Florida Injury Lawyer Blawg
A father has died and his son remained injured after the two were hit by a boat Wednesday night in Biscayne Bay, according to local media.
The two, who have not been identified as of Thursday afternoon, were on a seven-foot-dinghy when they were struck by another vessel and ejected upon impact, officials with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission told The Miami Herald. The other vessel is described as dark blue and is about 20 to 30 feet long with two outboard motors.
Emergency responders took both to the hospital where the father tragically died. No additional details on the son’s condition have been released as of Thursday afternoon.
The other vessel did not stop and continued north from the Meloy Channel in Biscayne Bay, The Herald reported.
FWC authorities are asking for the public’s help in identifying the vessel operator.
Anyone with information may contact the Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922.
Leesfield & Partners
This recent boating case is horrific, and Leesfield & Partners extends its deepest sympathies to the family and loved ones of those involved. In five decades of personal injury practice in coastal cities like Key West and Miami, our attorneys have seen just about every injury that can occur on the water. From parasailing tragedies to boating and other water-related injuries, the attorneys at Leesfield & Partners work tirelessly to achieve the best possible result on behalf of every client.
At the helm of Leesfield & Partners is Founder and Managing Partner, Ira Leesfield. Mr. Leesfield has remained committed to promoting safety and public awareness related to the dangers of carbon monoxide exposure, texting and driving, e-bike injuries, driving under the influence, and maritime safety.
Drawing on decades of experience handling these cases, Mr. Leesfield has consistently identified two core issues with boating safety in South Florida: a lack of education and insufficient enforcement.
“We offer our sincere condolences to this family as they face this unimaginable loss,” he said. “With decades of experience handling maritime and boating injury cases, we know how devastating and preventable tragedies like this can be. No family should have to endure the consequences of a reckless hit-and-run on the water. We urge anyone with information to come forward and assist police so that those responsible are held accountable.”
FWC data pertaining to 2024 Florida boating fatalities and injuries shows that there were approximately 685 reportable boating accidents that resulted in 81 deaths and nearly 400 injuries. The dataset consists of 2024 incidents because that is the year with the latest data readily available. During that time, the leading type of accident was a collision with a fixed object. This type of accident resulted in 209 incidents in 2024. From the data, officials noted that 65% of operators involved in fatal accidents had no formal boater’s education.
Ongoing Boating and Water-Related Cases
Partner Justin B. Shapiro and Evan Robinson, a Trial Attorney at the firm, are representing a teen who suffered a traumatic brain injury as the result of a water tubing accident.
Mr. Shapiro and Trial Attorney Eric Shane are representing a young girl who was enrolled in a South Florida summer camp when her leg was sliced by a boat propeller.
Leesfield & Partners is also representing those affected by the horrific sailboat-barge crash in Miami on July 28, including 7-year-old Calena Areyan Gruber, who fought to survive.
The firm is also representing the family of 13-year-old Erin Ko, one of the girls who tragically died in the sailboat-barge crash. That case is being handled by Mr. Shapiro and Trial Attorney Bernardo Pimentel II.
“My heart goes out to the families of those involved in this most tragic incident,” Mr. Shapiro said. “Very few details have been shared with the public, and it is too early to cast blame on any particular individual or entity. Regardless, it is absolutely clear this is an incident that cannot happen in the absence of negligence, incompetence, or both.”
Previous 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.
Mr. Pimentel represented the family of a young man and father-to-be who was lobster diving when he was killed by a law enforcement officer who negligently failed to adhere to divers-down flag laws.
