Admiralty & Maritime Defense

Defending the Reserve
From Port to Port.

Port-to-port litigation support from claim through trial to high seas appeal. More than an eDiscovery vendor specializing in maritime defense, our dedicated team is here to support you from start to finish.

VDR Playback // 24-11-04 LAT: 25.7617° N | LON: 80.1918° W

● Live Analysis

packet_id: 8493
speed: 18.4 kts
heading: 142°
engine_load: 82%

⚠ Anomalous G-Force

✓ Crew Log Match

Automated Insight Detected

Movement pattern contradicts deposition testimony at timestamp 14:02:00. Impeachment Data Ready.

Strategic Admiralty Defense

Malingering is
A Digital Footprint.

The crew member claims permanent disability from a slip on the Lido Deck, yet WiFi logs show them moving between decks 4 and 11. We don’t just rely on testimony; we compel the shipboard data.

■ VDR & CCTV Extraction: Forensic preservation of bridge audio and surveillance footage before it is overwritten.
■ Maintenance & Cure Audit: Algorithmic detection of inflated foreign medical billing and repatriation abuse.
■ Biometric Correlation: Matching claimed injury dates against wearable data and ship access logs.

The “Phantom” Incident

We cross-reference the Official Logbook and Deck Logs against digital keycard access to disprove the timeline of alleged unwitnessed accidents.

Jurisdictional Strategy

We analyze plaintiff sentiment to support arguments for Forum Non Conveniens, moving cases from favorable US venues back to contract-stipulated jurisdictions.

P&I Club Intelligence

Defense Briefings

Jones Act Defense

The “Bedridden” Bosun

Case Study: Using shipboard WiFi access logs and shore leave transactions to invalidate a “permanent disability” claim in a $3M Jones Act demand.

Read Case Study →

Maintenance & Cure

The Repatriation Bundle

Case Study: Detecting inflated “repatriation coordination fees” and unbundled medical services in foreign ports of call.

Read Analysis →

Passenger Claims

Class Action Mitigation

Using longitudinal social sentiment analysis to counter “Reptile Theory” tactics in a Norovirus outbreak class action.

Read Briefing →

Preserve the Policy Limits.

Maritime discovery involves massive datasets, but standard hosting models are inefficient. Paying monthly fees on dormant files destroys the Combined Ratio. We offer 30 Days of Zero-Cost Hosting for initial case assessment.

DATA VOLUME (GB) 500 GB

50 GB 5,000 GB

Standard eDiscovery Cost

$9,000

Based on avg $18/GB/mo (Active Hosting)

Maritime Litigation Lab Savings

$0

30 Days Free Hosting

Total Avoided Cost: $9,000

Assign a Matter

Priority intake for P&I Clubs and Maritime Panel Counsel.

Jones Act • Fraud

Case Study: The “Disabled” Bosun

Outcome: Summary Judgment Saved: $3,000,000

The Claim: A 34-year-old Bosun alleged a “career-ending” L5-S1 lumbar herniation following a heavy weather incident. The demand under the Jones Act was $3M for lost future wages and “maintenance and cure,” claiming total inability to walk without assistance.

The Digital Discovery

Shipboard surveillance was overwritten after 30 days, a common issue. However, we issued targeted discovery for the claimant’s digital footprint on board.

We successfully compelled the production of:

Shipboard WiFi Logs: MAC address triangulation showed the claimant’s device moving rapidly between Deck 3 (Crew Mess) and Deck 11 (Pool) during reported “bed rest” periods.
Shore Leave Transactions: Credit card metadata placed the claimant at a nightclub in Cozumel at 2:00 AM, 48 hours after the alleged incident.
Social Scrapes: Geo-tagged imagery from a “burner” social account showed the claimant jet-skiing during medical leave.

The Impeachment

We visualized this data on a timeline against the deposition transcript. Faced with the WiFi triangulation data proving mobility inconsistent with the injury, the plaintiff’s counsel agreed to a nuisance value settlement to avoid a counter-claim for fraud.

Maintenance & Cure • Auditing

Case Study: The “Repatriation” Bundle

Focus: Foreign Medical Audit Reduction: 55% of Cure

Under general maritime law, the shipowner is liable for “Maintenance and Cure” until maximum medical improvement (MMI). In this matter, a foreign clinic submitted a bill for $145,000 for emergency surgery and repatriation of a crew member.

The Algorithm: International Benchmark Pricing

Our system flagged the ledger against regional medical cost benchmarks in the Caribbean port of call.

Unbundling: The clinic billed separately for “Air Ambulance Coordination” and “Medical Escort,” services that were contractually included in the primary transport fee.
Upcoding: The surgical procedure was billed at US-based CPT rates ($$$) rather than the local prevailing rate ($).
Currency Arbitrage: The bill attempted to lock in a currency exchange rate from the date of admission (during a spike) rather than the date of payment.

We generated a Rebuttal Report utilizing local admiralty precedents regarding “reasonable” Cure. The provider accepted a revised payment of $65,250.

Passenger Claims • Class Action

Case Study: Defusing the Norovirus Class

Plaintiff attorneys often use “Reptile Theory” to suggest a cruise line prioritized profits over safety, triggering a jury’s fear response. In a recent class action regarding a viral outbreak, the plaintiffs alleged the ship was “a floating petri dish.”

Sentiment Mapping as Evidence

We executed a longitudinal sentiment analysis of the lead plaintiffs’ digital footprints during the cruise.

The Findings

“The data showed Positive Sentiment scores, with plaintiffs posting photos of ‘Best Vacation Ever’ during the alleged outbreak period.”

We provided a “Sentiment Profile” including:

Lexical Frequency: High usage of words related to “joy” and “fun” during days they claimed to be confined to quarters.
Activity Heatmaps: Social check-ins at crowded ship bars contradicting claims of fear and isolation.

Result: This data was used to challenge the class certification, fragmenting the class into individual claims which were settled for nominal amounts.

Data Governance

Privacy Policy & Chain of Custody

Effective Date: September 1, 2025

Maritime Litigation Lab (“Service Provider”) operates as a specialized forensic data processor for P&I Clubs, Maritime Defense Counsel, and Vessel Owners. We acknowledge that the data we process—including Voyage Data Recorder (VDR) extracts, Crew Medical Files, and Shipboard Surveillance—is highly sensitive, privileged, and subject to strict regulatory oversight including GDPR and HIPAA.

1. Service Provider Designation

For purposes of the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), we act solely as a “Data Processor” (Service Provider). We process personal information only on behalf of our clients (The “Data Controllers”) pursuant to written Master Service Agreements. We do not sell, rent, or trade data to third parties.

2. Protected Health Information (PHI) & HIPAA

In the context of Jones Act and Maintenance & Cure audits, we frequently process Protected Health Information (PHI). We execute Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) with all covered entities. Our infrastructure utilizes:

✔ At-Rest Encryption: AES-256 encryption for all medical ledgers and crew files.
✔ Access Controls: Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) ensuring only assigned forensic auditors can view unredacted medical narratives.

3. Forensic Chain of Custody

To ensure the admissibility of digital evidence in Federal Court or Arbitration, we maintain a strict digital Chain of Custody:

“All VDR and CCTV data ingestion is hashed (SHA-256) upon receipt. Any subsequent processing or format conversion is logged in an immutable audit trail to prevent spoliation arguments.”

Engagement Terms

Terms & Conditions

1. Nature of Services

Maritime Litigation Lab provides technical litigation support, data forensics, and claims analytics. We are not a law firm and do not provide legal advice. Our reports, audits, and analytics constitute Consulting Expert work product intended to assist retained counsel in case assessment and strategy.

2. Attorney Work Product Doctrine

It is the express intent of the parties that all data analysis, visualizations, and communications generated by our platform be treated as confidential Attorney Work Product prepared in anticipation of litigation. Users are responsible for maintaining this privilege by limiting platform access to essential legal team members and insurers.

3. Limitation of Liability

The Service is provided “AS IS.” While we utilize industry-standard forensic tools to analyze VDR and Biometric data, Maritime Litigation Lab does not guarantee the admissibility of any specific piece of evidence. The final decision regarding the use of our data in Summary Judgment motions or Trial lies solely with the retained Counsel.

4. Hosting & Data Retention

30-Day Complimentary Hosting: As part of our “Policy Limit Preservation” initiative, we offer 30 days of free active hosting for VDR/CCTV datasets. After 30 days, standard eDiscovery hosting rates apply. We reserve the right to delete data after 30 days of account inactivity if no retention agreement is in place.

Inclusion

Accessibility Statement

WCAG 2.1 AA

Maritime Litigation Lab is committed to ensuring digital accessibility for all users, including claims professionals, adjusters, and legal counsel with disabilities. We recognize that efficient review of discovery materials requires an interface that is perceptible, operable, and robust.

Conformance Status

We strictly adhere to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA. Our specific focus areas for legal review include:

Contrast Ratios: Our “Admiralty Blue” and “Safety Orange” palette meets the 4.5:1 contrast ratio requirement for text, ensuring readability of complex data logs.
Keyboard Navigation: All forensic dashboards and document viewers are fully navigable via keyboard, supporting professionals who rely on alternative input devices.

Defending the ReserveFrom Port to Port.