Court Revives Civil Suit Against Homeowner Over Tree Trimmer's Injuries

A California appellate court revived an injured worker’s civil suit against a homeowner, finding there was a triable question as to whether he qualified as the homeowner’s employee for purposes of the Labor Code’s exclusive remedy provision. Case: Contreras-Perales v. Bruno, No. D073742, 11/14/2019, unpublished. Facts: David Contreras-Perales operated a yard maintenance business. He provided routine services to several clients, including Lois Ann Bruno. In December 2014, Bruno asked Contreras-Perales to trim five trees on her property. The trees measured more than 15 ...