Family of man who was electrocuted at Texas Tesla factory sues company

AUSTIN, Texas — The family of a man who died while working at the Gigafactory Texas is suing Tesla and others for wrongful death. They are requesting more than $1 million in damages. 

The lawsuit claims that Victor Joe Gomez Sr. was working as a contract electrician at the Tesla factory construction site on Aug. 1, 2024, when he was electrocuted. 

Gomez was hired through Belcan Services Group L.P.–another one of the defendants in the lawsuit along with Tesla affiliate Colorado River Project, LLC–to inspect electrical panels before they were energized at the factory. While Gomez was inspecting one of the panels, he was unaware it had been energized, and it “immediately electrocuted him and knocked him unconscious,” the suit says. 

Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services were called to the factory and transported Gomez to Dell Seton Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. 

The family is asking for an investigation into the panel that electrocuted Gomez by an electrical engineering consulting expert hired by them. The suit also asks for the judge to issue a temporary restraining order to prevent destruction of any evidence at the factory. 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration currently has an open safety investigation into the incident.