties can halt...

Insurance Litigation Our insurance trial attorneys regularly represent clients throughout Florida who are involved in insurance disputes. After the 2005 hurricane season, delay of insurance payments left entire families homeless throughout Florida ...

First Party Insurance Claims Our attorneys have extensive experience litigating insurance claims on behalf of homeowners, vessel owners and business owners against their insurance companies. We have handled claims involving the improper calculation...

Vessel Documentation & Registration Documentation of a vessel is a national form of registration. It dates back to the 11th Act of the First Congress and is one of the oldest functions of the U.S. Government. There are many reasons to document a...

Cruise Ship Litigation Modern cruise vessels are best viewed as floating hotels that transport their guests from exotic port to exotic port where the passengers stay a few hours for shopping, snorkeling, scuba diving, parasailing and touring. The...

Maritime Personal Injuries and Boating Accidents According to the 2008 Florida Boating Accident Statistical Report, Florida has the highest number of registered boating vessels in the United States. Florida also has the highest number of boating...

Seaman's Claims and The Jones Act In 1920, the United States Congress passed the Jones Act which permitted a seamen injured in the course of his employment by the negligence of the ship owner, master, or fellow crew members to recover damages for...

Diving Accidents and Diving Laws All aspects of Maritime activities have their own special laws and Scuba and free diving are no exception. Besides the complexities of Maritime law and how these laws apply to divers, there are a number of other...

The Death on the High Seas Act When a seaman dies as a result of an employer's negligence or because of an unseaworthy vessel, the worker's family may file for benefits under the Death on the High Seas Act (DOHSA). The incident must occur on the...

The Longshoreman and Harbor Workers Act Modern cruise vessels are best viewed as floating hotels that transport their guests from exotic port to exotic port where the passengers stay a few hours for shopping, snorkeling, scuba diving, parasailing...

Cargo Claims-Carriage of Goods by Sea Act The bulk of maritime commercial activity involves carriage of goods. The most important document used in this type of transaction is the bill of lading. A bill of lading is basically a contract of carriage....

Boating Citations During the Lobster Mini Season of July 28 through August 1, 2003, the FWC documented 109 resource citations, 19 other citations, 87 Uniform Boating Citations, 356 boating safety warnings, 234 resource warnings, 27 other warnings,...

Ciguatera Ciguatera fish poisoning is endemic wherever coral reef fishes are a food source. In South Florida, this includes the local coral reef fishing grounds as well as all of the Caribbean. It is the most frequently reported seafood-related...

Salvage The concept of marine salvage has been recognized by the law since the times of Byzantine Empire. Unlike land based volunteer acts to save property, the person who saves property at sea is entitled to a reward which is generously computed...

Most insurance policies require an insured to submit to an Examination Under Oath as part of the insurer’s investigation prior to making a determination of coverage. A sample policy provision reads: “As often as we reasonably require: (3) Submit to an ...