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Tesla is being sued by the family members of another victim who died during an accident involving a Cybertruck in the peaceful community of Piedmont, California. This is the second suit brought against the automotive company this week alleging a design flaw in its vehicle is to blame for the fatalities of the passengers caught in the crash, according to court filings.

Claims Regarding Known Defects

Jack Nelson's family members allege that the company that helped Elon Musk become the world’s richest man knew about the flaw for a long time and could have moved faster to resolve the defect but failed to do so, trapping the occupants trapped amid flames and smoke that eventually killed them.

"This legal action stems from severe manufacturing flaws within Tesla's electric truck which transformed a manageable accident into a deadly blaze," reads the complaint, submitted recently in Alameda county superior court.

Another Parallel Case

A similar suit has been brought against the automaker on Thursday by the family of Krysta Tsukahara, who also perished in the accident. The 19-year-old Tsukahara, along with 20-year-old Nelson, were traveling in the back of the Cybertruck late last year, accompanied by another individual and the vehicle operator. The car smashed into a tree while traveling rapidly and ignited into flames, as detailed in a California highway patrol report.

Fatal Conditions

Once the electrical supply to the vehicle's doors was disrupted by the flames, the passengers were locked inside without any means of escape. The driver also died. The fourth passenger was pulled from the car after a rescuer broke a window.

"These four individuals inside the electric truck were dear companions and remarkable people, all poised to making meaningful contributions to the world," Todd and Stannye Nelson declared publicly. "They were all victims due to hazardous vehicle engineering. Their deaths and injuries have deeply affected all acquainted with them."

Government Probe

The new legal threats facing Tesla come just weeks after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration initiated a formal inquiry regarding the automaker about its electric door handles, which are built to be flush with the body of the vehicle.

The agency is also looking into complaints by drivers that said upon leaving their vehicles, they could not open back doors to get their children out and, in some cases, were forced to smash windows to gain access.

Ongoing Hazard Issues

Tesla door handles have been the focus of multiple accident-related legal cases since the power source powering the unlocking mechanism can be destroyed in a fire while the emergency overrides that bypass the electronic system are difficult to find.

"The backup mechanical release for that door was concealed beneath the liner of the map pocket positioned low on the door – hidden, unlabeled, and nearly impossible to find or use in the smoke and chaos of a post-crash fire," explained the family. "Consequently, the vehicle's engineering trapped the young individuals with no practical way to escape."

Prior Court Rulings

These electric truck legal cases follow several others that have claimed various safety problems in Tesla vehicles. In August, a Florida jury ruled that Tesla must pay millions in restitution to the relatives of a 22-year-old woman who lost her life by one of its vehicles operating in Autopilot mode.