In a recent lawsuit filed in US District Court in Boston, the family of Samuel David Tremblett, a 20-year-old man who died tragically while trapped inside a burning Tesla following a crash in Easton, is taking legal action against the electric carmaker. The mother of the deceased, Jacquelyn Tremblett, asserts that her son's death was the result of an "unreasonably dangerous design" of the Tesla vehicle, which included electric doors that failed to open after the crash, as reported by The Boston Globe.
The complaint references at least 15 other deaths since 2016 involving similar circumstances with Teslas. Jacquelyn Tremblett expressed her anguish stating, "How could Tesla keep selling vehicles that they know trap people inside their cars after a crash?" and "They could have fixed it, but they refused. Now my son is dead after suffering unmercifully," as she told The Boston Globe. Her legal team includes the chilling account Samuel gave during his 911 call, where he pleaded, "I can't breathe. It's on fire. Help. Please. I'm going to die. I'm dying. Help. Help." Tesla has yet to comment on the lawsuit.
Details of Samuel Tremblett's emergency call were also part of a Bloomberg Law investigation into the perils of electric door systems in Tesla vehicles. These systems have a history of failure, particularly after a crash, which traps occupants inside. Samuel Tremblett survived the initial impact but was unable to escape from his burning vehicle leading to his tragic death by thermal injuries and smoke inhalation.
Mechanical releases are available within Tesla models, yet many occupants apparently remain unaware of their existence or how to operate them. The ongoing issue has prompted Tesla to work on a redesign of its door handles and update its website features to unlock doors automatically in the event of a serious collision. Despite these initiatives, the company is facing multiple lawsuits over claims of entrapment. Further concern has been raised on an international level, with countries like China and European regulators taking steps towards enacting safety rules concerning electric handles, as noted by Bloomberg Law.
The legal repercussions of such incidents continue to unfold while Tremblett's family and other affected parties seek justice in court. The case, Tremblett v. Tesla, demonstrates an escalating legal challenge for the car manufacturer. Furthermore, the legislative landscape may shift, as a U.S. lawmaker recently proposed legislation mandating manual door releases in all new vehicles, a direct response to these tragic events.
