--- title: "Luis Botet v. Hugo Perez Raymundo: $186K Miami Jury Verdict" meta: "og:description": "A Miami-Dade jury awarded Luis Botet $186,735 for injuries sustained in a 2023 multi-vehicle crash involving a vehicle owner’s vicarious liability. " "og:title": "Luis Botet v. Hugo Perez Raymundo: $186K Miami Jury Verdict" description: "A Miami-Dade jury awarded Luis Botet $186,735 for injuries sustained in a 2023 multi-vehicle crash involving a vehicle owner’s vicarious liability. " --- February 20, 2026 # **Luis Botet v. Hugo Perez Raymundo: $186K Miami Jury Verdict** A Miami-Dade jury awarded Luis Botet $186,735 for injuries sustained in a 2023 multi-vehicle crash involving a vehicle owner’s vicarious liability. [**Motor Vehicle Accident**](https://exlitem.com/jury-verdict/luis-botet-v-hugo-perez-raymundo-186k-miami-jury-verdict/jury-verdict/category/motor-vehicle-accident) [**Personal Injury**](https://exlitem.com/jury-verdict/luis-botet-v-hugo-perez-raymundo-186k-miami-jury-verdict/jury-verdict/category/personal-injury) ### **Outline** Author ![](https://media.jurimatic.com/cdn-cgi/image/q=70/profile_images/shared_image_1.webp) **Sohini Chakraborty****Sohini Chakraborty is a lawyer, with over two years of experience in legal research and analysis. She specializes in working closely with expert witnesses, offering critical support in preparing legal research and detailed case studies.** ![Article Image](https://media.jurimatic.com/cdn-cgi/image/q=70/images/Luis_Botet.webp) On March 22, 2023, Luis Botet filed a lawsuit against Hugo Pedro Perez Raymundo and Jose Emmanuel Alvarado following a four-vehicle collision at State Road 821 and SW 120th Street in Miami-Dade County. Botet alleged that Raymundo’s negligent operation of a vehicle owned by Alvarado caused him permanent bodily injury, mental anguish, and significant medical expenses. The defense argued that Botet was comparatively negligent, failed to wear a seatbelt, and did not meet the permanent injury threshold required by Florida’s no-fault laws. After a multi-year legal battle, a jury returned a verdict on November 10, 2025, awarding Botet $130,735 for past medical expenses and $50,000 for pain and suffering, totaling $180,735 in damages. ## **Case Background** The legal dispute began on March 22, 2023, when Luis Botet filed a personal injury lawsuit in the 11th Judicial Circuit Court of Miami-Dade County. The case originated from a multi-vehicle traffic collision on State Road 821 near SW 120th Street. ### **Cause** Botet alleged that Hugo Pedro Perez Raymundo operated a motor vehicle negligently, which triggered a crash involving four different vehicles. While Raymundo drove the car, the vehicle belonged to Jose Emmanuel Alvarado. Under Florida law, Botet claimed Alvarado shared responsibility for the crash because he owned the "dangerous instrumentality" and allowed Raymundo to drive it. ### **Injury** The collision caused Botet to suffer significant bodily injuries. He reported persistent physical pain, mental anguish, and a loss of his general capacity to enjoy life. Beyond immediate suffering, the crash aggravated pre-existing health conditions and resulted in substantial expenses for hospitalization and nursing care. Botet stated these losses were permanent, affecting his ability to earn a living in the future. **Damages Sought** Botet sought compensation exceeding $30,000 to cover his medical bills, lost wages, and non-economic losses like pain and suffering. He specifically demanded a trial by jury to determine the full value of the harm he endured. ## **Key Arguments and Proceedings** The litigation lasted over two years, moving from the initial complaint in early 2023 to a jury verdict in late 2025. During this time, the Defendants challenged the merits of Botet's claims and his right to recover damages. ### **Legal Representation** **Plaintiff(s):** Luis Botet. - **Counsel for Plaintiff(s):** Darren Aponte **Defendant(s):** Hugo Pedro Perez Raymundo (Driver) | Josue Emmanuel Alvarado (Owner). - **Counsel for Defendant(s):** Alexander Alvarez | Anamari C. Del Rio | Mickey J. Bahr ## **Key Arguments or Remarks by Counsel** Alvarado’s legal team argued that the lawsuit contained factual errors, noting that the complaint even failed to identify the owner’s first name correctly. They contended that Botet bore the primary responsibility for the accident because he failed to exercise reasonable care while driving. The defense also highlighted that Botet had not reached the "permanent injury threshold" required under Florida's no-fault laws to qualify for non-economic damages like pain and suffering. ### **Claims** The Plaintiff’s case rested on two primary legal theories. First, Raymundo had breached his duty to the public by failing to maintain a safe distance or control his vehicle, which directly caused the four-car pileup. Second, because a car is considered a dangerous tool, Alvarado was vicariously liable for any damage Raymundo caused while using the vehicle with Alvarado's permission. ### **Defense** The Defendants presented eighteen separate affirmative defenses to block or reduce the payout. They argued that the "Doctrine of Comparative Negligence" applied, meaning any award should be slashed by the percentage of fault Botet contributed to the crash. Furthermore, they claimed Botet failed to wear a seatbelt, which would have minimized his injuries. They also asserted that third parties or an "Act of God" might have actually caused the collision rather than Raymundo's driving. ## **Jury Verdict** On November 10, 2025, after hearing the evidence and arguments from both sides, the jury reached a unanimous decision. They found that the negligence of the Defendants had indeed caused Botet's injuries. The jury awarded Botet a total of **$186,735.00** in damages. This total consisted of $136,735.00 for past medical expenses. Interestingly, the jury decided that Botet would not require future medical care, awarding $0.00 for that category. However, they recognized his physical and emotional toll by awarding $50,000.00 for pain, suffering, and the loss of enjoyment of life. A handwritten note on the verdict form clarified that if the actual allowance for medical bills was less than the awarded amount, the difference could be added to the pain and suffering total. ### **Court Documents** [Complaint](https://exlitem.sharepoint.com/:b:/s/ContentMarketing/IQCEOPPe0tPLRaf-AALW1sNOAYInqCa0dlK-HTS_ZXjI8ks?e=BCNQ2e) [Jury Verdict](https://exlitem.sharepoint.com/:b:/s/ContentMarketing/IQDEQLRH7zD-QKYZHp__uGgtAaRTbAt0k9pEvM_WkmhHQ7w?e=uZZuPN) [Share with Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://exlitem.com/jury-verdict/luis-botet-v-hugo-perez-raymundo-186k-miami-jury-verdict) [Share with X](https://x.com/intent/post?url=https://exlitem.com/jury-verdict/luis-botet-v-hugo-perez-raymundo-186k-miami-jury-verdict&text=x) [Share with LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https://exlitem.com/jury-verdict/luis-botet-v-hugo-perez-raymundo-186k-miami-jury-verdict) [Share with Email](https://exlitem.com/jury-verdict/luis-botet-v-hugo-perez-raymundo-186k-miami-jury-verdict/mailto:?body=https://exlitem.com/jury-verdict/luis-botet-v-hugo-perez-raymundo-186k-miami-jury-verdict&subject=email) [Share with WhatsApp](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=https://exlitem.com/jury-verdict/luis-botet-v-hugo-perez-raymundo-186k-miami-jury-verdict%20whatsapp) ### **Find your next Expert Witness today** ![Sanjay Adhia](https://exlitem.com/jury-verdict/luis-botet-v-hugo-perez-raymundo-186k-miami-jury-verdict/_ipx/q_80/user-default.svg) ###### **Sanjay Adhia** Forensic Psychiastry ![George Reis](https://exlitem.com/jury-verdict/luis-botet-v-hugo-perez-raymundo-186k-miami-jury-verdict/_ipx/q_80/user-default.svg) ###### **George Reis** Forensic Imaging ![Maria Babinetz](https://exlitem.com/jury-verdict/luis-botet-v-hugo-perez-raymundo-186k-miami-jury-verdict/_ipx/q_80/user-default.svg) ###### **Maria Babinetz** Vocational Rehabilitation Find and retain experts without brokerage or upcharge. ### Looking for more? 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