Recently, a California man, Brian Sparks, filed a petition with federal safety officials claiming that Tesla vehicles accelerate on their own, “without the driver touching the accelerator pedal.” As a result, many people have been injured.
According to The Los Angeles Times, “Sparks said Tesla owners have lodged 127 complaints with the government, covering 110 crashes and 52 injuries.” Many of these accidents have allegedly occurred when drivers were attempting to park. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration stated that they will look into the petition before deciding whether to open a formal investigation.
Tesla has responded to this claim, stating that the claim is completely false. The company said that “it follows up [on] reports of cars accelerating on their own, and in every case where the company has the car’s data, the vehicle performed as designed.” Tesla alleges driver error in all cases. They believe that Sparks made the false claim because he stands to make money if Tesla stock price drops as a short seller of the stock.
Still, this is not the first time Tesla has been questioned on the safety of their cars. There have been many claims of accidents occurring, some even causing death, while the car was using its autopilot feature. Also, claims the company has made about their vehicles being the “safest” on the road have also come under scrutiny as misleading to customers. While the new technology in Teslas and other “self-driving” or “advanced driver assistance” vehicles is exciting, it is still evolving and can result in errors that cause injury. Drivers may feel more secure in cars with this technology, however, if the technology is faulty and makes mistakes such as accelerating on its own when it should be stopping, parking, or slowing down, it can be very dangerous.
Though Tesla is currently disputing these claims, if an investigation reveals that their cars do indeed accelerate on their own causing collisions, those injured in these accidents can bring a personal injury claim against Tesla. A personal injury claim would hold Tesla responsible for the malfunctioning feature that caused these accidents. Bringing this type of claim would allow those injured to recover financially for costs of their injuries. This recovery can include costs for medical bills, hospital stays, and physical rehabilitation costs, as well as damages for lost wages and pain and suffering.
If you are injured in a Tesla accident, or any other car accident, the Los Angeles personal injury attorneys at Walch Law offer a free consultation. We have years of experience with car accident personal injury cases and wrongful death accident claims in Los Angeles, its surrounding counties and throughout California. If you are injured due to no fault of your own, you deserve to be compensated by the party responsible. A personal injury case can help you get that compensation. Going up against a large company such as Tesla is complicated, so you will want the assistance of attorneys who know the ins and outs of these types of cases. Call us today at 866-465-8792 to schedule your free case consultation and get your personal injury questions answered!