Injured on an International Flight to or From South Florida?

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood and Miami are gateways to the Caribbean, Latin America and Europe, and to cruise departures. Passengers hurt on international flights to and from South Florida usually have claims governed by the Montreal Convention. Muggeo & Associates has an office in Fort Lauderdale and represents passengers injured on international flights, including on foreign carriers.

Key Rules for International Flight Injury Claims

Strict liability for accidents on board or during embarking and disembarking, up to 151,880 SDRs per passenger, with liability above that amount unless the airline proves it was not negligent.
A two-year deadline to file suit under Article 35.
Limited places to sue under Article 33, including the destination on the ticket and, for many U.S. residents, the United States.
No recovery for purely emotional injuries without bodily injury.
Older treaties for some routes. A few countries in the Caribbean and Latin America may still be governed by the Warsaw Convention system, so the itinerary must be checked.

Common Injuries

Overhead bin and luggage injuries
Turbulence
Hot drink and meal burns
Cart injuries
Falls on air stairs, ramps and jet bridges
Wheelchair transfer injuries
Injuries during emergency evacuations

Learn how courts analyze these in our guide to airline injury types under the Montreal Convention.

Travel Injuries Beyond the Flight

Many South Florida trips combine a flight with a cruise or resort stay. Injuries on cruise ships and at foreign resorts follow different rules, including cruise ticket deadlines and questions about where a foreign hotel can be sued. See our cruise ship injury and international travel injury pages.

Frequently Asked Questions

I was hurt on a flight from Fort Lauderdale to the Caribbean. Which law applies?

If the flight was international carriage between Montreal Convention member countries, the Convention usually governs the claim against the airline, including its two-year deadline and liability limits. Some countries in the region joined only the older Warsaw Convention, which has different rules, so the itinerary on the ticket matters.

Can I sue in Florida if the airline is foreign?

Often, if the place of destination on the ticket is in the United States, or if Florida is your principal and permanent residence and the airline operates services to or from the United States and conducts business here from premises it or a commercial partner leases or owns. A U.S. court must also have personal jurisdiction over the airline.

Is a cruise connection flight covered?

If the flight was international carriage, the Convention generally governs injuries on board or during boarding and deplaning. Injuries on the ship or in port are governed by different rules, including cruise ticket contract deadlines.

Related Resources

Injured on an international flight? Call Muggeo & Associates at (978) 741-1177 or request a consultation. Montreal Convention claims must be filed within two years, and evidence held by airlines can disappear quickly. We have offices in Salem, Massachusetts and Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

This page is general information, not legal advice. Whether the Montreal Convention applies, where a claim can be filed and what can be recovered depend on the ticket, the itinerary and the facts. Our attorneys are admitted in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Florida; where a case must be filed elsewhere, we may work with local counsel. Contacting the firm does not create an attorney-client relationship. Prior results do not guarantee future outcomes. Last reviewed November 2026.