Marin Law Offices
Editorial photograph of recreational boats and a distant cruise ship in Biscayne Bay at golden hour, conveying maritime injury representation across South Florida.

Boat & Maritime Attorney · South Florida

South Florida Boat Accident Lawyer

Jet skis, recreational boats, charter vessels, and cruise ships. Maritime claims play by their own rules. We know them.

  • Maritime jurisdiction & Limitation of Liability Act experience
  • Cruise ship passenger claims and forum clauses
  • Free consultations in English and Spanish
Start Your Free Case Review Call (305) 482-9701

Maritime Cases Are Not Ordinary Personal Injury Cases

When an injury happens on the water, the rules change. Federal maritime law often supplants Florida law, the relevant deadlines are typically shorter, and defendants (particularly cruise lines) frequently invoke forum-selection clauses, contractual notice requirements, and the Limitation of Liability Act to defeat or shrink claims before they reach the merits.

The Marin Law Offices has substantial experience with admiralty and maritime claims out of South Florida. Recreational boating crashes, jet ski incidents, charter vessel injuries, and cruise ship passenger claims. Consultations are free and available in English and Spanish.

Documentary photograph of a US Coast Guard boating accident report and chart on an attorney's desk, representing the federal-maritime evidence work in a boat injury claim.

Why Maritime Claims Need Specialized Representation

What disciplined boat and cruise-injury work actually looks like.

  • Maritime Jurisdiction Analysis

    We determine whether federal admiralty law, state law, or both apply. That threshold question drives the entire case.

  • Short-Fuse Notice Deadlines

    Cruise contracts typically require written notice within months and suit within one year. We move on those clocks immediately.

  • Forum Clause Awareness

    Most cruise tickets force claims into the Southern District of Florida. We already practice there.

  • Limitation of Liability Defense

    Vessel owners often file to limit recovery to vessel value. We anticipate and respond to those filings.

  • Bilingual Representation

    Full case handling in English and Spanish.

  • No Up-Front Cost

    Free consultations and contingency-fee representation.

Maritime Cases We Handle

From small craft to ocean liners.

Recreational Boating Crashes

Powerboat, sailboat, and recreational vessel collisions on Biscayne Bay, the Intracoastal, and offshore.

Jet Ski Accidents

Personal watercraft incidents, including rental-operator and inexperienced-driver claims.

Cruise Ship Passenger Claims

Slip and fall, onboard medical negligence, shore-excursion injuries, and assault claims under cruise carriage contracts.

Propeller Strike Injuries

Swimmer, snorkeler, and water-sports injuries from vessel propellers. Often catastrophic.

Charter & Tour Vessel Cases

Fishing charters, dive boats, and water-tour operations under maritime safety standards.

Drownings & Capsize Cases

Wrongful death and serious-injury claims involving capsize, ejection, or man-overboard events.

How a Maritime Case Moves

From first call to recovery.

  1. 1

    Free Consultation

    We identify whether the case sits in admiralty, state law, or both, and confirm any contractual notice deadlines. Especially for cruise claims.

  2. 2

    Notice & Preservation

    We send written notice to the vessel owner or cruise line within their contractual window and preserve onboard video, log entries, and incident reports.

  3. 3

    Federal Evidence Work

    USCG reports, vessel registration, captain credentials, and weather data are pulled and analyzed against the operator's duties.

  4. 4

    Demand or Suit

    We present a documented demand or file in the proper forum. Usually the Southern District of Florida for cruise cases.

What Clients Say

★★★★★

5.0 from 50 Google reviews

★★★★★

“Donny Marin is an exceptional attorney. Always answers the phone, very attentive, never rushed, pays great attention to detail, and always delivers.”
N

Naaman

★★★★★

“Very professional and informative. Made sure I understood everything along the way. Highly recommend.”
C

Carlos

★★★★★

“Donny has been a phenomenal person to work with during my legal representation. Very professional, supportive, honest, and will fight for your case.”
A

Adam

Representative Workflow

How a Cruise Ship Passenger Injury Case Gets Built

The Problem

A passenger slips on an unmarked wet deck during a sailing out of Port Miami. The cruise line acknowledges the incident report but invokes its ticket contract to push the claim into federal court with strict notice and limitation requirements.

Our Approach

The firm sends contractual written notice within the carriage contract's deadline, requests preservation of CCTV footage and crew incident reports, and prepares to file in the Southern District of Florida under the forum-selection clause.

The Outcome

The case is positioned in the proper forum on schedule, with documented evidence of the unmarked hazard and the cruise line's notice of similar prior incidents. The contractual posture is met head-on rather than worked around.

  • Contractual window

    Written notice sent within

  • Yes

    Onboard CCTV requested

  • S.D. Fla.

    Filed in

  • English & Spanish

    Languages of service

Documentary photograph of cruise ticket contract, maritime chart, and case notes on a desk, representing federal-court cruise injury case preparation.

Maritime & Boat Accident Questions

How is maritime law different from regular personal injury law? +
Federal admiralty rules often apply on navigable waters. They differ from state law on damages, comparative fault, statutes of limitation, and procedural requirements. The first job in any case is figuring out which body of law controls.
I was hurt on a cruise ship. Where do I sue? +
Most cruise carriage contracts force claims into a specific federal court, typically the Southern District of Florida for major Miami-based lines. The contract also imposes short notice and suit deadlines.
What is the Limitation of Liability Act? +
An 1851 federal statute that allows a vessel owner to file an action limiting total recovery to the value of the vessel and pending freight after the incident. Owners often file limitation actions within six months of receiving written notice of a claim, which is one reason that prompt, formal notice is critical. We respond to these filings on tight federal timelines and challenge limitation where the owner had privity or knowledge of the operating conditions that led to the injury.
What about jet skis? +
Personal-watercraft claims often turn on operator inexperience, rental-company instruction, and visibility. Both maritime and Florida law can apply depending on the location and facts.
Do I have a claim for an injury on a shore excursion? +
Possibly. Cruise lines often try to disclaim responsibility for shore-excursion operators, but exceptions exist, particularly where the cruise line marketed or sold the excursion.
How long do I have to act? +
Maritime deadlines are often shorter than state-law deadlines. Cruise tickets routinely require written notice within six months and suit within one year. Act as soon as practical.

Explore Maritime Topics

Deeper resources for water-related injuries.

Blue-hour photograph of Biscayne Bay and the Miami skyline with a cruise ship in the distance, used as the backdrop for the maritime injury call to action.

Free Consultation · English & Spanish

Hurt on a Boat or Cruise? The Clock Is Already Running.

Cruise contracts often require notice within months and suit within a year. Get a no-cost case review. We will move on deadlines immediately.

Get My Free Consultation Call (305) 482-9701