Maritime Law and Boating Accidents

Tim Nies and Christian Van Riper are experienced maritime trial attorneys. Christian Van Riper, an avid boater, is a former Florida prosecutor who has prosecuted many Boating under the Influence (BUI) cases throughout his service as a prosecutor. Tim Nies,  is a trial savvy maritime injury attorney and member of the Maritime Law Association of the U.S.

Our lawyers represent boaters and passengers throughout Palm Beach County who have suffered serious injuries, or lost loved ones, in boat accidents, collisions or through careless operation of vessels by others. We are known as being legal warriors and leaving no stone unturned in the prosecution of maritime injury claims for our clients.

As maritime attorneys and boaters, Christian and Timothy know Florida and federal law and administrative regulations, in addition to the United States Coast Guard's Navigation Rules ("Rules of the Road) that govern boating and boating safety. 

The major causes of recreational boating accidents include: failure to keep a proper lookout, boat operator inattention, careless or reckless operation of a boat, operating the boat at excessive speeds for the conditions, boating under the influence of drugs or alcohol, failure to properly seat passengers, and failure to check the weather before heading out and during the voyage.

Among others, these negligent acts cause boats to capsize, collide or result in a fire or explosion. Operator carelessness may also result in skiers or divers being struck by props, passengers may fall overboard, or more commonly may be thrown from their seats, causing painful back injuries, such as compression fractures of vertebrae.

A boat operator must exercise the highest degree of care to prevent injuries to those passengers in the boat, swimmers, or others in the waters or boats around them and we explore this in great detail in every boating injury case. In our experience a large number of injuries sustained on a boat are preventable. Our maritime lawyers will discuss your situation and go over all legal options available to you, as well as work with marine insurance companies, and other parties involved in your boating injury claim to make sure all your needs are handled swiftly and appropriately and that you are compensated for your harms and losses. To learn more about our trial attorneys, we invite you to review our individual attorney resumes. 

All our maritime injury cases are taken on a contingency fee basis, meaning we do not take a fee or charge any costs unless we win.