Florida Injury Lawyer Blawg
At least five people were rescued from a boat that caught fire Sunday morning off Key Biscayne, U.S. Coast Guard Officials said via social media.
The incident happened at 10 a.m. about eight miles off Key Biscayne. A passing Good Samaritan rescued the five people who were on board after the boat’s operator used a radio to report the fire. All five people involved were brought to shore.
No injuries were reported in this incident.
In photos posted online, plumes of black smoke could be seen streaking across the sky as a USCG helicopter circled above.
No information has been released on what investigators believe may have caused the fire.
Recent Boat Fires in South Florida
This is the latest in a series of South Florida boat fires. At least four boats at the Grove Isle Marina, near Leesfield & Partners’ Miami office, were damaged after a fire. First responders were called out to the area after at least two boats docked at the marina burst into flames. The fire caused extensive damage to vessels, but no injuries were reported in that incident.
Earlier this month at least six boats and multiple personal watercrafts caught fire near a Sunny Isles Beach condominium.
On May 14 in the Florida Keys, where Leesfield & Partners has represented countless clients throughout various personal injury cases, a boatyard fire damaged several boats.
On Memorial Day, over a dozen people were injured and at least one person died after a boat exploded in Fort Lauderdale. No official cause has been released, but officials told local media that their preliminary investigation pointed to the igniting of fuel vapors as the cause of the fatal fire.
For Floridians, boating is a way of life, however, these harrowing incidents prove that this recreational activity is not something that can be picked up in a day. Safety on the water is crucial and even the most experienced boaters can find themselves in an emergency. Leesfield & Partners has long championed boating safety initiatives, focusing on awareness and education.
In a recent media interview with an iHeart Radio station in West Palm Beach, Partner Justin B. Shapiro discussed Lucy’s Law, legislation named in honor of Luciana “Lucy” Fernandez, a high school student who died in Miami in a 2022 boating accident. The law, which goes into effect on July 1, is meant to increase boating education in the state while also increasing penalties for boaters who leave the scene of an accident resulting in an injury or death.
“I think these are long overdue changes,” Mr. Shapiro said. “We have seen far too many fatalities and grievous injuries from boating crashes over the years.”
Leesfield & Partners
As a Florida-based personal injury law firm, Leesfield & Partners’ skilled trial attorneys have extensive knowledge surrounding maritime law. Our attorneys have handled numerous cases involving tragic boat accidents, jet ski crashes, parasailing adventures gone wrong, and scuba and snorkeling incidents. This firm works diligently to ensure the best possible outcome for every client and has secured numerous record verdicts and settlements throughout Florida.
In addition to handling these cases on behalf of injured victims and their grieving families, our attorneys have regularly supported boating safety initiatives and education. With a prominent digital sign in front of the firm’s Miami office on U.S. 1 — one of the city’s most-traveled highways — Leesfield & Partners routinely reminds boaters and passengers alike about the dangers of boating and how to stay safe out on the water.
“The dangers from boating incidents are entirely underestimated as South Florida becomes more congested, drinking on the water becomes more prevalent and distractions from cell phones and other devices increases,” said Ira Leesfield, the firm’s Founder and Managing Partner. “Important safety standards must be enforced on all watercrafts.”
Florida Boating Accident Statistics
Miami-Dade County was the area with the most 2024 boat accidents, according to data in an annual report from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. In all, Florida had 685 reportable boating incidents that resulted in at least 81 deaths and nearly 400 injuries.
Of the fatal incidents that took place in 2024, 65% of operators involved did not have formal boater’s education, a concerning trend. In data from 2023, about 80% of operators involved in fatal accidents had no formal boater’s education. There were approximately 659 reportable accidents for that year. At least 59 people died, and 408 others were injured.
Previous Boating Accident Cases
Previously, the firm secured a substantial settlement in a case involving a minor who lost a leg while not being supervised on a vessel.
The firm previously handled the case of a family whose young son was snorkeling when he was hit and killed by a passing boater. The boater in that case was also a minor who should never have been given permission to operate the vessel without supervision. Not only did this minor not stop, but he attempted to cover up evidence and lied to police when questioned.
Neighbors later testified that this minor regularly operated the boat in a reckless manner.
The firm represented the family of a young woman, 20, who tragically died when the vessel she was on crashed into a concrete dock. The firm secured over $1.3 million for the family when it was revealed that the boat operator had been drinking and speeding the night of the crash.
In a jet ski and boat crash, Leesfield & Partners attorneys secured $935,750 for their client.
In a boat case involving a foreign resort, the firm secured an $800,000 recovery for the injured client.
Another boating accident involving a negligent operator resulted in a $500,000 recovery.
In addition to boating accident litigation, Leesfield & Partners have represented the victims of various water-related accidents, including drownings, jet ski crashes, parasailing, and other recreational activities.
The firm represented the widow of a man who drowned while on a boat tour at the Dry Tortugas National Park. The company’s tour guides instructed the man where he should go to snorkel and, within minutes, his body was found unresponsive.
The firm secured a six-figure recovery in that case.
Bernardo Pimentel II, a Trial Attorney at the firm, represented the family of a lobster diver and father-to-be who was killed due to the negligence of a law enforcement officer who did not adhere to divers-down flag laws.
If you or a loved one was injured in a water-related incident in Florida, don’t wait. Call a Leesfield & Partners attorney today at 800-836-6400 to see if you may be eligible for compensation.
