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What constitutes a “seaman” covered by the Jones Act was discussed by the U.S. Supreme Court in McDermott Intern., Inc. v. Wilander, 498 U.S. 337, 111 S. Ct. 807, 112 L. Ed. 2d 866, 1991 AMC 913 (1991). The McDermott court held that a Jones Act seaman is “[a]ll persons
Currently, there is no age requirement for boaters in Florida. Florida state law only mandates that those born after January 1, 1988, complete a safe boating course if piloting a vessel of more than 10 horsepower. Also, Florida state law does not allow a person under the age of 14
A 10-year old girl recently drowned in a swimming pool while aboard a Norwegian Cruise Line ship off the Carolina coast. This event apparently happened while the ship was around 75 miles offshore. Cruise lines routinely do not staff their pools with lifeguards. It is essentially “swim at your own
Last fall, the Eleventh Circuit finally overturned 100 years of legal precedent in Franza v. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. The United States Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals (the last stop before the US Supreme Court) refused to follow a case out of the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
We are all familiar with the rules of the road on land. It’s that handbook you get in driver’s education. However, I am surprised to discover how many boaters are not familiar with the rules of the road on the water. Just like all drivers on land must abide by
