PASO ROBLES, Calif. (CN) - The brother of "Star Wars" actress Carrie Fisher dismissed as "nonsense" a lawsuit blaming him for a "devastating" leg injury an employee suffered at his ranch.
Nathan Nolley sued Todd Fisher and Freedom Farms in San Luis Obispo County Court on Nov. 6. Nolley claims he was working as a ranch hand at Freedom Farms in April 2014 when a co-worker negligently operated a mechanical rotary rake.
"The rotary arms of the rake violently struck plaintiff's legs and pinned him against a cross bar," the complaint states, leaving Nolley with "devastating fractures of both legs."
Fisher told the San Luis Obispo Tribune the injury was caused by Nolley's negligence and failure to listen to orders.
"The entire suit is nonsense," he told the newspaper.
Fisher and his sister come from show business royalty. Their mother is Debbie Reynolds and their father the late Eddie Fisher.
Todd Fisher, 57, has mostly remained behind the camera as a camera operator, sound engineer, writer, director and producer.
Nolley also claims that Fisher failed to provide workers compensation insurance for his employees, which is required in California. He claims that Fisher ducked the obligation with a ruse, claiming that Nolley worked for Hollywood Motion Pictures Experience, Fisher's motion picture production company, which is in the process of going bankrupt.
Fisher says Nolley's checks were made out by HMPE and that Nolley was told not to touch any farm equipment.
"His father the ranch manager and our contractor specifically told him in a text prior to the accident not to touch the farm equipment," Fisher said.
Nolley seeks damages for negligence. He is represented by Matthew Biren, of West Los Angeles.
Read the Top 8
Sign up for the Top 8, a roundup of the day's top stories delivered directly to your inbox Monday through Friday.
Additional Reads
-
Iconic Yellow-Legged Frogs Win New Protections in California December 12, 2019 -
Hollywood Scion Shrugs off Worker's Lawsuit November 10, 2015