In the wake of a tragic incident, a bereaved widow is taking legal action against Tesla.
The occurrence centers upon her spouse’s 2020 Model 3, which regrettably collided and subsequently burst into a fatal conflagration, laying claim to his life.
The complainant, Jiyoung Yoon, affirms that Tesla holds accountability for the conception, crafting, dissemination, and vending of her belated husband’s automobile. She maintains that the vehicle harbored inherent imperfections and exhibited unreasonable vulnerability, culminating in the lamentable demise.These claims are detailed within a lawsuit recently lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
The ill-fated individual, Jyung Woo Hahn, aged 46, was driving his Tesla on the Palisades Interstate Parkway in Rockland County, New York, on March 12, 2022. During this journey, the vehicle suffered a malfunction that caused it to collide with a tree and instantly erupt into flames. Yoon maintains that her spouse survived the initial impact but was subsequently trapped within the swiftly blazing car. The aftermath of the accident reveals a vehicle reduced to a charred shell.
Firefighters from Nanuet who rushed to the scene expressed the extreme difficulty they faced in extinguishing the flames. The car’s lithium-ion battery had ignited, causing what they described as a challenging fire to control. When such batteries rupture, they can enter a process called thermal runaway, which leads to a rapid escalation of temperature and pressure within the battery cells. This can release flammable gas, which, in conjunction with the battery’s high heat, can ignite and lead to a persistent, difficult-to-quell fire that emits hazardous fumes.
Adding to the complexity, Tesla’s batteries extend across the entirety of the vehicle’s floor, further complicating the fire dynamics. Firefighters needed to employ over 1,000 gallons of water to finally suppress the flames.
Yoon’s allegations point to Tesla’s strict liability in her husband’s tragic passing. She contends that the automaker produced a defective and unsafe vehicle, both in terms of design and construction, rendering it inadequate to withstand a collision. Yoon’s claims also encompass charges of negligence and violation of implied warranties of merchantability.
Within the lawsuit, the plaintiff demands a trial by jury and seeks full restitution as permitted by law. This includes actual damages, compensation for lost wages and future earnings, compensation for the loss of parental guidance, emotional distress, punitive damages, and more.
Recent history has borne witness to several fires ignited by Tesla crashes, largely attributed to the volatile nature of lithium-ion batteries. In a notable incident, a Tesla collided with a residence in New York, resulting in a fire that tragically claimed two lives. Similarly, another Tesla crashed in a Californian elementary school parking lot, leading to a blaze.
Presently, the NHTSA is engaged in an inquiry into Tesla concerning issues of power steering control. Moreover, the agency has initiated numerous specialized crash investigations concerning Tesla vehicles where the employment of Autopilot (Tesla’s advanced driver assistance system) was suspected before the accidents occurred.