Court Overturns Summary Judgment for Contractor on Privette Doctrine Defense

A California appellate court overturned a grant of summary judgment for a general contractor, finding it failed to establish that the Privette doctrine shielded it from civil liability to a subcontractor’s injured employee as a matter of law. In 2017, Beach House Design and Development was the general contractor responsible for remodeling a residence in Hermosa Beach. Beach House subcontracted with O'Rourke Construction Inc. to do finish carpentry, and with A&D Plastering Co. to erect scaffolding and patch plaster. The subcontract between Beach House and O'Rourke provided t...