Godwin Boateng of Valley Stream on Long Island said the $70,000 BMW SUV does not have a sensor to detect whether there's a body part or an object in the path of the door.
The 62-year-old's attorney, Avi Cohen, described the BMW X5’s door as nothing short of “a guillotine," according to this New York Post report.
According to a federal lawsuit, Boateng was standing outside the X5 in July 2016 when he placed his hand on the driver’s door column, activating the sensor, crushing and severing about half of his thumb.
Boateng's lawsuit includes $3 million in lost wages.
BMW has declined to comment on the alleged incident or the lawsuit.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Hackensack and receive free news updates.