Boating Fatality

In yet another tragic boating accident, a Hialeah man and father of four young girls, died after his jet boat collided with a dock and seawall near Pelican Harbor in Miami, Florida.

It appears that the operator of the jet boat lost control near Pelican Harbor just off the 79th Street Causeway.

The decedent was ferrying friends from Pelican Harbor marina to a small island nearby when he hit a dock on the island, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. After impacting the dock, the jet boat slammed into the seawall near the marina near the 79th Street Causeway at a high rate of speed. The operator who was the only one on the vessel at the time, was thrown from the boat. He was later found by drivers on the bottom of Biscayne Bay.

In 2013, Miami-Dade had four fatalities according to the Fish and Wildlife Commission. There were 104 boating accidents and 50 injuries. The number of fatalities in 2014 is even higher.

Boating accidents in South Florida are a huge problem. Between the effects of alcohol and the inexperience of some boaters, the rate of the boating accidents seems to be increasing with the passing of each year. For some reason, many boaters seem to believe that it is acceptable to operate their boat in Biscayne Bay while consuming a six-pack. The marine patrol needs to consider stricter enforcement of Boating under the Influence (BUI) laws. In a similar vein, maybe the State of Florida should consider an advertising campaign to remind boaters to not engage in what should be an obviously dangerous activity — operating your boat while drunk. Also the Coast Guard Auxillary should be commended for their educational project concerning boating safety.

With over 50 years of collective service to the South Florida community, the Fort Lauderdale, Florida, personal injury lawyers at The Law Firm have helped thousands of clients to obtain money compensation for their personal injury and wrongful death claims.

All of the firm’s partners have received the prestigious “AV” rating from Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, which is a recognition by their peers in the legal community that their practice meets the highest professional and ethical standards.

FBI closes investigative file in cruise ship death

The FBI concluded its investigation into the death of a woman who fell from a cruise ship because there was not sufficient evidence to prove a crime was committed.

The FBI said the agency had been looking into what happened on Christmas night 2008 when a 36-year-old woman allegedly fell from a balcony of the Miami-based Norwegian
“Pearl.”

The woman and her husband, were celebrating their first wedding anniversary. The Cost Guard conducted a search but her body was never recovered.

Various incidents have occurred in the past where passengers have either fallen or even forced overboard from balconies on cruise ships. Obviously, under these circumstances, it is very difficult to investigate given these tragedies to determine the cause. Occasionally, in the past, cruise lines do not immediately initiate a criminal investigation which it makes it even more difficult to determine what happened. Many of the larger cruise ships have thousands of people and violent crimes can happen. If something does happen, you should report these right away to the ship’s security officer. If the crime is significant, and you are not satisfied with the way the ship handled the claim, you should contact the appropriate legal authority.

With over 50 years of collective service to the South Florida community, the Hollywood, Florida, personal injury lawyers at The Law Firm have helped thousands of clients to obtain money compensation for their personal injury and wrongful death claims

All of the firm’s partners have received the prestigious “AV” rating from Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, which is a recognition by their peers in the legal community that their practice meets the highest professional and ethical standards.