Orlando may not be a port city itself, but as a Florida hub for travel, its residents and many of its visitors have embarked on cruises or participated in recreational boating charters and may have suffered injuries as a result of incidents and accidents on the water. From the St. Johns River and the interconnected chain of lakes stretching across Central Florida to cruise departures out of nearby Port Canaveral, waterway activity in this region is constant. When an accident happens on the water, whether aboard a vessel, during a cruise excursion, or in a commercial maritime setting, the legal path forward requires attorneys who know admiralty and maritime law inside and out.
Our maritime lawyers at Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A. include attorneys board-certified in admiralty and maritime law, and we have represented injured passengers and maritime workers for over 50 years, recovering well over $500 million for our clients. We are the only plaintiffs’ maritime firm in the United States named to “Best Law Firms”® by US News & World Report on a national level, and two of our named partners have been recognized as “Lawyer of the Year”® in Admiralty and Maritime Law (Miami) by US News & World Report. When your case involves complex maritime law, our experience and track record set us apart.
Charles R. Lipcon
Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers ® Best Lawyers in America Best Law Firms (US News) SuperLawyers Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Club Million Dollar Advocates Club
Jason R. Margulies
Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers ® Best Lawyers in America Best Law Firms (US News) SuperLawyers
Michael A. Winkleman
Best Lawyers in America Best Law Firms (US News) SuperLawyers Top 50 Personal Injury Verdicts in Florida in 2017
Jacqueline Garcell Lewis
Best Lawyers in America Top 50 Personal Injury Verdicts in Florida in 2017 SuperLawyers
Carol L. Finklehoffe
L. Alex Perez
Daniel Grammes
Stefanie Black
Geoffrey Probst
Craig Liszt
Elizabeth Irazabal
Eliana Aklepi
Ashley E. Wentz
Nicolas Lipcon
Kevin Niser
What Orlando Residents Must Know Before Filing a Maritime Claim
Maritime law, also sometimes called admiralty law, governs injuries and disputes that occur on navigable waters. This body of law is distinct from standard personal injury law. It involves specific statutes, strict deadlines, and procedures that apply whether an incident occurred on the open ocean or on Florida’s inland waterways. A thorough guide to maritime and admiralty law can help clarify what rights you may hold, but speaking directly with an attorney is the most reliable step after an injury.
Central Florida’s waterways, including Lake Tohopekaliga, the St. Johns River, Lake Apopka, and the lakes of the Kissimmee Chain, see significant recreational and commercial vessel traffic year-round. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida consistently leads the nation in reportable boating accidents. Orange and Osceola counties contribute to that statewide figure, meaning maritime injuries in the Orlando area are far from rare.
Types of Maritime Cases We Handle at Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A.
Our attorneys handle a broad range of maritime injury and admiralty claims for clients in the Orlando area. The circumstances of each case are unique, and the applicable legal standards depend heavily on where the incident occurred, the type of vessel involved, and the injured person’s role at the time. Understanding which laws apply to your situation is critical before filing any claim.
The cases our team commonly handles for Orlando clients include:
- Boating accidents on Central Florida lakes and rivers
- Cruise ship accidents and injuries departing from Port Canaveral
- Jones Act claims for injured seamen and maritime workers
- Unseaworthiness claims
- Offshore and inland commercial vessel accidents
- Wrongful death at sea
Each case type carries its own deadlines and potential sources of recovery, which is why working with attorneys who focus exclusively on maritime law makes a meaningful difference.
Common Boating Accidents on Orlando Waterways
Orlando and the surrounding region are home to some of Florida’s most active recreational boating destinations. The Chain of Lakes, the St. Johns River corridor, and the many lakes throughout Seminole and Orange counties draw thousands of boaters each year. Collisions, falls overboard, equipment failures, and operator negligence all generate serious injuries in this region, and victims are often unsure of where to turn after an accident.
What most injured boaters do not realize is that pursuing compensation involves specific maritime legal standards, including potential limitation of liability defenses that vessel owners frequently raise to try to cap or eliminate damage claims. Our attorneys are well-versed in countering these strategies. Orlando residents who sustained injuries while boating in the Orlando area or during a cruise, can reach our team directly to discuss the specific circumstances of their case at no cost.
How the Jones Act and Worker Rights May Apply to Your Case
Maritime workers who are injured on the job are generally not covered by standard workers’ compensation. Instead, injured seamen and crew members may be eligible to file a Jones Act claim, which provides the right to pursue compensation from a maritime employer of a seafarer for negligence. This includes compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.
Qualifying as a “seaman” under the Jones Act requires meeting specific legal criteria related to your connection to a vessel in navigation. Our attorneys can evaluate your employment status, the nature of your work, and the circumstances of your injury to determine the strongest path forward. Workers who do not qualify under the Jones Act may still have claims under other compensation schemes, such as the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act. And, qualifying seafarers have additional claims beyond negligence, including unseaworthiness of the vessel and maintenance and cure, which provide for the living expenses and medical expenses of a crewmember who becomes ill or injured while in the service of a vessel.
Why Orlando Clients Choose Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A.
Our 19 full-time attorneys across 7 offices bring over 250 years of combined legal experience to every case. We have handled more than 4,000 maritime claims and have appeared hundreds of times on national television as recognized authorities in maritime and admiralty law. We are aggressive litigators who take cases to trial when necessary, and the results we have achieved for our clients reflect that commitment.
Our firm was founded over 50 years ago with a singular focus on maritime and admiralty law, and that focus has never changed. We have been named to “Best Law Firms”® by US News & World Report, and five of our attorneys have been named “Best Lawyers”® in America. No other plaintiffs’ maritime firm in the country can match our depth of experience in this field.
Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A: The Nation’s Leading Maritime Lawyers
Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A. is the only plaintiffs’ maritime firm in the United States recognized on a national level by “Best Law Firms”® through US News & World Report, and our attorneys have successfully handled cases literally all over the globe. We have gone up against major cruise lines, vessel owners, and maritime employers with significant resources, and we have the track record to prove it. Our 19 attorneys have recovered well over $500 million for injured clients. When the opposing party is well-funded and well-represented, you need a firm that knows how to fight and win.
Contact us today or call 877-233-1238 for a free and confidential consultation with an experienced maritime attorney. We are prepared to put our decades of experience to work for you. There are no fees unless we recover compensation on your behalf, so there is no financial risk in reaching out.
Maritime Lawyer Locations
