Overview

• The wrongful-death complaint filed Thursday in Alameda County Superior Court adds Tesla as a defendant and seeks punitive damages.
• It alleges the Cybertruck lost power in the crash, disabling electronic door buttons, and that the rear manual release was concealed under a door-pocket mat, hindering escape.
• Investigators have said intoxication and speed caused the November 27, 2024 Piedmont crash, but the suit argues design defects turned a survivable collision into a fatal fire.
• A separate federal probe opened last month is examining complaints that Tesla doors can stick shut, with some parents reporting they had to smash windows to reach children.
• Another family of victim Jack Nelson filed a related wrongful-death suit this week, and Tesla’s design chief has said the company is developing easier door overrides.