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Dryerman Family Sues Tesla Over Fatal Model S Crash Citing Defective Autopilot

The suit filed in Camden alleges that defects in the car’s lane-keeping system with automatic emergency braking triggered the September crash

A row of Tesla Model S sedans are seen outside the company's headquarters in Palo Alto, California April 30, 2015. REUTERS/Elijah Nouvelage/File Photo
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Overview

  • On June 24, 2025 the Dryerman family filed suit in federal court in Camden, New Jersey, alleging a defective design in their 2024 Tesla Model S.
  • The suit contends the car veered off the Garden State Parkway and struck a sign, guardrail and bridge support after its lane-keeping and emergency braking systems failed.
  • Plaintiffs include the estates of David (54), Michele (54) and Brooke (17) Dryerman and their surviving brother Max, and they are seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.
  • The complaint notes that the vehicle’s Autopilot and Full Self-Driving features were active at the time and faults Tesla’s marketing after Elon Musk said Autopilot was 'probably better' than human drivers.
  • This legal action joins NHTSA investigations and follows Tesla’s December recall of over two million vehicles after regulators identified a critical safety gap in the system’s capabilities.