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Law firm announces $13 million settlement over temp worker’s injury

May 15, 2019

Parris Law announced it reached a $13 million settlement for a janitor at a Tesla Motors Inc. factory store in Fremont, California, after the worker was hit by a car. Tesla said the incident involved temporary employees, and that a staffing firm will pay the bulk of the settlement.

“This incident occurred in 2014 and given that it involved two contractors on Tesla’s property, the contractor’s employer, West Valley, will pay the bulk of the settlement,” according to a statement by a Tesla spokesperson emailed to SIA. “We care deeply about the safety and well-being of everyone who works at Tesla’s facilities, whether they are a contractor or Tesla employee. However, this trial was focused solely on the amount of damages due, and was not related to Tesla’s safety practices.”

Parris announced the settlement on Monday. The staffing firm has been contacted for comment.

Southern California-based Parris reported the janitor, Teodora Tapia, was pinned between two bumpers and is now permanently disabled and  unable to work. Another worker was moving the car when he lost control and the vehicle hit Tapia.

Separately, safety of temporary workers has been a particular concern for the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which has set up a web page on temporary worker safety.