Singleton Schreiber: Tesla Data Breach Exposes Serious Safety Hazards

SAN DIEGO, May 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Brett Schreiber, partner at Singleton Schreiber, is speaking out over the recent data breach that exposed just how prevalent safety concerns are with Teslas sold from 2015 - 2022.

"We knew there were issues, but this data breach clearly shows a much deeper problem," Mr. Schreiber said. "Tesla drivers expressed complaints a decade ago, and now it seems those complaints did little to move the needle with designers, engineers and executives."

The most common complaints were:

• Sudden acceleration
• Braking problems

These braking problems include:

• Unintentional emergency braking
• "Phantom stops" when a Tesla suddenly brakes for no apparent reason

Mr. Schreiber has litigated several cases against Tesla over these very issues. This includes a recently filed wrongful death lawsuit which alleges a Model S' self-driving feature malfunctioned, causing it to suddenly accelerate and rear-end another car killing a 15-year-old passenger (Maldonado v. Tesla et al., Superior Court of California, County of Alameda, Case No. 22CV024143).

The articles published also show Tesla employees were instructed to only use verbal communication with customers unless lawyers were involved. This reflects past complaints about Tesla covering up customer complaints, including a 2016 announcement from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration telling customers they were indeed allowed to publicize safety issues. Tesla had required customers to sign nondisclosure agreements to qualify for repairs on the Model S, leading to the confusion.

Further complicating matters for Tesla, this information was made public due to a data breach, which exposed customer phone numbers. This allowed the press to confirm the complaints were legitimate, but likely also exposed Tesla to further potential litigation.

"Tesla, a company which claims to be at the forefront of technology, was unable it seems to provide basic data protection to customers who pay a significant amount of money for the privilege of driving these expensive electric automobiles," Mr. Schreiber said.

About Singleton Schreiber

With over 200 employees and offices throughout the western United States, Singleton Schreiber has represented more than 12,000 victims of utility fires and has recovered approximately $2 billion in settlements and verdicts for its clients. The firm currently represents thousands of victims of the numerous fires in California, New Mexico, and Oregon. The firm's dedication to obtaining justice for those impacted by toxic conditions and environmental hazards sets it apart from the competition. The firm is also a premier personal injury firm, obtaining top results for clients, including more than $100 million in verdicts in 2022.

SOURCE Singleton Schreiber