Pennsylvania Tesla Accident Lawyer | PA Autonomous Vehicle Claims

Pennsylvania has a well-developed products liability legal framework that holds manufacturers accountable for defective products. If you were injured in a Tesla crash involving Autopilot or Full Self-Driving in Pennsylvania, you have strong legal protections under Pennsylvania law. Siddons Law Firm, PLLC is based in Media, Pennsylvania, and represents Tesla crash victims throughout Pennsylvania, particularly in the Philadelphia, Delaware County, and Chester County regions.

Pennsylvania’s Products Liability Standard: Tincher v. Omega Flex

Pennsylvania’s products liability law is governed by the landmark case Tincher v. Omega Flex, Inc., 628 A.2d 32 (Pa. 1993). Under Tincher, plaintiffs can recover for three types of product defects:

1. Design Defects

A product is defectively designed if, at the time the manufacturer placed the product on the market, the risks of the design outweighed the benefits of the design. The manufacturer had a duty to use a reasonable alternative design that would have reduced or eliminated the risk.

In Tesla crash cases, we argue that Autopilot and FSD are defectively designed because:

• The systems’ benefits (convenience, marketing appeal) do not outweigh the documented safety risks (956 documented crashes, 80 traffic violations)
• Safer alternative designs exist (more restrictive operational domains, better obstacle detection, clearer human-machine interface)
• Tesla had knowledge of the risks and chose not to implement safer alternatives

2. Manufacturing Defects

A product is defectively manufactured if it departed from its intended design in a way that created a dangerous condition. Manufacturing defects include airbag system failures, electrical defects, and component failures that would not have occurred in a properly manufactured vehicle.

In our recent case, the Tesla Model Y failed to deploy airbags despite catastrophic structural damage—evidence of a manufacturing defect in the airbag system.

3. Failure to Warn

A product is defective if the manufacturer failed to warn about known or foreseeable risks. The warning must be adequate—it must communicate the nature of the risk, the severity of the risk, and how to avoid the risk.

Tesla’s failure to warn about Autopilot handoff mechanics, FSD limitations, and loaner vehicle risks are all actionable failure to warn claims under Pennsylvania law.

Pennsylvania’s Strict Liability Standard

A critical advantage of Pennsylvania products liability law is that you do not need to prove the manufacturer was negligent. Under “strict liability,” you only need to prove:

1. The product was defective
2. The defect caused your injury

Tesla cannot escape liability by claiming it was not negligent or that it took reasonable precautions. If the product is defective, Tesla is liable.

This is distinct from negligence claims, where you would need to prove Tesla breached a duty of care. Strict liability is more favorable to injury victims.

Pennsylvania Statutory Framework

Pennsylvania’s products liability law is codified in the Uniform Product Liability Act (UPLA), 42 Pa.C.S. § 7101 et seq. Key provisions include:

• 42 Pa.C.S. § 7102: Defines product liability and establishes strict liability for defective products
• 42 Pa.C.S. § 7104: Limits recovery for misuse or failure to follow instructions, but does not bar recovery when the misuse was foreseeable
• 42 Pa.C.S. § 7105: Addresses comparative negligence—you can recover even if you were partially at fault, as long as you were not more than 60% at fault

Comparative Negligence in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania follows a “modified comparative negligence” standard. You can recover damages even if you were partially at fault, as long as your negligence did not exceed the defendant’s negligence.

This is important in Tesla cases because police may cite drivers at the crash scene. But even if you received a citation, you can still recover against Tesla if Tesla’s defective product was a substantial factor in causing the crash.

Example: A court finds that you were 20% at fault (for not monitoring the road) and Tesla was 80% at fault (for defective Autopilot). You can recover 80% of your damages.

Pennsylvania’s Relevant Case History

Scaglione Case (2016)

One of the early documented Tesla Autopilot crashes occurred in Pennsylvania in 2016 when a Tesla struck a barrier while Autopilot was engaged. This case highlighted the dangers of Tesla’s autonomous systems.

Clough Case (2023)

A more recent Pennsylvania case involved a Tesla with Autopilot engaged; the vehicle struck a vehicle that had stopped. This case further demonstrated the pattern of Autopilot failures in Pennsylvania.

Our Own Cases

Siddons Law Firm, PLLC has represented multiple Tesla crash victims in Pennsylvania. Our clients have recovered substantial settlements and jury verdicts.

Filing Location and Jurisdiction

Tesla crashes in Pennsylvania can be litigated in multiple forums:

• Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas: If the crash occurred in Philadelphia
• Delaware County Court of Common Pleas: If the crash occurred in Delaware County
• Federal Court (Eastern District of Pennsylvania): If diversity jurisdiction exists
• State court in the county where the crash occurred

Pennsylvania-Specific Evidence and Experts

In Pennsylvania Tesla cases, we rely on:

• Vehicle forensic engineers: To examine the crashed vehicle, retrieve vehicle data, and reconstruct the crash
• Autonomous systems experts: To testify about Autopilot and FSD design defects
• Human factors experts: To explain why drivers cannot reasonably monitor autonomous systems
• PA-licensed physicians: To establish the severity and permanence of your injuries
• Economic experts: To calculate lost wages, medical expenses, and lifetime disability costs

Damages Under Pennsylvania Law

Under Pennsylvania products liability law, you can recover:

Compensatory Damages

• Economic damages: Medical expenses (past and future), lost wages, cost of rehabilitation, assistive devices
• Non-economic damages: Pain and suffering, permanent disability, loss of enjoyment of life, emotional distress

Punitive Damages

Pennsylvania allows punitive damages if the defendant’s conduct was “outrageous” and demonstrated “conscious indifference” to the rights and safety of others. In Tesla cases, we have successfully pursued punitive damages arguments based on:

• Tesla’s knowledge of Autopilot defects (documented in internal emails obtained during discovery)
• Tesla’s continued promotion of Autopilot despite known risks
• Tesla’s failure to issue adequate warnings despite NHTSA investigations
• Tesla’s pattern of settling cases confidentially rather than disclosing defects

Case Spotlight: The Loaner Vehicle Handoff Failure in Pennsylvania

One of our recent cases involved a Pennsylvania client who was driving a loaner Tesla Model Y from Tesla Collision in a suburban Philadelphia intersection. The vehicle had Autopilot engaged. When our client attempted to turn the steering wheel to enter a parking lot, the vehicle responded with sudden, violent movements.

The crash was catastrophic. The vehicle struck a utility pole with such force that the pole embedded itself in the vehicle’s A-pillar. The windshield shattered. The airbags did not deploy. Our client, who was pregnant at 32 weeks, was admitted to the hospital for emergency fetal monitoring.

Police charged our client with careless driving under Pennsylvania vehicle code. At trial, we presented evidence of Autopilot’s engagement, Tesla’s failure to warn about handoff mechanics, and expert testimony about the vehicle’s violent response to steering wheel input. The Pennsylvania court found our client not guilty.

The case is currently under investigation for civil products liability claims under Pennsylvania’s Tincher standard, including design defect and failure to warn.

Frequently Asked Questions

If I was cited with careless driving after a Tesla crash in PA, can I still sue Tesla?

Yes, absolutely. A careless driving citation does not bar your products liability claim against Tesla. Pennsylvania law allows you to recover under strict products liability even if you were partially at fault. What matters is whether Tesla’s defective product caused your injury.

What is the statute of limitations for Tesla crash claims in Pennsylvania?

For personal injury claims, Pennsylvania’s statute of limitations is generally 4 years from the date of the crash. For wrongful death claims, it is 2 years. However, the “discovery rule” may extend these deadlines if you did not know that your injury was caused by the Tesla defect. Contact us immediately if you have a potential claim.

Can I recover if my Tesla had Autopilot engaged without my knowledge?

Yes. If Tesla’s engagement indicators were unclear or if the system was activated without your knowledge, that is evidence of a failure to warn. You can recover for injuries caused by Autopilot even if you did not realize the system was engaged.

Contact Siddons Law Firm Today

If you were injured in a Tesla Autopilot or Full Self-Driving crash in Pennsylvania, contact us immediately for a free consultation. We serve Philadelphia, Delaware County, Chester County, and all of Pennsylvania.

Siddons Law Firm, PLLC
230 N. Monroe St., Media, PA 19063
Phone: (610) 255-7500
Available 24/7 for emergency consultations

We work on a contingency fee basis—you pay nothing unless we recover damages for you.

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