Opinion ID: 580297
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: statute of limitations on tort claim

Text: 24 Appellants contend that the district court erred in dismissing their tort claim for mental pain and suffering resulting from the search of Riofrio's briefcase and his being escorted out of the plant on the day of his discharge. Appellants agree that the applicable one year statute of limitations, P.R. Laws Ann. tit. 31, § 5298(2), began to run on February 11, 1988, the date of Riofrio's discharge. At issue is whether letters Riofrio's counsel sent to the appellees on May 16, 1988 and September 23, 1988 constituted extrajudicial claims, pursuant to P.R. Laws Ann. tit. 31, § 5303, sufficient to toll the statute of limitations. 5 25 Extrajudicial claims must be precise and specific in order to toll the statute of limitations. Diaz de Diana v. AJAS Insur. Co., 10 T.P.R. 602 (1980); Jimenez v. District Court, 65 P.R.R. 35, 42 (1945). See also Fernandez v. Chardon, 681 F.2d 42, 53 (1st Cir.), cert. denied, 459 U.S. 989, 103 S.Ct. 343, 74 L.Ed.2d 384 (1982) (letters alluding only to necessary legal action do not make a precise and specific claim for relief). 26 In addition, we have held that an extrajudicial claim for § 5303 tolling purposes must claim the same relief later requested in the federal suit. Torres v. Superintendent of Police, 893 F.2d 404 (1st Cir.1990); Hernandez Del Valle v. Santa Aponte, 575 F.2d 321, 323-24 (1st Cir.1978). In Torres, we found that the statute of limitations on a federal civil rights claim brought by dismissed Puerto Rican police officers was not tolled by their administrative action because the remedies requested were different. 893 F.2d at 407. The plaintiffs' federal claim sought damages, reinstatement, and expungement of all photographs and fingerprints filed in the police department during their arrest. Their administrative action only sought reinstatement to their former posts. Id. 27 More relevant to this case is Hernandez Del Valle v. Santa Aponte, 575 F.2d 321 (1st Cir.1978), which appellants failed to address. In Hernandez Del Valle, the plaintiff brought a 42 U.S.C. § 1983 action for unlawful discharge, seeking reinstatement and damages. The action was brought more than one year after the discharge occurred. We found that letters sent by the plaintiff contending that the dismissal was illegal and demanding only reinstatement and not damages did not constitute extrajudicial claims to toll the statute of limitations. We reasoned, 28 It is hard to see how these letters gave the defendant fair notice that he might be called upon to defend a damages suit, with different issues not applicable to a suit for injunctive relief. Because these letters did not toll the one year statute of limitations, plaintiff's complaint was untimely and should have been dismissed. 29 Id. at 324. 30 The first letter sent by plaintiffs' counsel to Ralston was an attempt to settle the dispute over relocation costs. Included with the letter was a proposed separation agreement and general release. The letter and the attached proposed settlement agreement specified what plaintiffs were requesting but did not give specific notice of the basis of the lawsuit. In fact, there is no mention of a purported lawsuit. The second letter is very general. It states in pertinent part: Since you rejected and found unacceptable the proposed Separation Agreement, Mr. Riofrio has decided to file a complaint against you. We find that neither the letters nor the proposed separation agreement were sufficient to give Ralston fair notice that a lawsuit based on breach of contract and wrongful discharge were in the offing.