Tesla Sued Over Fatal Car Accident and Battery Fire
Tesla is being sued by a woman who claims the company is to blame for the March 2022 death of her husband. She is reportedly gunning for a jury trial, meaning that it's unlikely she'll quietly settle out of court.
The woman, Jiyoung Yoon, claims that her late husband, Jyung Woo Hahn, was killed when his 2020 Tesla Model 3 malfunctioned while driving on the Palisades Interstate Parkway in Rockland County, New York during a snowstorm, which caused it to crash into a tree and catch fire. Although he survived the initial impact, he was unable to escape the vehicle and perished in the ensuing flames.
The Daily Mail reports that the source of the fire was the Tesla's lithium-ion battery. Firefighters responding to the scene said that the battery made it "extremely difficult" to extinguish the flames, and that it took over 1,000 gallons of water to put out the fire.
"The Tesla’s sole source of power is the 375-volt lithium-ion battery, which spans the entire length and width of the floor of the car," said Nanuet firefighters. "This battery was ruptured and was in 'thermal runaway,' making [the fire] extremely difficult to be extinguished."
In the lawsuit, which was obtained by TMZ, Yoon claims that the the Model 3 "was defective in design, manufacture, and warning," and that it was "unreasonably dangerous for its designed and intended purposes." She's suing for unspecified damages.
The lawsuit is just the latest in the company's woes, as earlier this year Tesla was forced to recall nearly 363,000 vehicles over apparent flaws in self-driving software. This is in addition to an investigation earlier this year over reports of steering wheels falling off, and another investigation that was launched just earlier this month stemming from a fatal crash in Virginia that occurred back in July.
A 2023 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study found that electric auto manufacturers, including Tesla, ranked dead last among major carmakers due to a range of factors such as technology issues and safety system malfunctions.
Men's Journal has reached out to a Tesla rep for comment on this story.