🔗 Share this article The Electric Vehicle Giant Confronts Another Lawsuit Over Fatal California Cybertruck Crash Tesla is being sued by the parents of another victim killed in a Cybertruck crash in the quiet town located in California. This is the second suit filed against the car maker within the past few days alleging a design flaw in its vehicle is to blame for the fatalities of those inside involved in the accident, according to court filings. Allegations of Pre-Existing Flaws Jack Nelson's family members allege that the corporation which assisted Elon Musk achieve billionaire status was aware of the issue for years and should have acted more swiftly to fix the problem but failed to do so, trapping the occupants trapped amid flames and thick smoke which ultimately caused their deaths. "This case arises from severe manufacturing flaws within Tesla's electric truck that turned a survivable crash into a deadly blaze," states the legal filing, which was filed on Thursday at the local courthouse. Another Parallel Case A similar suit was filed against Tesla on Thursday by the parents of another victim, who also perished in the accident. Tsukahara, 19, along with 20-year-old Nelson, were seated in the rear of the Cybertruck on 27 November 2024, accompanied by another individual and the vehicle operator. The vehicle collided with a tree while traveling rapidly and caught on fire, according to an official traffic incident document. Tragic Circumstances When power to the truck’s electric doors was disrupted by the flames, the passengers were locked inside with no way out. The operator also perished. The remaining occupant was extracted from the vehicle after a rescuer broke a window. "These four individuals inside the electric truck were dear companions and outstanding individuals, each on the verge of making meaningful contributions to the world," Todd and Stannye Nelson said in a statement. "They all suffered of Tesla’s unsafe design. Their tragic loss and harm have deeply affected all who knew them." Government Probe The recent legal challenges facing Tesla follow shortly after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration initiated a formal inquiry regarding the automaker about its electric door handles, designed to sit level with the body of the vehicle. The agency is also looking into complaints by drivers indicating that after exiting their cars, they could not open back doors to get their children out and occasionally, had to break the window to reach them. Recurring Safety Concerns Tesla door handles have been the focus of multiple accident-related legal cases since the power source operating the release system may fail during fires and the manual releases that override that system are challenging to locate. "The backup mechanical release for that door was hidden underneath the liner of the map pocket positioned low on the door – hidden, unlabeled, and impractical to locate or use in the smoke and confusion following a fiery crash," said the Nelsons. "As a result, the vehicle's engineering left Jack and the other occupants without viable means of evacuation." Previous Legal Precedents These electric truck legal cases follow several others that have claimed various safety problems in Tesla vehicles. Earlier this year, a court in Florida decided that Tesla must pay $243m in damages to the relatives of a young adult who lost her life in an accident involving their car using the autonomous driving feature.