Key West Injury Lawyer Blog
At least three people were in need of rescue during the spiny lobster mini season, an annual two-day window of fishing before commercial traps are set, in Monroe County, according to local media.
On Wednesday, July 29, officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission were on the water after receiving reports about three missing divers in Monroe County. The group was separated from their vessel while diving off of Duck Key in the Middle Keys.
Bodycam footage from the officers posted by The Miami Herald shows authorities as they approached the divers who were bobbing in the water. Some of the divers had tanks strapped to their backs and thanked officers as they were pulled onboard the vessel.
It was determined that the group had floated about 1.74 nautical miles from where their dive began, NBC 6 South Florida reported.
Thankfully, no injuries were reported in this incident and the divers were later reunited with their vessel.
Leesfield & Partners
For Floridians, boating and being out on the water is a way of life. It is a way to bond with family members, blow off steam with friends, and, for many who operate boating tours and fishing excursions, it is a source of income. Thousands of tourists flock to the state annually to partake in various boating activities and to experience Florida’s ample marine life. With so many people out on the water that have varying experience levels comes the risk of potential injury.
In its annual boating accident statistical report, FWC officials noted that there were 694 boating accidents throughout the state in 2025. This is the year with the latest data publicly available. In those incidents, 51 people died and 437 others were injured. The most common type of collision for that year was a crash with a fixed object, such as a mile marker. Monroe County was the area with the highest number of accidents and injuries. The agency reported that at least one person died in a boating accident in Monroe County and 56 people were injured.
As a personal injury law firm with five decades of experience handling these types of cases, Leesfield & Partners is uniquely aware not only of how dangerous thew water can be but also of how devastating these incidents can be for individuals and families. Whether due to operator inexperience, mechanical failure, or an excursion company’s negligence, our skilled trial attorneys exhaust all avenues during an investigation to secure the best possible outcome on behalf of every client. Leesfield & Partners has developed deep roots in Monroe County over the past 50 years and regularly advises anglers and recreational boaters about the importance of boater education. In the FWC report for 2025, it was noted that more than half of the boaters involved in fatal accidents for that year had no formal boater education. While strides are being made in safety reform — such as Lucy’s Law, which was passed in 2025 on behalf of Lucy Fernandez, a Miami-Dade high schooler who died in a 2022 boat crash — more needs to be done to ensure safety on the water.
Last July, when Lucy’s Law was passed, Partner Justin B. Shapiro discussed the law with reporters and saw it as a sign for increased vigilance and safety on the water.
“I think these are long overdue changes,” he said. “We have seen far too many fatalities and grievous injuries from boating crashes over the years.”
Ira Leesfield, the firm’s Founder and Managing Partner and a National Board of Trial Advocacy-certified attorney, has consistently advocated for improved safety measures throughout Florida
“The dangers from boating incidents are entirely underestimated as South Florida becomes more congested, drinking on the water becomes more prevalent and distractions from cell phones and other devices increases,” he said. “Important safety standards must be enforced on all watercrafts.”
Leesfield & Partners attorneys handle numerous tragic and preventable boating cases. Mr. Shapiro and Evan Robinson, a Trial Attorney at the firm, are representing a teen who suffered a traumatic brain injury as the result of a water tubing accident.
Mr. Shapiro and Trial Attorney Eric Shane are representing a young girl who was enrolled in a South Florida summer camp when her leg was sliced by a boat propeller.
Leesfield & Partners is also representing those affected by the tragic sailboat-barge crash in Miami on July 28, including 13-year-old Erin Ko, who tragically died, and 7-year-old Calena Areyan Gruber, who survived.
That case is being handled by Mr. Shapiro and Trial Attorney Bernardo Pimentel II.
Previous Cases
Previously, the firm secured a substantial settlement in a case involving a minor who lost a leg while not being supervised on a vessel.
The firm previously handled the case of a family whose young son was snorkeling when he was hit and killed by a passing boater. The boater in that case was also a minor who should never have been given permission to operate the vessel without supervision. Not only did this minor not stop, but he attempted to cover up evidence and lied to police when questioned.
Neighbors later testified that this minor regularly operated the boat in a reckless manner.
The firm represented the family of a young woman, 20, who tragically died when the vessel she was on crashed into a concrete dock. The firm secured over $1.3 million for the family when it was revealed that the boat operator had been drinking and speeding the night of the crash.
In a jet ski and boat crash, Leesfield & Partners attorneys secured $935,750 for their client.
In a boat case involving a foreign resort, the firm secured an $800,000 recovery for the injured client.
Another boating accident involving a negligent operator resulted in a $500,000 recovery.
In addition to boating accident litigation, Leesfield & Partners have represented the victims of various water-related accidents, including drownings, jet ski crashes, parasailing, and other recreational activities.
The firm represented the widow of a man who drowned while on a boat tour at the Dry Tortugas National Park. The company’s tour guides instructed the man where he should go to snorkel and, within minutes, his body was found unresponsive.
The firm secured a six-figure recovery in that case.
Mr. Pimentel represented the family of a young man and father-to-be who was lobster diving when he was killed by a law enforcement officer who negligently failed to adhere to divers-down flag laws.
