A team member involved in the Netflix movie “Me Time” has resolved a legal dispute stemming from a severe fall that resulted in a traumatic brain injury for him.
In September 2021, Michael Oronoz was employed as a grip at Sunset Gower Studios. Unfortunately, he fell from a catwalk that was 33 feet high, landing on the floor below. This accident left him in a coma for three weeks. The road to recovery was long, and during this time, he had to re-learn basic skills such as speaking and walking.
In 2023, he filed a lawsuit against Hudson Pacific Properties, the property’s management, accusing them of neglecting the upkeep of a building built in 1957.
On Monday, the lawsuit against me was dropped. Neither my legal team nor the opposing side chose to discuss the details of this resolution, keeping the terms confidential. Interestingly enough, Netflix, who wasn’t involved in the case, also opted not to share any comments regarding this matter.
In February 2024, a tragic incident occurred when J.C. “Spike” Osorio fell 41 feet and lost his life at the Radford Studio Center. An investigation by Cal/OSHA found that the accident was due to decayed wood on the catwalk, leading them to issue citations to both Radford and Disney. This incident served as a catalyst for several studio facilities to reinforce their catwalks in response.
Oronoz’s wife, Selina, spoke out last fall about about lax safety standards on movie sets.
She expressed her concern to EbMaster, saying the structures are outdated. They’re aware that the machinery is also antiquated, yet despite this, no action has been taken over the years.
On the job as a member of IATSE Local 80 and in charge of gripping duties, Oronoz suffered an injury while attempting to unjam a motorized hoist. In his effort to maintain balance, he leaned against a gate that unexpectedly swung outwards, revealing an empty space below.
Lawyer Alexander Eisner pointed out that, based on present regulations, the gate should move either towards or inside the structure. However, there was no obligation to renovate the entire facility to meet these standards.
A picture from three months prior to the incident revealed that the gate was held shut with a rope, suggesting that the latch might have been malfunctioning at the time.
“It’s difficult to defend how you could let this persist,” Eisner told EbMaster last fall.
In the course of undergoing eleven surgeries, Oronoz experienced a loss of ten years’ worth of memories. While he was recuperating, his medical expenses totaled an astounding $5 million, all of which were taken care of by workers compensation insurance. His legal representative projected that the potential costs of lost income and future medical care could reach up to a staggering $14 million.
Last year, he resumed work on a part-time basis, managing just a few days per week. They are a family of seven, with five kids.
“God is good for sure,” he said last year. “If it wasn’t for him, I’d be dead.”
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2025-03-11 23:46