A flooring contractor was found to have negligently caused a fire started by a worker’s discarded cigarette that damaged a homeowners’ property in the amount of $424,050.

If you represent those in the construction industry, you should advise them to pay close attention to any licensing requirements of any contract or subcontract they may enter into.

Under certain circumstances, an injured person working in your home can file a civil lawsuit against you as the homeowner, rather than being limited to workers compensation. A recent California Supreme Court decision held that this is the case and defined the standard of care to be used in a case brought by an injured employee working on a homeowner’s substantial remodeling project. (Cortez v. Abich (2011) 51 Cal. 4th 285.)