My boat sank at the dock a few months ago, and my insurance company has refused to pay the claim. Based on their investigation, they have concluded that the loss was caused by a leaky packing gland, which they say is excluded...
David Weil has been the proud author of the “Ask a Maritime Attorney” column in The Southern California Log Newspaper and Sea Magazine since 2006, with over 300 installments of the column. We have provided links in this section to those articles, covering a wide range of topics of interest to the California maritime and boating communities.
I Was Injured on a Lake Tour Boat. Can I Sue?
May 14, 2010
I was injured aboard a tour boat on an inland lake in California when I fell into an open hatch. I asked the owners of the boat to pay for my medical expenses and to compensate me for my time away from work, but they refused...
I have been working with a local boatyard to purchase a 42-foot sailing yacht that was abandoned in the yard a couple of years ago. Apparently the owner ran up a fairly large repair bill and simply walked away from the boat....
Can I Go to Jail for Using Detergent on a Fuel Spill?
April 16, 2010
I was fueling my boat recently, and as the fuel level approached the top of the tank I stood by the vent with a bottle of dishwashing detergent to guard against over-filling. The attendant at the fuel dock scolded me for this...
y boat has been seized by United States Marshals, and I have been served with paperwork advising me that the action was taken to enforce a claim that a local engine repair shop has made against the boat. The claim is only for...