SportFish

Eduardo J. Hernandez


___Mr. Hernandez has been in practice in South Florida since 1995 actively trying maritime cases, both jury and non-jury, at the state and federal court levels, as well as before international arbitral tribunals.  From 2006 to 2015, Mr. Hernandez was a Partner at a South Florida maritime firm practicing primarily in the areas of cruise line and maritime defense litigation.  He now concentrates on Passenger Accident Claims, Crewmember Accident Claims, and other Maritime Accident Claims and the representation of injured individuals against the cruise lines, cargo shipowners/operators, gaming boat owners/operators, maritime concessionaires, and recreational boat/yacht owners. Mr. Hernandez has litigated all types of personal injury matters, from the simple to the complex, including cases involving catastrophic multiple injuries, cauda equina spinal injuries, cerebrovascular accidents (CVA), failed spinal surgeries, traumatic amputations, and traumatic brain injuries (TBI). Just as he knows the sea, so too does he know the courtroom. In addition to his active trial practice, in the past, Mr. Hernandez has lectured in the areas of personal injury litigation in Florida, personal injury litigation in Federal Court, civil trial practice in Federal Court, and expert witness examination.
     In the past,  Mr. Hernandez represented the cruise lines and other shipowners/operators, but now concentrates his practice on personal injury claims against cruise lines, cargo shipowners/operators, gaming boat owners/operators, maritime concessionaires, and recreational boat/yacht owners on behalf of passengers, crewmembers, and other maritime workers. Mr. Hernandez also has substantial experience in the immediate post-incident investigation of marine casualties, including serious personal injuries, deaths, claims of sexual assault, onboard crimes, and man overboard situations.


    

Education:
University of Miami – B.A., magna cum laude, 1992
Georgetown University Law Center – J.D., 1995

Bar Memberships:
The Florida Bar, 1995
U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida
U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida
U.S. District Court Northern District of Florida
U.S. Court of Appeals Eleventh Circuit

Professional Associations:
The Florida Bar
Dade County Bar Association
Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute (SEALI)

Languages:
Spanish

Leonard J. Valdes – Of Counsel

   Mr. Valdes has been in practice in South Florida since 2010, practicing primarily in the areas of personal injury and insurance litigation.  Mr. Valdes is also licensed in Florida as a Chiropractic Physician, and treated personal injury patients for several years before he decided to become a lawyer.  As an experienced Chiropractor, Mr. Valdes brings a unique perspective to his personal injury cases due to his understanding of injuries and their causes.  It is a valuable perspective that works to his clients’ benefit inasmuch as Mr. Valdes is uniquely qualified to articulate mechanism of injury and medical opinions in the medico-legal context.

   Mr. Valdes is a U.S. Navy Veteran and served nearly five (5) years as an Air Traffic Controller before his honorable discharge in 1993.   Mr. Valdes graduated from Florida International University in 1999 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biological Sciences.  He earned his Doctor of Chiropractic in 2003 from New York Chiropractic College and earned his Juris Doctorate in 2009 from Florida International University College of Law.

Education:
Florida International University – B.S., 1999
New York Chiropractic College – Doctor of Chiropractic, 2003
Florida International University College of Law – J.D., 2009

Bar Memberships:
The Florida Bar, 2010

Professional Associations:
The Florida Bar
Dade County Bar Association
Florida Chiropractic Association
Dade County Chiropractic Association
Health Care Compliance Association

Languages:
Spanish

Monica Lozano – Case Manager

      Ms. Lozano has practiced as a Medical Assistant with added qualifications as a Cardiovascular Technician for more than seven (7) years. In addition to assisting with management of the firm, Ms. Lozano assists in the medico-legal aspects of our clients’ matters, which includes securing medical and billing records, summarizing medical and billing records, liaising directly with medical providers, and the overall organization of client matters from a medical standpoint. Ms. Lozano is presently working towards her Nursing Degree.

Languages:
Spanish