Can I be sued in a US court for a condo fire that occurred in Mexico?
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Can I be sued in a US court for a condo fire that occurred in Mexico?
Both condo owners reside in CA. The condos are located in Mexico. The fire was ruled an accident by the Mexican fire inspector. The fire started in an BBQ that was built on the upstairs balcony. The BBQ area was built by the developer in all of the condos. I hired a local contractor to install the BBQ which is OKwith the HOA. The condo including the BBQ was in the process of being cleaned by our property manager when the fire broke out. Is this a case for the Mexican court system? Am I liable for the neighbor’s contents?
Asked on July 25, 2011 California
Answers:
S.L,. Member, California Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
A lawsuit can be filed where the plaintiff resides or where the defendant resides or where the claim arose. The lawsuit will most likely be filed in CA since the plaintiff resides in CA. You could be sued for negligence for damage to the contents of the neighbor's condo. It would be advisable to contact your homeowner's insurance carrier and have the insurance carrier handle the matter. If the case is settled with the insurance carrier, no lawsuit is filed. If the case is not settled with the insurance carrier and a lawsuit is filed against you, your insurance carrier will provide you with an attorney at no cost to you and the insurance carrier will handle the case for you.
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