Tesla is facing another wrongful death lawsuit after 20-year-old Samuel Tremblett died trapped inside his burning Model Y in Easton, Massachusetts. The case adds to mounting pressure on the EV maker as federal regulators investigate electronic door handles linked to at least 15 deaths since 2016. Tremblett's final 9-1-1 call - "I can't breathe. It's on fire. Help. Please. I'm going to die" - underscores a design flaw that's now triggered regulatory action in China and a major NHTSA investigation stateside.
Tesla just got hit with another wrongful death lawsuit that's putting its controversial door handle design under an even harsher spotlight. The mother of Samuel Tremblett filed suit in US District Court in Massachusetts after her 20-year-old son died trapped inside his burning Model Y on October 29, 2025. The young man's final moments, captured in desperate 9-1-1 calls, paint a horrifying picture: "I can't breathe. It's on fire. Help. Please. I'm going to die."
The Easton, Massachusetts crash has become the latest flashpoint in a safety crisis that's been building for years. According to the lawsuit filed by Tremblett's mother, Tesla "carelessly, negligently, unskillfully, with gross negligence designed, manufactured, and marketed dangerously defective vehicles." It's a direct assault on CEO Elon Musk's repeated safety claims - including his 2018 earnings call boast that "At Tesla, we're absolutely hardcore about safety."
But the numbers tell a different story. The lawsuit details at least 15 deaths since 2016 linked to Tesla's electronic door handles, which sit flush against the vehicle for improved aerodynamics. When a crash cuts power, those sleek handles can become death traps. Manual releases exist, but they're often hidden or difficult to operate in panic situations - especially for children.
