NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Following on the success of establishing in-airport offices, Chasen, DeCash & Moore, the largest player in the field of transportation litigation, has built a fleet of speed boats capable of arriving at maritime incidents hours before first responders are on-scene. Besides the crew, each boat carries three attorneys, two paralegals and two administrative staff. The interiors are fitted with two law offices complete with mahogany paneling and oak desks. 

John Jerriton, the law firm's Corporate Communications Director, announced here today that his company has lawyers stationed at major cruise line ports-of-call in the Caribbean, in the Mediterranean, in Alaska, and soon in Hawaii. "Our attorneys," Jerriton said, "continually monitor marine-band radio calls and can be deployed within minutes of learning of a ship in distress. Getting to a ship in difficulty, sometimes hours before first responders, gives passengers, who are in anguish, the opportunity to begin the litigation process while commotion, confusion and fear are still present."

Chasen, DeCash & Moore expects that fees from maritime incident litigation to account for 10 to 15 percent of its revenues this year and grow to close to 40 percent of revenues in five years. "With passengers having greater access to media reports of their circumstances while they are suffering through them," said Jerriton, "they, with the assistance of our legal staffs, see that there are opportunities to receive damages for issues that heretofore were considered only minor inconveniences." Now, events such as not having fresh linens delivered to your cabin daily or having to use stairs instead of elevators or being denied access to casinos are litigable issues. Moreover, litigation can begin even before a ship docks.