{"id":312766,"date":"2025-11-23T03:50:08","date_gmt":"2025-11-23T03:50:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/uncategorized\/tesla-door-handle-lawsuit-death-of-wendy-m-dennis\/"},"modified":"2025-11-23T03:50:08","modified_gmt":"2025-11-23T03:50:08","slug":"tesla-door-handle-lawsuit-death-of-wendy-m-dennis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=312766","title":{"rendered":"Tesla Door Handle Lawsuit: Death of Wendy M. Dennis"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\n\t\"Tesla
Model 3 crash and passenger death allegedly caused by sudden acceleration, batteries, door handles.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\n\tThe lawsuit further claims the door handles prevented the removal of her husband Jeff who suffered serious injuries.<\/p>\n

\n\tHowever, while the Tesla door handles are a focus of the lawsuit, they aren’t the only allegedly defective components and features which caused the Model 3 crash and the death of Wendy Dennis.<\/p>\n

\n\tJeffery L. Dennis was driving the 2018 Tesla Model 3 with his wife in the passenger seat as they traveled westbound on South 56th Street toward the intersection with South Washington Street in Tacoma, Washington.<\/p>\n

\n\tAccording to the lawsuit, the Model 3 purportedly suddenly accelerated out of control before it crashed into a utility pole at about 1:00 p.m. Video shows the Model 3 accelerating while avoiding other vehicles, and the lawsuit says the automatic emergency braking system never activated.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe Model 3 caught fire and the lawsuit says several bystanders tried to help but the door handles made it impossible for anyone to open the doors from the outside. A baseball bat was used to try to break the windows to help the couple but the fire forced everyone away from the Tesla.<\/p>\n

\n\tFirst responders eventually removed the couple from the Model 3, but not before Wendy had died and “Jeff had suffered extreme burning of his legs, in addition to numerous other catastrophic injuries.”<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t“The subject vehicle was not reasonably safe because Tesla failed to provide adequate warnings or instructions after the vehicle was manufactured because Tesla learned or reasonably should have learned about dangers concerning the vehicle after it was manufactured. Tesla had a duty issue warnings or instructions concerning the dangers in the manner that a reasonably prudent manufacturer would have under the circumstances.” \u2014 Tesla Model 3 lawsuit<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n\tTesla Lawsuit Claims Door Handles Prevented Rescue<\/h2>\n

\n\tAccording to the lawsuit, the 2018 Model 3 exterior door handles are flush with the vehicle and the interior door handles open with a push of buttons. But the plaintiffs complain the door handles function only if the batteries are providing electricity, batteries allegedly designed to shut off in a crash.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe lawsuit says the only way to enter the Model 3 from the outside is to break a window.<\/p>\n

\n\tIn addition, the plaintiffs contend the interior door handles require electricity to power the handles unless a manual release is used. But the lawsuit claims occupants can become trapped if they don’t know about the manual door handle release.<\/p>\n

\n\tTesla supposedly failed to warn the Model 3 occupants about the “hidden manual release.”<\/p>\n

\n\tSee the 2018 Tesla Model 3 interior door handle release<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n\tIn addition to the allegedly defective door handles, the lawsuit claims multiple other parts or systems are defective.<\/p>\n

\n\tTesla Sudden Unintended Acceleration<\/h3>\n
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\n\t\t“Plaintiffs allege that the Tesla Model 3 had a defect that caused it to suddenly, and without warning or command from the driver, accelerate out of control. Although the driver skillfully avoided other vehicles, the Tesla eventually crashed into a utility pole.” \u2014 Tesla lawsuit<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n\tThe plaintiffs assert the Tesla Model 3 suddenly accelerated to full power even though the driver did not command that action through the accelerator pedal.<\/p>\n

\n\tAccording to the lawsuit, Tesla owners have filed multiple complaints about sudden unintended acceleration, and several lawsuits have been filed over the claims.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe National Highway Traffic Safety Administration looked into the allegations and in January 2021 released a report that said after investigating hundreds of complaints, it looked like drivers pushed the accelerator pedals instead of the brake pedals<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n\tTesla Automatic Emergency Braking<\/h3>\n

\n\tThe 2018 Model 3 crash lawsuit further claims Tesla designed its emergency braking system to disengage if it receives “instructions from the accelerator pedal to drive full speed into a fixed object.” According to the lawsuit, Tesla is guilty of gross negligence over its automatic emergency braking system.<\/p>\n

\n\tTesla Model 3 Battery Fire<\/h3>\n

\n\tThe Tesla battery pack was allegedly defectively designed and the batteries were defective because they supposedly allowed the Model 3 to catch fire in the crash. And that fire prevented bystanders from getting near the Model 3.<\/p>\n

\n\tAccording to the lawsuit:<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t“The defective and unreasonably dangerous condition of the subject vehicle was a cause and a substantial factor in the fatal injuries of Wendy Dennis and the injuries to Jeff Dennis.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n\tThe Tesla Model 3 \/ Wendy Dennis lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington: Jeffery L. Dennis, et al, v. Tesla, Inc<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe plaintiffs are represented by Rivera Law Offices, PLLS, and Peggy Underbrink.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n