Opinion ID: 194680
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: 11 L.P.R.A. 32 provides in part:

Text: In case where the injury, the professional disease, or the death entitling the workman or employee or his beneficiaries to compensation in accordance with this chapter has been caused under circumstances making a third party responsible for such injury, disease, or death, the injured workman or employee or his beneficiaries may claim and recover damages from the third party responsible for said injury, disease, or death, within one year following the date of the final decision of the case by the Manager of the State Insurance Fund, who may subrogate himself in the rights of -6- The concept of statutory employer was fashioned by the Puerto Rico courts to extend an employer's immunity to certain persons who were not technically employers but were thought to deserve immunity from tort liability because of their close involvement in the employer-employee relationship. See Santiago Hodge v. Parke Davis & Co., 859 F.2d 1026, 1029 (1st Cir. 1988) (hereinafter Santiago Hodge I). The courts took note of the fact that a contractor is not only compelled to provide workmen's compensation insurance for his own employees, see 11 L.P.R.A. 19, but is also subsidiarily liable for the premium payments ('taxes') of the workers of a person who 'contracted' with him [the contractor] or the workers of 'a contractor or independent subcontractor' hired by him when the latter were not insured[.] Santiago Hodge P.R., reprinted in 909 F.2d at 637 (emphasis in original); see 11 L.P.R.A. 20.2 The term the workman or employee or his beneficiaries to institute the same action . . . .