Melba C. Rivera Sotomayor, Esq.

Associate

Phone: (305) 448-8585
Toll Free: (877) 448-8585
Fax: (305) 448-9818

Practice Areas

Medical Malpractice
Personal Injury
Worker’s Compensation

Melba Rivera, Esq. was born in Puerto Rico and relocated to Miami in 2017 after she took the Oath of Admission to the Florida Bar during May of that same year. Ms. Rivera as an associate at Friedman, Rodman & Frank, P.A., represents clients in the areas of Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice and Workers’ Compensation. She is fluent in English and Spanish.

Ms. Rivera received a Bachelor of Arts, with major in Political Science, from the University of Puerto Rico in 2012. After earning her Bachelor’s in 2012 she continued her studies at PUCPR Law School in Ponce, Puerto Rico where she graduated Cum Laude in 2015. Ms. Rivera was granted the opportunity to complete her legal internship at the Legal Aid Society of Puerto Rico and the Society for Legal Assistance of Puerto Rico. Additionally, Ms. Rivera was awarded the opportunity of a judicial clerkship at the Court of First Instance of Puerto Rico for the Honorable Judge Perez Canabal and a judicial clerkship at the Puerto Rico Attorney General’s Office. During her legal studies Ms. Rivera was recognized with the Dean’s List academic award and was part of the law school’s honor roll.

Ms. Rivera is a member of the American Bar Association and is admitted to the Florida State Bar, the U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida Trial Bar, and is also admitted to practice law in Puerto Rico.

Education

J.D., PUCPR Law School in Ponce, 2015
Cum Laude

B.A., University of Puerto Rico, 2012

Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice

Florida
Puerto Rico

Professional Associations and Memberships
Florida State Bar
U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida Trial Bar

Countries

Bibendum Etiam Venenatis Malesuada

Iraq

Afghanistan

Japan

Qatar

Helping Contractors Injured in Iraq Seek DBA Compensation

Countless civilian contract personnel have been injured in Iraq due to the perils of the job and the environment in which it takes place. You may be wondering if yours qualifies as a DBA injury, and if so, how you might file a claim. Friedman, Rodman & Frank, P.A. helps clients in Iraq and overseas navigate DBA cases involving bases and other areas of operation.

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Helping Civilian Workers Injured in Afghanistan Secure DBA Assistance

There are a number of circumstances that have caused civilian contract personnel to be injured in Afghanistan, but all of them can be similarly overwhelming when it comes to filing a DBA injury claim. Even though a contractor who is working on a military base overseas is entitled to certain protections granted by the Defense Base Act, advocating for yourself and ensuring these rights are honored can be a difficult task.

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If You Were Injured in Japan You May Be Entitled to DBA Compensation

There are many longshore and harbor workers who have been injured in Japan in a variety of circumstances. A DBA injury is a serious matter, and any civilian contract personnel who have sustained such an accident should be afforded the medical care and resources they need. Too often, however, injured contractors are expected to file their claim and navigate the system on their own. This would be a difficult task to require of anybody, but it is even more stressful for a recently hurt person.

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Helping Civilian Contract Personnel Injured in Qatar

Civilian contract personnel who are injured in Qatar are entitled to medical treatment and several other rights that are outlined in the Defense Base Act. Verifying that an incident qualifies as a DBA injury, however, requires that you file a claim and go through a review process. This is not ideal for any contractor who is on the job in Qatar, and it pushes many injured longshore and harbor workers to become frustrated with the process.

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