Privette Doctrine: Not An Absolute Shield
The "Privette Doctrine" is a well-accepted rule that has governed the liability of general contractors and property owners for workplace injuries suffered by a subcontractor's employee. 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.” The rationale for this limitation was that the subcontractor's employee will usually be covered under the subcontractor's workers compensation policy. The courts have created various exceptions to this rule, including exceptions based on claims involving [...]