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Maritime Law: Choosing a Cruise Ship Attorney



How Knowledgeable Is the Attorney About Cruise Ship Law?

Cruise ship litigation involves extremely complex laws.  Some attorneys have general practices where they handle a little bit of everything.  Maritime law is a field which is best not dabbled in.  You need an attorney who is not only familiar with all cruise ship laws which might apply to your case, but has experience dealing with injuries such as yours.  You will need such an attorney for the battle you may well be up against.  You may be sure that the cruise line will employ its vast resources to retain top legal representation.  The cruise ship’s attorneys may specialize in cruise ship law – in fact, they might practice nothing else.  They need to meet their match or better yet, their superior in your attorney.

Does Your Attorney Have the Resources Necessary for Your Case?
This goes far beyond the attorney having an office and support staff (although some attorneys do practice without them).  For a cruise ship case, you need an attorney who will not charge you a dime unless and until the defense pays you.  But meanwhile, there will be costs in your case.  Can your attorneys advance the money for court costs and fees?  Can they advance the funds for the best consultants and medical experts?  Also consider the attorneys’ support staff – meaning the secretaries, paralegals and office managers.  Do these staff members work well together and make clients feel at home?  Do they understand how to manage and work cases like yours?  Do they make you feel comfortable?

Will Your Attorney Keep You Informed Every Step of the Way?
If you do some research on your attorneys, you should be able to see how well they maintain communication with their clients.  Check out what people have to say about the attorneys and their law firm.  Do the attorneys keep clients informed every step of the way?  Does the law firm treat their clients with compassion, kindness and respect?  Does the law firm work as a team with their clients, instead without or against them?

Are You Getting a True Trial Lawyer?
Trial lawyers are a different breed.  They are like the airborne unit of the legal profession, who bravely parachute into the courtroom battlefields.  Non-airborne soldiers are sometimes called “legs” – that might be an apt analogy for those lawyers who have never tried a case.  But you cannot afford to have a “leg” for a cruise ship case.  Your attorney must prepare for battle from the start, and let the opposition know they have no qualms about taking the case to trial.  Your cruise ship case must be prepared as only a trial attorney knows how.

Pay Attention to Your Gut Instinct
Is the cruise ship attorney someone you can trust?  Are they upfront and honest with you?  How does the law firm’s staff treat you?  Do they make you feel welcome and protected from the start?  You are putting a tremendous part of your life in your attorney’s hands.  Is this someone you can relate to on a visceral, human level?  Is this someone you trust to be in your legal foxhole?  If the answers are yes, you probably have a winner - and someone who will do their best to make you a winner too.
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