Hector R. Rivera
Partner
Miami Office
9300 South Dadeland Blvd., 4th Floor
Miami, Florida 33156
Hector R. Rivera is a partner in the Miami office of Quintairos, Prieto, Wood & Boyer, P.A., and a member of the Firm's Appellate Practice Group. Mr. Rivera is an experienced civil litigator whose practice focuses in the areas of complex commercial and personal injury litigation with an emphasis on toxic, business and intentional torts, breach of contract, consumer protection, debt collection, premises liability, product liability and general negligence matters in state and federal courts at the trial and appellate levels. Mr. Rivera successfully represents clients through resourcefulness and creativity.
Mr. Rivera obtained a dismissal in federal court of a multi-million dollar personal injury case on the basis of forum non conveniens and was successful in getting the ruling affirmed on appeal before the federal appellate court.
Mr. Rivera successfully litigated and secured dismissal for over 384 out of 393 silica toxic tort cases in Florida on behalf of five clients by taking a leadership role in drafting and negotiating favorable case management orders, which eventually led to the dismissals.
Mr. Rivera has significant experience in other toxic tort litigation, favorably resolving them for clients. For example, he represented automotive, boiler, and pump manufacturers in over 80 asbestos toxic tort cases, and negotiated settlements of such cases at levels below national averages.
Mr. Rivera co-chaired and obtained the fifth highest plaintiff's jury verdict in Miami-Dade County Circuit Court in 2000 in a premises liability case and a played a key role in successfully opposing the appeal of the verdict and obtaining attorneys' fees for the client from the defendant both in the trial and appellate levels.
Mr. Rivera is also a resourceful advocate for his clients. For example, he successfully defended a $3.4 million dollar premises liability case through a nuisance-value settlement by uncovering insurance fraud by the plaintiff. Through personal investigation, Mr. Rivera discovered that the plaintiff had filed a suit 15 years earlier in another state for the same exact injuries sustained in a Caribbean Island.
Mr. Rivera also played a key role in the successful defense of one of the five biggest cable companies in the nation to eight simultaneously prosecuted multi-million dollar lawsuits initiated by attorneys general for alleged negative option marketing. All of the cases settled for non-cash consideration before motions to dismiss were resolved.
Mr. Rivera also successfully defended a $1 million wrongful death product liability case for nuisance value after exposing the liability of a co-defendant. The co-defendant, a motorcycle retailer, knowingly sold a moped and motorcycle helmet to a middle-aged lady who did not have a motorcycle license when the salesperson gave her a lesson in the store parking lot on how to operate the vehicle. The lady died in an accident hours later. On behalf of the helmet manufacturer, Mr. Rivera hired a former instructor from the Department of Motor Vehicles, who taught the State motorcycle licensing course, to act as an expert witness and explain the co-defendant's negligence.
In addition, Mr. Rivera advantageously defended a $6 million breach of contract case for a foreign country at an early mediation for $1.3 million by uncovering the fact that the plaintiff had never paid any taxes to the client.
Mr. Rivera also earned a summary final judgment in federal district court for the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser and, in so doing, obtained an award of a substantial amount of attorneys' fees for the client. Mr. Rivera then successfully opposed the appeal of the judgment before the federal appellate court.
The above represents a sampling of Mr. Rivera's achievements.
A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Mr. Rivera received his Bachelor of Arts in 1983, and earned his Juris Doctor from Temple University School of Law in 1989. He was an active member of the Moot Court Honor Society and interned with the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals and U.S. District of New Jersey throughout his legal education.
Mr. Rivera is admitted to practice law in Florida. He is licensed to practice before the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court.
Mr. Rivera is a former board member of the Puerto Rican Bar Association of Florida, as well as immediate former president, a founding member, and former treasurer. Mr. Rivera is also chairman and a board member of the Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce of South Florida and a member of the Puerto Rican Professional Association (PROFESA). He is a former board member of his church. Mr. Rivera is a member of The Florida Bar and is a former 8 year member on its Civil Procedure Rules Committee.
Mr. Rivera is fluent in Spanish.