Phelan Petty Files Federal Lawsuit Exposing Dangerous Tesla Design Failures

Injuries from car accidents typically occur during the collision. Yet surviving a crash doesn’t always guarantee safety afterward. The alleged dangerous and defective design of the Tesla Model Y has contributed to catastrophic events on more than one occasion, including an incident in Virginia in which a passenger became trapped inside a burning car with no practical means of escape or rescue. Phelan Petty recently filed a lawsuit on behalf of the injured Tesla passenger.

What went wrong?

On December 9, 2023, a woman was riding in the passenger seat of a Tesla Model Y when her husband suffered a medical emergency, lost control of the vehicle, and hit a utility pole. After the collision, a fire started in the front of the car.

According to the complaint filed by Phelan Petty in the Eastern District of Virginia, “the Model Y electronic passenger doors lock automatically and do not automatically unlock in the event of a crash or fire.” The woman’s only escape was a mechanical backup release, which was allegedly hidden and challenging to locate without prior knowledge from the owner’s manual.

Bystanders also attempted to open the passenger door from the outside, but they couldn’t. The electronic door handles on this Tesla model rely on low-voltage power and may become inoperative after a crash due to insufficient vehicle-supplied voltage. When power is lost, as in this case, the exterior handles sink into the door panel, preventing rescuers from opening the door.

To make matters worse, the Tesla Model Y sometimes has laminated, double-pane side windows designed to resist intrusion, making it extremely difficult for a passenger to break a window from inside the vehicle or for rescuers to break it from the outside.

The combination of Tesla’s design features created a foreseeable risk that an occupant who survived a crash would remain trapped inside a burning vehicle. As a result, the woman suffered life-changing burns and respiratory injuries in the critical minutes lost before rescuers were finally able to extract her.

Not an isolated event

Unfortunately, this is not an isolated event. As part of its investigation on behalf of its client, Phelan Petty identified similar reports of incidents in which occupants became trapped inside a Tesla due to the doors’ operation.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently opened a preliminary investigation into certain Tesla vehicles, focusing on the design of electronic door handles and whether Tesla was aware of reports involving handle inoperability. According to the agency, the most commonly reported scenarios involved parents exiting the vehicle to remove or place a child in the back seat before driving, only to be unable to reopen a door and regain access to the vehicle. This problem is particularly concerning when someone is trapped in a hot vehicle.

How Phelan Petty can help

When a vehicle’s design plays a role in injuring passengers, families may have legal options worth exploring. If you or someone you love was injured due to a defective design, contact Phelan Petty. Our experienced product liability attorneys are prepared to advocate for our clients and hold responsible parties accountable. Call us or fill out our contact form today to schedule a free consultation.