EXPERT INSIGHT 49 letter so the cruise line knows you have an experienced maritime lawyer representing you, and then we request any records from the ship that we are entitled to receive. We also request the surveillance video showing your accident. When the cruise line knows our firm is involved, most of the time they attempt to amicably resolve the case with us because they know about our experience and success rates against the cruise lines. What specific skills and experience should be looked for in the ideal attorney? The ideal attorney should not be the first attorney that pops up on a Google search, especially in sponsored ads that attorneys pay for. The ideal attorney should be experienced in maritime law, as well as somebody that you can trust and that you feel comfortable communicating with. I always suggest you speak to your attorney that you are considering hiring and get a feel for his command of the subject matter, and how you feel you will get along with that attorney in the process involved, which sometimes will take a long time. I am an AV rated firm by Martindale Hubbell, I have spoken in the United States Congress as an invited Maritime expert to address cruise ship safety laws, and I have been exclusively a Maritime lawyer since 1983. I always welcome a potential client to set up a zoom, Skype or face time meeting with me so they can meet me face-to-face and not only read about who I am, but see who I am and get a good feeling of confidence in hiring me to represent them in a very important matter. Often, people simply hire a lawyer who was on the top of the first page of Google, and that is a big mistake. Not only may you not relate to the attorney during the process, but the attorney may also not be the one who handles your case. Can you tell us anything about your own experiences in this area of law? I have already touched upon my experience a little bit. But I started as a maritime lawyer with a large defence firm in 1983 representing the cruise lines. During my five years there I gained vast experience in handling every type of maritime personal injury and wrongful death case. However, my heart was not with being a defence lawyer. After five years with the defence firm, I decided I wanted to be a plaintiff’s attorney representing injured people and family members who lost loved ones due to the negligence of the cruise ship company. I have never looked back, and I have helped thousands of injured individuals on cruise ships. I have handled many high-profile cases, some of which have become the subject of a book, some of movies, and others have resulted in very important case decisions that have opened the doors to holding cruise ship companies accountable. The congressional hearings I testified about eventually led to the passage of legislation to make cruise ships safer for passengers. I am the past president of the Florida Bar Admiralty Committee. I have written articles and lectured on maritime law, including being selected as a speaker at a judicial college where I was a speaker addressing judges about maritime law. About Brett Rivkind Brett Rivkind is a renowned maritime personal injury and wrongful death attorney. Having spent 40 years handling maritime law cases, with experience of both the defence and plaintiff side, he has dedicated himself to helping the victims of accidents and crimes. Many of his cases have been high-profile, representing thousands of individuals hundreds of victims’ families following disasters at sea. He frequently lectures on maritime topics in the legal sector and higher education and has made numerous media appearances, including on the Larry King Live show three times. He has also served as President of the Florida Bar Admiralty Committee. Contact Brett Rivkind Founding Partner Rivkind Margulies & Rivkind P.A. 169 E Flagler St, Suite 1422, Miami, FL 33130, USA Tel: +1 305=374-0565 E: Seainjury@rivkindlaw.com www.rivkindlaw.com
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