Barbara A. Lee v. El Fenix De Puerto Rico

BREYER, Circuit Judge.

Barbara Lee was injured when' a light bulb on the balcony of her hotel room exploded, cutting her arms and face. She has sued the hotel’s insurance company, claiming that the hotel was negligent. The district court granted the defendant’s motion for summary judgment against her. She appeals.

Appellant’s basic claim is that the court should have applied the doctrine of “res ipsa loquitur” to the facts, thereby finding the hotel negligent. She is correct in arguing that the courts of Puerto Rico use the doctrine to allow an inference of negligence in appropriate cases. See…