Worker Sues Tesla and Is Seeking Millions After Alleged Robot Attack, Claims He Was ‘Thrown to Floor’ and Knocked Unconscious

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 and 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 stated 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,” according to the complaint.

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

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

He said he “suffered physical, emotional and financial harm, including incurring medical treatment for his injuries” following the incident.

Hinterdobler 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, claiming both general and specific damages, “including but not limited to lost earnings, medical expenses, and loss of earning capacity.”