Practice Areas Maritime & Boating Injury

Serious Representation for Serious Maritime Accidents

At Maderal Byrne & Furst, we represent individuals catastrophically injured in maritime and boating accidents throughout Florida, the Florida Keys, and the Caribbean. When disaster strikes on the water —whether aboard a private vessel, a commercial craft, or during recreational excursions — victims face not only physical harm but also a complex body of maritime laws that differ sharply from standard personal injury statutes.

Why Maritime Cases Demand Knowledgeable Trial Lawyers
Unlike typical injury claims, maritime incidents are governed by specialized federal statutes such as the Jones Act, General Maritime Law, and the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA). These laws control everything from time limits to jurisdiction, to recoverable damages. You need trial lawyers with the skill and experience to navigate this distinct legal terrain — and the track record to back it up.

We Handle:

  • Offshore and commercial vessel injuries (tugboats, tankers, barges)
  • Private boating and jet ski accidents
  • Sailboat collisions and capsizing
  • Scuba diving and snorkeling accidents (equipment failure, negligent supervision, decompression injuries)
  • Jones Act seaman claims
  • Longshore and harbor worker injuries
  • Maritime wrongful death
  • Drowning, electrocution, and fire/explosion cases
  • Negligent navigation, overloading, or vessel maintenance
Recreational Water Activities Are Not Immune from Liability

Florida waters are a global destination for snorkeling and diving excursions. But these activities carry serious risks — especially when operators fail to follow safety protocols, inspect gear, or monitor divers properly. We represent both tourists and residents injured during scuba and snorkeling expeditions, including cases involving:

  • Oxygen deprivation and air supply failures
  • Rapid ascent injuries (e.g., arterial gas embolism, decompression sickness)
  • Entrapment, disorientation, or inadequate rescue procedures
  • Inexperienced dive guides or insufficient supervision

If you or a loved one was injured on a recreational dive or snorkeling trip — whether off a cruise ship, a charter boat, or a dive shop excursion — we know how to hold negligent operators accountable under maritime law.

Trial-Ready from Day One

We are former federal prosecutors and veteran trial attorneys. We don’t bluff — we build every maritime injury case for trial. That gives our clients leverage when it matters most.

Don’t trust your maritime injury case to a general personal injury lawyer. The rules are different here. You need a firm with the focus, resources, and experience to win.

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