Car Accident Lawyer Before Cruise

Yes, you may be able to file a lawsuit if you were injured in a car accident while visiting Puerto Rico. However, just as it is in the mainland US, you can only sue if you have a valid case.

One of the best ways to find out whether you have a valid car accident case is by contacting an experienced car accident attorney in Puerto Rico. The attorney will review the specifics of your case and let you know whether you have a valid reason to proceed with a claim or lawsuit. Keep in mind that Puerto Rico has unique laws regarding personal injury, just as it is with other states in the Mainland US.

If you do not live in Puerto Rico but have been injured on the island due to someone else’s negligence, you can file a lawsuit in either a local or federal court. This, of course, will depend on the unique circumstances of your case, which is why it is always advisable to speak with an attorney before making any major decision about the case.

If you decide to file a lawsuit on the island with the help of an attorney, they must be licensed and allowed to practice here. In other words, just because the attorney is allowed to practice personal injury law in the Mainland US, particularly your state, does not mean they can represent you if you got injured in a car accident in Puerto Rico. Instead, you will need an attorney who is not only licensed to practice on the island but is also familiar with the local laws.

In Puerto Rico, you have only a year after a car accident to take legal action. The statute of limitations clock begins to count from the date of the injury or when you should have known about the injury.

If you do not file a lawsuit within a year after the accident, you will automatically lose your right to take legal action. Therefore, it will not matter whether the other party was negligent when the accident occurred—you will not be able to take legal action against them if the statute of limitations for bringing such claims has expired.

There is no “small claims court” in Puerto Rico. Therefore, when you need to file a car accident claim, you can only do that either through a state or federal court.

It is always advisable to consult an attorney to learn more about your options. The attorney will help you understand everything you need to know about filing such a lawsuit if you have a valid case.

Earlier, we mentioned that you only have a year to take legal action. However, there are some exceptions to this rule, and that is one of the things an experienced attorney can help you understand.

For example, if a child is injured, the statute of limitations for filing such a claim significantly changes. Contact an experienced Puerto Rico personal injury attorney to learn more about your options.

Yes, you can sue a cruise line if you suffered injuries aboard a cruise ship. However, it is important to note that some cruise lines require the injured to file lawsuits in Miami, Florida, even if the incident occurred in Puerto Rico. This is because most cruise lines are headquartered in Miami.

To file a successful car accident lawsuit in Puerto Rico, you must be able to prove the following elements.

Duty of care: You must prove that the other party owed you a duty of care. This is usually quite easy to prove. For example, in the case of a car accident, the other driver owes you a duty of care while driving. In other words, they are responsible for driving carefully and avoiding accidents.

Breach of duty: You must also demonstrate that although the defendant owed you a duty of care, they breached this duty. This is just a fancy way of saying that you must show that the defendant was negligent, which occurs when someone breaches their duty of care.

Injuries: You must also prove that you got injured due to the breach of duty. Specifically, you must demonstrate that the breach of duty was the proximate cause of your injury. In simpler terms, the other party’s negligence was the primary cause of your injuries.

Damages: Finally, you must demonstrate that you suffered damages due to your injuries. The term “damages” refers to the losses you incurred due to the injury.

There are two main types of damages in a personal injury case: economic and non-economic damages.

The main difference between economic and non-economic damages is that the former compensates the injured for their financial losses while the latter focuses on non-monetary losses.

Common examples of financial losses that could derive from this incident include medical expenses, transportation due and from medical appointments, lost wages and earning potential, cost of medical equipment, etc.

On the other hand, non-economic losses include pain and suffering, emotional distress, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of companionship, etc.

When determining negligence in Puerto Rico, the issue of foreseeability will come into play. For example, in the case of a car accident, the court will want to establish whether the defendant failed to do the right thing to prevent the injury. Specifically, the court will want to know whether any reasonable person would have acted differently under similar circumstances.

The bottom line is that it is not always easy to prove negligence, even when the defendant appears to be at fault for the accident. This is because it is one thing to cause an accident and a totally different thing to act negligently, leading to the accident.

If you have been injured in a car accident in Puerto Rico, the steps you take could make or break your claim. Here is what you need to do:

Call 911 and request an ambulance if you have suffered serious injuries.

If your injuries are not that serious, you should still get checked by a doctor. This is because certain injuries usually take time to show. For example, if you suffer internal injuries, chances are your body will be in shock for a few hours.

For this reason, you may not be able to possess pain. As a result, you may conclude that you did not get injured, only to discover later when the damage is bigger than it was initially.

Internal injuries can lead to serious health problems if left undetected for an extended period. For example, internal bleeding can cause blood clots, blocking the flow of oxygen to the brain. When that happens, the injured individual might go into a coma and also face the possibility of suffering permanent brain damage.

When you seek medical attention, remember to obtain copies of the medical report. The report will contain details of the injuries you suffered, and possible treatment recommendations, among other vital details. This report could come in handy when you take legal action against the other party for their negligence.

Contact Morgan and Morgan for a free case evaluation. One of our car accident attorneys in Puerto Rico will review your case to determine whether there was negligence on the other party’s side. If they were negligent, leading to your injuries, the attorney might help you obtain a reasonable settlement.

There is no doubt that many other personal injury law firms serve the injured in Puerto Rico. However, when looking for an attorney to represent you in these kinds of cases, it is important that you get things right the very first time.

At Morgan and Morgan, we have been fighting for the injured since 1988. This is the kind of experience you need to look for when choosing a personal injury lawyer to represent you. With over three decades of experience, you can count on us to help you navigate complex legal processes in your fight for compensation.

In addition, we have powerful legal resources to fight for you. Our team comprises over 1,000 personal injury attorneys strategically located across the country and its territories, including Puerto Rico. So when you choose to work with us, you will not just be working with an attorney who does not understand the local laws. Rather, you will have access to attorneys in Puerto Rico who are actually licensed and approved to fight for the injured on the island.

Because we are the country’s largest personal injury firm, our reputation alone is enough to warn the other party that you are serious about your rights. Hiring a Morgan and Morgan attorney gives you the confidence to approach a case as complex as a car accident in Puerto Rico, whether you are a resident or a visitor of the island.

Despite being the country’s largest injury law firm and serving clients from coast to coast, we do not charge any upfront fees. Rather, we provide our services on a contingency basis. This means that you only pay us if we win. If we do not win the case, you will not owe anything.

Car accident cases are complicated. These cases become even more complicated when they occur outside the mainland US. Other than looking for an attorney who actually practices injury law in Puerto Rico, you will need one with a proven track record of winning. That is where Morgan and Morgan comes in.

With over $20 billion already recovered for the injured in different cases, our attorneys are always hungry to fight even harder in their next case.

Getting injured in a car accident is painful. But fighting for your right to compensation is usually the first step towards healing.

Ready to hold the other party accountable? Contact us now for a free, no-obligation case evaluation by an experienced car accident attorney who understands Puerto Rico laws.