Florida Injury Lawyer Blawg
A boat fire that broke out at the Sunny Isles Beach boat dock resulted in a blaze that damaged several vessels and caused an emergency dock evacuation as well as an evacuation at nearby high-rise condos, The Miami Herald reported Friday.
Firefighters were called out to the area around 5:15 a.m. as the fire spread from the first vessel to those nearby, causing a precautionary evacuation. No injuries were reported, however, photos show blackened vessels in complete ruin in the aftermath of the fire.
A cause of the fire was not immediately available Friday.
The investigation is still underway.
Leesfield & Partners
Ira Leesfield is the Founder and Managing Partner of Leesfield & Partners – a personal injury law firm with over 48 years of experience in Miami, Orlando, Key West and throughout the Florida Keys. In that time, Mr. Leesfield and the attorneys at his firm have represented countless boat crash victims and their families, becoming among the top leaders in the state when it comes to maritime and boating accident law.
With his Miami office’s prominent location on U.S. 1, one of the city’s most-used highways, Mr. Leesfield regularly posts safety advisories to the public on holidays when residents are most likely to spend time out on the water. Among these safety advisories are warnings about issues involved in boating incidents that Leesfield & Partners has long worked to raise awareness about, including: a lack of life jacket usage, insufficient boater education, recklessly speeding, and drinking while boating.
“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,” Mr. Leesfield said. “Important safety standards must be enforced on all watercrafts.”
Previous Cases
Leesfield & Partners handled a case involving a minor who lost a leg while not being supervised on a vessel.
Previously, the firm represented 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.
Bernardo Pimentel II, a Trial Lawyer at the firm, recently secured a settlement for the family of a young lobster diver and father-to-be. The lobster diver was in the water when a law enforcement officer failed to adhere to divers-down flag laws.
Leesfield & Partners attorneys also have decades of experience litigating jet ski accident cases on behalf of injured clients and their grieving families. In the last six years alone, the firm has secured over $10 million for jet ski accident victims.
In an ongoing case being handled by Justin B. Shapiro, our client was injured while on a cruise ship jet ski tour. In that case, the woman suffered spinal injuries and severe bruising after the tour operator negligently crashed into her from behind.
In a previous Daily Business Review article discussing jet ski litigation, Mr. Shapiro wrote that these are perhaps among the most dangerous water-related recreational activities seen by Leesfield & partners. While jet ski rental companies may market these machines are those appropriate for novice jet skiers, the reality could not be further from the truth. Considerable strength is needed to maneuver these machines against the current, and unpredictable weather conditions often make this a difficult feat. If not done properly, the result can be disastrous.
Jet ski rental companies are a booming business in the Florida Keys, with dozens of beachside shacks operating throughout the string of islands at any given time. Tourists flock to these stands where jet skiers with perfect tans grin on signs and pamphlets. Leesfield & Partners, however, has seen time and time again how these companies fail in their duty to ensure that their patrons can maneuver these watercrafts and that they have understood the safety briefings they are required to give before a ride. The result often involves catastrophic injury to the very customers they were meant to protect.
Leesfield & Partners secured over $2.8 million for a woman who was killed as the result of a jet ski company’s negligence.
Another incident involving the personal watercrafts resulted in over $1.6 million secured by the firm for their injured client.
Leesfield & Partners previously secured a $1 million recovery for a client against a jet ski company following a crash.
