Tesla 3 suddenly accelerated into utility pole and burst into fmales, wrongful death lawsuit claims | Fortune

"Design flaws caused a Tesla Model 3 to suddenly accelerate out of control before it crashed into a utility pole and burst into flames, killing a woman and severely injuring her husband, a lawsuit filed in federal court alleges. Another defect with the door handle design thwarted bystanders who were trying to rescue the driver, Jeff Dennis, and his wife, Wendy, from the car, according to the lawsuit filed Friday in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington."

"Tesla doors have been at the center of several crash cases because the battery powering the unlocking mechanism shuts off in case of a crash, and the manual releases that override that system are known for being difficult to find. Last month, the parents of two California college students killed in a Tesla crash sued the carmaker, saying the students were trapped in the vehicle as it burst into flames because of a design flaw that prevented them from opening the doors."

"Wendy Dennis died in the Jan. 7, 2023, crash in Tacoma, Washington. Jeff Dennis suffered severe leg burns and other injuries, according to the lawsuit. Messages left Monday with plaintiffs' attorneys and Tesla were not immediately returned. The lawsuit seeks punitive damages in California since the Dennis' 2018 Model 3 was designed and manufactured there. Tesla also had its headquarters in California at the time before later moving to Texas."

A lawsuit filed in federal court alleges design flaws caused a Tesla Model 3 to suddenly accelerate out of control, crash into a utility pole and burst into flames, killing Wendy Dennis and severely injuring her husband, Jeff Dennis. Bystanders' rescue attempts were thwarted by a defective door handle design and reports that the battery powering the door unlocking mechanism shuts off after a crash while manual releases are difficult to locate. The suit seeks punitive and wrongful death damages in California, notes prior similar lawsuits and a federal probe into complaints of doors becoming stuck.

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