Tesla Worker’s $137 Million Win Is Hard to Replicate—Here’s Why

Former Tesla Inc. factory worker Owen Diaz won a rare $137 million race discrimination verdict against the electric automaker that other workers will have difficulty duplicating, as he overcame legal hurdles that typically torpedo harassment claims or keep them out of court.

Diaz sued billionaire Elon Musk’s company over racial slurs and offensive graffiti at a Fremont, Calif., plant that for years has been accused of fostering a hostile work environment. While many race bias lawsuits never reach a jury, attorneys said Diaz’s case succeeded in part because he didn’t sign a mandatory arbitration agreement—contracts that have become widely used ...