Medical or Hospital Malpractice Claims

In Puerto Rico, all health service providers (doctors, nurses, pharmacists, physical therapists, hospitals, clinics, etc.) are legally obligated to provide the medical attention required by the applicable standard of care. When the negligence of a health service provider causes damages to a patient, there could be grounds for a medical malpractice claim. In this type of cases, both the patient and his/her loved ones (spouse, children, parents, siblings, etc.) may have the right to receive monetary compensation.

Generally, to file a medical malpractice claim, a claimant has a one-year period, counted from the moment that the injury and its cause are known or should have been known. If a claim is presented after the one-year period, the health service provider who caused the injury may be released from all liability.

In medical malpractice litigation, the claimant is duty-bound to present an expert opinion in support of his/her claim. The litigation process in this type of cases could be expensive and complex. The monetary compensation eventually obtained, however, could be significant, depending on the damages suffered by the patient.

If you or a loved one have suffered, or believed to have suffered, an injury due to the services of a health care provider, we encourage you to seek legal advice. Our office is available to provide a preliminary evaluation of your medical malpractice claim, free of all costs and with no commitment on your part.