Despite other kind of lawyer search you are on, one of the them are Maritime lawyers. They are a specialized group of attorney's that deal with legal matters related to navigation and shipping in nation's coastal waters, as well as any waters within the nation used for navigation. Since the area of law is so vast, most maritime lawyers focus on a particular aspect of maritime law, much like other lawyers. Clearly, they serve a very important function in any country with a significant amount of navigable water. For example, a riverside lawyer.
Transport by water is the most popular form of shipping for businesses and governments around the world, and most countries thus have a lot of complicated and detailed laws to regulate it. For example, most countries have various taxes and limitations on certain carriage goods. Of course, many goods are outlawed all together from being trafficked within a country's borders.
In any highly used shipping area there is an inherent limitation to the amount of traffic that can travel through the region at any one time. Laws and regulations are enacted to avoid collisions and ensure efficient use of the waters. These laws are especially important with rivers or other bodies of water that are space limited. It the job of maritime lawyers to settle any disputes between shipping or navigational entities that might occur.
Another very popular area of focus for maritime lawyers has to do with the legal matters associated with fisheries. Fishing represents an enormous source of revenue for many of the world's businesses. Most countries with a significant amount of coastal lands have a well-developed fishing industry. There is, however, a limited amount of edible sea life in any one coastal area, and so there are strict regulations and licenses involved to limit the amount of fishing to levels that will ensure the longevity of the industry.
Perhaps the most dramatic action that maritime lawyers are called in to negotiate is collisions between vessels. Much like car accidents, there are often lawsuits and even criminal charges filed after a boating collision occurs. Consult the professionals are most often a good idea before you proceed to do anything.
Determining who was at fault and settling for any damages or injuries that resulted in the accident is a responsibility that falls to a maritime lawyer. If you or someone you know has been involved in a boating or shipping accident you should contact a maritime attorney to discuss your rights.
These are just some examples of the kinds of issues that a maritime attorney specializes in. Maritime law encompasses a wide variety of other legal issues as well, from shipping insurance, offshore resource harvesting, pollution regulation, and jurisdiction issues between countries. Right now, you should have some ideas about them.
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