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Tesla is being sued by the family members of another victim who died during a Cybertruck crash in the quiet town located in California. This marks the second lawsuit brought against the car maker within the past few days claiming a manufacturing defect in their electric truck is to blame for the fatalities of the passengers involved in the accident, according to court filings.

Claims Regarding Pre-Existing Flaws

Jack Nelson's family members allege that the company which assisted Elon Musk achieve billionaire status knew about the flaw for a long time and should have acted more swiftly to fix the problem but failed to do so, trapping the occupants trapped amid flames and smoke which ultimately caused their deaths.

"This legal action stems from catastrophic design defects within Tesla's electric truck that turned a survivable crash into a fatal fire," reads the complaint, submitted recently in Alameda county superior court.

Second Similar Lawsuit

A similar suit was filed against Tesla recently by the parents of Krysta Tsukahara, who also perished in the accident. The 19-year-old Tsukahara, along with 20-year-old Nelson, were seated in the rear of the Cybertruck on 27 November 2024, with one other passenger and the vehicle operator. The vehicle collided with a tree at high speed and caught on fire, according to a California highway patrol report.

Tragic Circumstances

When power to the truck’s electric doors was disrupted by the flames, the occupants became trapped within with no way out. The operator also perished. The remaining occupant was pulled from the car after a rescuer broke a window.

"The four young people in the Cybertruck were close friends and outstanding individuals, all poised to deliver significant impacts to the world," the Nelson parents said in a statement. "They all suffered of Tesla’s unsafe design. Their tragic loss and harm have deeply affected all acquainted with them."

Federal Investigation

The recent legal challenges facing Tesla come just weeks after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation into the car maker concerning their electronic door mechanisms, designed to sit level with the car's exterior.

The agency is also looking into complaints by drivers that said after exiting their cars, they were unable to access rear doors to retrieve their children and occasionally, were forced to smash windows to reach them.

Ongoing Hazard Issues

Tesla door handles have been at the center of several other crash lawsuits because the battery powering the unlocking mechanism may fail during fires while the emergency overrides that override that system are difficult to find.

"The backup mechanical release for the vehicle's doors was concealed beneath the liner of the map pocket positioned low on the door – concealed, unmarked, and nearly impossible to find or use in the smoke and chaos of a post-crash fire," explained the family. "As a result, the Cybertruck’s design trapped the young individuals without viable means of evacuation."

Prior Court Rulings

The Cybertruck lawsuits come after multiple instances that have claimed various safety problems in Tesla vehicles. In August, a court in Florida ruled that the company must compensate millions in restitution to the relatives of a young adult who lost her life by one of its vehicles using the autonomous driving feature.