Kat Von D has been sued more than once, but the trending reason people ask “why did Kat Von D get sued” lately is her high‑profile copyright case over a Miles Davis tattoo, plus a separate workplace lawsuit tied to her tattoo shop during the Covid lockdowns.

Quick Scoop: What Happened?

  • A photographer sued Kat Von D, claiming she copied his famous Miles Davis photo for a tattoo and social media posts without permission.
  • A former store manager also sued her and her West Hollywood shop, High Voltage Tattoo, over alleged illegal working conditions and retaliation during the 2020 Covid lockdowns.

The Miles Davis Copyright Lawsuit

What the photographer claimed

  • Photographer Jeff Sedlik took a well‑known 1989 portrait of jazz legend Miles Davis.
  • Kat Von D used that photo as a reference to tattoo a close friend, reportedly free of charge.
  • Sedlik sued in 2021, arguing:
    • The tattoo copied his copyrighted photo.
    • Photos of the tattoo and of Kat Von D tracing the image, posted on social media, used his work to promote her brand without a license.

Why this case was a big deal

  • It was treated as a test case: how far can tattoo artists go when using photos as reference without paying for a license?
  • Lawyers and art‑law watchers followed it closely because it sat right at the intersection of fan art, tattoos, and copyright law.

What the jury decided

  • A jury ultimately ruled that Kat Von D did not infringe Sedlik’s copyright because her tattoo was not “substantially similar” to the original photograph.
  • On top of that, the jury found her social media posts about the tattoo were protected as fair use , especially since she did the tattoo for free and did not mass‑reproduce the image for commercial products.
  • In early 2026, the Ninth Circuit appeals court declined to overturn that verdict, so the win in Kat Von D’s favor stands.

The Covid / High Voltage Tattoo Lawsuit

What the ex‑employee alleged

  • Stephanie Davidson, a store manager at High Voltage Tattoo from 2017 to 2020, sued Kat Von D and the shop in 2022.
  • Her lawsuit claims:
    • Kat Von D, described as a Covid‑denier, kept the shop open during strict stay‑at‑home orders and later refused to follow mask and distancing rules when reopening.
* Davidson has Type 1 diabetes, which put her at higher risk from Covid, but she says her disability and safety concerns were ignored.

* When she asked for accommodations based on health orders and her condition, she says she was fired in retaliation.

* She also claims she was never properly paid minimum wage or overtime, and is seeking back pay.

Legal issues in that case

  • The lawsuit centers on disability discrimination, wrongful termination, retaliation, and wage violations under state and local law.
  • Her lawyers argue Kat Von D prioritized publicity and profits over health and legal safety requirements for employees and customers during the pandemic.

Multiple Reasons People Say “Why Did Kat Von D Get Sued?”

Here’s a quick HTML table overview connecting the search phrase “why did Kat Von D get sued” to the main legal stories.

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Case / Topic</th>
      <th>Main Reason She Was Sued</th>
      <th>Key Details</th>
      <th>Outcome / Status</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>Miles Davis tattoo copyright case</td>
      <td>Alleged copyright infringement of a photographer’s Miles Davis portrait used for a tattoo and social media posts.[web:3][web:5][web:7]</td>
      <td>Photographer Jeff Sedlik said the tattoo and posts copied his 1989 photo without a license and promoted Kat Von D’s brand.[web:3][web:5][web:7]</td>
      <td>Jury ruled in Kat Von D’s favor; found no substantial similarity and said her posts qualified as fair use. Appeals court let the verdict stand.[web:3][web:7]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>High Voltage Tattoo Covid / employment lawsuit</td>
      <td>Alleged disability discrimination, wrongful termination, retaliation, and wage violations at her West Hollywood shop.[web:1]</td>
      <td>Former manager says Kat Von D ignored Covid rules, dismissed her Type 1 diabetes concerns, refused protections, fired her after she requested accommodations, and failed to pay proper wages.[web:1]</td>
      <td>Filed in 2022; lawsuit seeks damages including back pay and penalties. Public filings describe ongoing efforts to hold Kat Von D and the shop accountable.[web:1]</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

Forum / “Trending Topic” Angle

If you see people on social media or forums asking “why did Kat Von D get sued” or talking about the latest news , they are usually referring to:

  1. The art‑law drama over the Miles Davis tattoo and what it means for tattoo artists using reference photos.
  1. The Covid‑era employee lawsuit painting a picture of unsafe conditions and retaliation at her shop.

These stories continue to resurface whenever there’s a new court update or wider discussion about tattoo copyright and influencer responsibility. TL;DR:
Kat Von D was sued mainly for (1) allegedly copying a photographer’s iconic Miles Davis photo for a tattoo and social posts without a license, a case she ultimately won , and (2) alleged disability discrimination, retaliation, and wage violations at her High Voltage Tattoo shop during the Covid pandemic, where a former manager says she was fired after raising safety and legal concerns.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.