"Leesfield & Partners"

Published on: March 24, 2026

Man Who Died in Florida Keys Scuba Diving Incident Identified. What to Know.

An Indian tourist has been identified as the man who died Wednesday, March 16, while scuba diving, according to reporting from The Miami Herald.

Abhinav Lamba, 43, was found in distress by a commercial dive crew on Molasses Reef at around 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 16. The crew brought him onto their boat and performed CPR while taking him to shore. Emergency responders took him to Mariners Hospital in Tavernier where he later died.

An autopsy will be performed to determine a cause and manner of death, however, officials told reporters that they do not suspect foul play.

Published on: March 16, 2026

Key West Adopts Safety Action Plan to Eliminate Traffic Deaths. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

Following the deaths of at least 29 people on Key West and Stock Island streets from 2018 to 2024, the Key West City Commission adopted a comprehensive Safety Action Plan, according to reporting from Keys News.

The plan — which was voted on last week and has been developed by city staff in collaboration with the University of Florida over the last year — aims to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2035. In it, officials plan to crackdown on illegal e-motos on city streets congested with tourists, cyclists and other pedestrians. While sometimes marketed as e-bikes — micromobility devices with their own host of issues that have gained traction over the last decade — e-motos have no pedals, use throttle-only motors, and can reach speeds from 40 to 70 mph.

Data presented paints a sobering reality — while bicyclists and pedestrians only account for about 8% of total crashes in the city they also account for 26% of all fatalities and serious injuries related to crashes. From 2018 to 2024, officials at the University of Florida found that there were just shy of 300 crashes resulting in a fatality or serious injury in Key west. Officials were also able to identify areas and intersections that were a part of this “high injury network.”

Published on: March 9, 2026

Vacation in the Florida Keys: What Happens if You’re Injured While Traveling?

By Leesfield & Partners

Conch fritters, reef-snorkeling excursions, and/or six-toed cats at the Hemingway house are likely the most-searched topics when researching Florida Keys vacations.

As tourists prepare their itineraries, activities for cranky children during drives across the iconic Seven Mile Bridge, and packing lists, the potential for injuries may not come to mind. In fact, it is likely the farthest thing from their minds when they picture sunning by the pool or taking that coveted first bite of Key lime pie. At Leesfield & Partners, a personal injury law firm in Florida with five decades of experience, our attorneys know just how often a vacation can be soured by an unexpected accident.

Whether it’s a seemingly harmless motorcycle ride that turns deadly or a parasailing excursion gone wrong, our attorneys work tirelessly to ensure they secure the best outcome for every client. We know that the legal system can be daunting and revisiting painful memories can seem like an impossible task, however, it is essential in the path toward justice. For many families affected by preventable injuries, accountability helps acknowledge their pain and can lead to meaningful change aimed at preventing others from suffering the same harm.

Published on: February 26, 2026

Four Injured in Monroe County Boat Crash. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

At least four people were taken to the hospital after a boat hit a channel marker in the Florida Keys Friday afternoon, according to local media.

Emergency responders were called out to the crash around 4:45 p.m. of Tavernier where a boat had hit a channel marker and ejected at least six people. Other boaters in the area helped pull two people from the water, according to reporting from The Miami Herald.

At least two of the four people who were injured were taken via helicopter to Jackson South Medical Center in Miami-Dade County and two others were taken to mariners Hospital in Tavernier.

Published on: February 20, 2026

‘One of Our Own:’ Community Bands Together Following Tragic Monroe County Blaze.

By Leesfield & Partners

A Florida Keys family that narrowly escaped a Jan. 19 fire and lost their home in the blaze is being bolstered by their community.

“We’re just glad we were there and we and all the other neighbors did what anyone would,” one neighbor, also a principal at a local school, told reporters with Keys Weekly.

The neighbor was with two others when they noticed the smoke at around 10:30 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 19. Since it was Martin Luther King Jr. Day, many schools and offices were closed for the holiday.

Published on: December 9, 2025

Coast Guard ends Search for Missing Diver in the Florida Keys. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

The search for a diver reported missing over the weekend was suspended Sunday, pending further information, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

Ellen Ruth Domb, 79, of North Palm Beach, was reported missing following a dive Friday morning at the USNS Hoyt S. Vanderberg wreck off of Key West. In an online statement from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, officials said that Domb was separated from her dive buddy within minutes of entering the water. There were strong currents that day, according to the statement.

The 150-to-200-foot dive is a popular one, attracting thousands of divers annually. It is the second largest shipwreck in the world. The former missile tracking ship was intentionally sunk nearly seven miles south of Key West in 2009 to be used as an artificial reef, according to the Miami Herald.

Published on: November 26, 2025

Man Dies Following Dive at Florida Keys Shipwreck. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

A 50-year-old man has died after losing consciousness following a scuba dive at a Key West shipwreck over the weekend, according to local media.

Nicholas James Strazzulla, a certified diving instructor of Inverness, Florida, lost consciousness following the 150-to-200-foot dive to the USNS Hoyt S. Vanderberg. The former missile tracking ship was intentionally sunk nearly seven miles south of Key West in 2009 to be used as an artificial reef, according to the Miami Herald.

He was brought back to the dive boat and others in the group he was with performed CPR on him, officials told local media. He died at the Lower Keys Medical Center.

Published on: November 24, 2025

Two Injured in Florida Keys Boat Crash. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

At least two people were injured over the weekend when the boat they were on hit a channel marker in the Florida Keys, according to reporting from ABC Channel 7 News.

The incident happened Sunday, Nov. 16, when the boat hit the 74A channel marker in Cowpens Cut, west of Plantation Key, the U.S. Coast Guard said in an online statement. The marker was missing from the structure immediately following this incident.

Both people aboard the vessel were rescued by a nearby Good Samaritan and were taken to the hospital.

Published on: November 24, 2025

Ever-Evolving Shifts in E-Bike Regulations Leave Floridians with Questions. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

As e-bike regulations in Florida continue to evolve, riders face a patchwork of questions concerning liability and fault, especially in the Florida Keys.

Thanks to the provisions already in effect with Senate Bill 462, which took effect in July 2025, local governments may create minimum age limits, among other regulations. This allows every city to create their own standards based on their local traffic and safety concerns, including setting a minimum age limit. But, as legislators consider House Bill 243, which aims to establish statewide regulations, the rules could shift once more.

HB 243 is still under review, however, if it passes in its current form, it could go into effect by July 1, 2027. HB 243 would prohibit certain high-powered “electric motorcycles” from being operated by people under 16 and would require a license to operate Class 3 e-bikes.

Published on: October 22, 2025

Children Injured, Man Charged Following Florida WaveRunner crash this week.

By Leesfield & Partners

At least two children were hospitalized, one with life-threatening injuries, after a man accused of being under the influence slammed into them on a WaveRunner along Florida’s Gulf Coast this week, according to reporting from local media.

The incident happened around 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 12, near Madeira Beach where multiple adults were allegedly racing near where a man was riding a jet ski with two young children.

One man, identified by the Pinella’s County Sheriff’s Office as 48-year-old Daniel Patrick Grubert, of Piermont, New York, has since been charged with two counts of boating under the influence, causing serious bodily injury. Grubert was also charged with one count of reckless operation of a vessel.