WHO IS THE BEST BOATING ACCIDENT ATTORNEY IN FLORIDA?
While there is no such rating or award for best boating accident attorney in Florida, if you go by experience you would have to consider Frank Butler at www.888BoatLaw.com. Frank Butler is an 8th generation native of Florida. He grew up on the water as a kid who was the son of a long-time Florida commercial fisherman. Frank Butler worked two jobs while attending college and then law school. Frank Butler has now practiced more than 25 years—representing only claimants, never an insurance company—and has helped hundreds of families recover for boating injuries, JetSki crashes, and cruise ship injury cases.
Did you know the Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute (“SEALI”) lists only approximately 110 maritime attorneys in the entire State of Florida.[1] If you are looking for a boating accident, JetSki, or cruise ship injury attorney this means that in Florida you are choosing only from fewer than 50 experienced attorneys. The reason it is likely 50 maritime attorneys is because at least half of those SEALI members work for insurance companies, not for injured claimants. Also, not every maritime attorney handles injury cases; some work in cargo cases, purchase and sale transactions, and other non-injury related areas of maritime law. Here is a little appreciated fact when choosing the best boat accident attorney for you: When a boat collision occurs in Florida, in 90% of the cases it will be governed by maritime law, not Florida law. Meaning, an attorney who handles auto accident cases is not one of the 50 or so maritime injury attorneys registered with SEALI. It also means this is not the type of work that a car accident attorney does on a day-to-day basis like the attorneys at www.888BoatLaw.com do.
The Florida Bar lists 10 basic rights of clients using an attorney.
Numbers 1 and 10 are as follows:
10 Basic Rights
When I retain a lawyer, I am entitled to one who:
- WILL be capable of handling my case.
- WILL refer me to other legal counsel, if he or she cannot properly represent me.
A Consumer Guide To Clients’ Rights – The Florida Bar
Ask yourself this question: Should I choose a car accident attorney to represent me in my boating crash case, JetSki collision, or Cruise Ship injury case, or should I choose a specialist in maritime law to represent me? The Florida Bar recognizes and specifically states that you have the right to be represented by an attorney who is capable of soundly representing you. The Florida Bar also states that your attorney should refer you to qualified legal counsel if they cannot represent you. It is recognized that not every attorney is a specialist in every field, just as a doctor cannot be a specialist in every field of medicine. When you have a heart problem you do not consult a podiatrist, you retain a cardiologist. When you have a boating accident case, cruise ship injury, or JetSki collision case, call an maritime attorney, like Frank Butler at www.888BoatLaw.com.
SUMMARY
- When seeking and choosing a boating accident, JetSki collision, or cruise ship injury case there are very few experienced attorneys to represent you in Florida.
- While there are many car accident, falldown, and dogbite attorneys, the laws that govern those cases are not the laws that govern boating accidents, cruise ship accidents, and JetSki injury cases in Florida. To represent you effectively the attorney needs to not only know your statute of limitations but also know the laws which apply to your case.
- There are as few as 50 claimants’ attorneys in Florida to handle your case. Frank Butler has practiced representing only injured claimants for more than 25 years. At 888BoatLaw.com the law firm handles cases against cruise ships every single day, and against negligent boaters and Jetski operators.
- The Florida Bar cautions to choose competent counsel who can actually handle your case, or the attorney should refer your case to a specialist like Frank Butler at 888BoatLaw.com who specializes in maritime law and practices in it every day.
[1] By comparison there are more than 113,000 attorneys licensed to practice law in Florida. See Florida Bar Frequently Asked Questions.
