Each maritime lawyer at the law firm of Lipcon, Margulies, Alsina & Winkleman, P.A., has extensive experience litigating admiralty and maritime issues. In addition to domestic maritime litigation matters, our lawyers have international experience against major cruise lines and other defendants. At most any time, Lipcon, Margulies, Alsina & Winkleman, P.A. is handling cases against most major cruise lines and is representing injured persons from many different countries around the world.
About Maritime Law
Maritime and admiralty law, for the most part, encompass the laws which apply to accidents or incidents that occur on navigable waters. Navigable waters generally include the oceans of the world as well as large lakes or rivers that can be used for commercial shipping. These waters are divided into territorial waters and the high seas. Territorial waters are close to land and are legally distinguished from the high seas. High seas are those waters that are further away from land, past territorial waters. There is no hard and fast rule for determining territorial waters. Some states’ territorial waters extend three miles from land while the boundaries of territorial waters in other states may be dynamic and, thus, more difficult to determine. In Florida, for example, the boundary between territorial waters and the high seas are determined by the ever-moving Gulf Stream. These laws governs matters affecting maritime activities – even when the activities may be entirely land-based or do not contain an immediately apparent connection to marine commerce. The federal and international courts have original jurisdiction over maritime law; however, in many cases, state courts also have jurisdiction over many maritime matters. Often, however, cruise lines require injured cruise passengers to file lawsuits in Federal Court within a particular jurisdiction. At Lipcon, Margulies, Alsina & Winkleman, P.A., you will find an admiralty attorney who is very familiar with the cruise lines’ passenger ticket contract provisions which dictate where lawsuits must be filed.
Our law firm handles all types of injury cases that occur on navigable waters, such as incidents involving recreational boats, cargo vessels, and cruise ships – as well as accidents that occur on land during the course of sea travel, such as injuries occurring while on a shore excursion during a cruise.
Legal rights and responsibilities of ships and ship crews are codified in very specialized laws and involve very complicated legal issues such as jurisdiction, international treaties, and maritime standards. As such, it is very important for someone who has been injured in connection with a cruise or on a boat to consult with an experienced attorney who understands these complicated laws. The lawyers at Lipcon, Margulies, Alsina & Winkleman, P.A. include a Florida Bar Board Certified Admiralty & Maritime Specialist as well as lawyers with nearly 100 years combined experience.
High Profile Experience
Because of the unique nature of the industry, our lawyers have been involved in litigation against many of the major cruise lines in the United States as well as internationally. We have handled cases in Florida State and Federal Courts as well as in courts in many other states and have recovered more than $200 million dollars for clients*. Additionally, we have served as lead counsel in foreign litigation where we have selected and worked alongside a law firm from the foreign country. Further, we have handled arbitrations both within the United States and internationally.
Our admiralty lawyers have been involved in major litigation arising in foreign and domestic ports. For example:
- We have handled cases against: Carnival Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Costa Cruise Lines, MSC Cruises, Oceania Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Cunard Line, Disney Cruise Line, Seabourn, Viking River Cruises, and Silversea Cruises
- We were involved in the litigation that followed the sinking of the largest drilling ship in the world, Ocean Ranger, near Canada in 1981.
- Represented victims of the July 1998 fire aboard the Carnival cruise ship Ecstasynear Miami, Florida, caused by unauthorized welding by crew members in the main laundry.
Our maritime lawyers have also brought claims against the United States of America as the owner of vessels under the Suits in Admiralty Act, the Public Vessels Act and related laws. We have initiated and handled litigation against various foreign governments, including the Bahamas and Iran. For example:
- The Bahamian government was sued when of one of its gunboats attacked a United States registered fishing boat, severely injuring a crew member when he was shot in the exchange.
- Iran was sued for launching a Silkworm anti-ship missile against a U.S. flagged vessel in the Persian Gulf waters near Kuwait, causing severe injuries to a crew member from the explosion.
Choosing Our Firm is An Easy Decision
The lawyers at Lipcon, Margulies, Alsina & Winkleman, P.A. represent injured passenger and seamen from around the world who have sustained a range of injuries from severe burns to broken bones and death. We take legal action on behalf of passengers and seamen every day. At Lipcon, Margulies, Alsina & Winkleman, P.A., we help you recover your losses after an injury.
Nine Reasons to Contact Our Maritime Lawyers
The lawyers at Lipcon, Margulies, Alsina & Winkleman, P.A. have been named among America’s Best Lawyers and have been rated Top Law Firm Protecting Seafarer Rights. Working with our attorneys is easy. Below are nine reasons to choose our firm.
- Industry Leaders: As leaders in the industry, our attorneys are often featured in the news, sharing their industry knowledge with South Florida and the world.
- Exclusive Practice: We focus our practice exclusively on admiralty and maritime law, so clients receive advice and counsel from attorneys who are intimately familiar with the laws and complexities of this area of law.
- Landmark Cases: Our legal team has secured numerous landmark rulingsregarding seaman claims and the rights of injured passengers, paving the way for new legislation.
- Free Consultation: We offer a free initial consultation with the experienced lawyers at our firm. Take advantage of our knowledge and know-how by scheduling an appointment today.
- We Have Handled Cases Just Like Yours: We have represented more than 1,000 cruise ship claims and our resultsspeak for themselves. Our attorneys have a combined experience of more than 100 years handling maritime cases and have brought injury cases against many cruise industry leaders including Carnival Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Celebrity Cruise Lines, Norwegian Cruise Lines and Disney Cruise Lines.
- Resources: We offer unique resources to our clients. For example, you can sign up to receive the Cruise Line Law Reporter, download our appand subscribe to our blog to remain up-to-date on recent events and developments in the law.
- Accessibility: If you are involved in an accident far from U.S. shores, you can contact our attorneys from overseastoll-free.
- Location: Our firm is stationed in Miami, Florida, a major hub for cruise ships.This makes litigating easy. Although we are located in Miami, we accept cases from all over the world.
- Results: Review our verdictsand settlements to see the type of work we do and the results we have generated.
To schedule your free consultation with a member of our law firm, call Lipcon, Margulies, Alsina & Winkleman, P.A. toll-free at (888) 311-9929. You can also reach us online by completing our online contact form.
