Worker Sues Tesla After Alleged Robotic Arm Attack, Is Now Seeking Millions

A man is suing Tesla for millions, claiming he was “thrown to the floor” and knocked unconscious by a robotic arm while working for the company.

In a complaint obtained by PEOPLE that was filed with the Superior Court of California, robotics mechanic Peter Hinterdobler said he was working at a Tesla facility in Fremont, Calif., on July 22, 2023, when the alleged incident occurred. 

Hinterdobler said he was assisting a Tesla engineer with disassembling an industrial robot manufactured by the FANUC America Corporation (FANUC) when the robot’s arm allegedly released “suddenly and without warning,” per the complaint.

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He claimed he was then subsequently “struck” by the arm with “substantial force,” which caused him “to be thrown to the floor and to lose consciousness, among other injuries,” the legal document said.

Hinterdobler further alleged in the complaint that he was not only hit with the “robotic arm’s own power,” but also “the force of an approximately 8,000-pound counterbalance weight.”

Hinterdobler said he “suffered physical, emotional and financial harm, including incurring medical treatment for his injuries” after the incident, per the complaint.

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He also alleges that Tesla implemented new safety protocols “specifically related” to the robot involved in his injury after the accident.

Hinterdobler is suing both Tesla, Inc. and FANUC for $51 million for negligence, which he alleges resulted in both general and specific damages, “including but not limited to lost earnings, medical expenses, and loss of earning capacity.”

PEOPLE has reached out to attorney’s for Tesla, FANUC and Hinterdobler for comment but did not receive an immediate response.