For over 20 years, the “Privette Doctrine” has governed the extent of liability that general contractors and property owners have for worksite injuries suffered by a subcontractor’s employees. In Privette v. Superior Court (1993) 5 Cal.4th 689, the California Supreme Court held that “Generally, when employees of independent contractors are injured in the workplace, they cannot sue the party that hired the contractor to do the work.” Read More

Four-Year Time Limit for Construction Defect Claims Under Right to Repair Act Doesn’t Apply to Actual Damage Claims

Developers who count on California’s “Builder’s Right to Repair Act,” commonly known as “SB 800,” to close the door on construction defect claims four years after closing or completion of a project should be aware that in many respects they are sadly mistaken. A California Court of Appeals decision last year makes clear that SB 800’s four-year statute of limitations only applies when...