Tesla Tells Texas Court It Has No Duty to Warn Owners of Defects

[Mr. Sparkle]

A Tesla owner is suing the automaker over injuries sustained inappropriately fiery crash, but Tesla is denying responsibility. On December 9, 2023, Susmita Maddi was riding in a 2023 Tesla Model Y driven by her husband, Venkateswara Pasumarti. He had a medical emergency and crashed into a utility pole, causing the car to catch fire, according to court documents reviewed by Car Complaints.

Maddi suffered burns and other injuries after, the lawsuit alleges, becoming trapped in the Model Y due to defective door handles. The lawsuit claims the front-passenger door couldn’t be opened from the outside by onlookers due to said defects, that these defects were present when the car was built, and that Tesla didn’t provide adequate warning. Tesla’s defense rests on disputing that last point.

The lawsuit was filed in the Travis County District Court in Austin, Texas. Tesla told the judge that the case should be thrown out because the customer signed a binding arbitration agreement as part of the vehicle purchase, and because the crash occurred in Virginia, not Texas. But perhaps the boldest argument from Tesla’s lawyers rests on litigation in the Lone Star State.

“Texas courts have specifically held there is no post-sale duty to warn of, or to recall, an allegedly defective product,” Tesla lawyers said in court documents.

more.. https://www.autoblog.com/news/tesla-tells-texas-court-it-has-no-duty-to-warn-owners-of-defects

[TommieMommy]

1. OMG they should warn their customers. But rich people just don't care

[Swede]

2. Quite the sales pitch.

nt

[Baitball Blogger]

6. Buy at your own risk,

[TheBlackAdder]

7. Their next models will be called Corvair & Pinto. Soon to be listed in 'Death Traps On Wheels.'

Future updates pending...

https://motor-junkie.com/death-traps-on-wheels-the-most-unsafe-cars-ever-built/74029/

[BOSSHOG]

3. Is the boss of Tesla anyhow connected to the Republican Party?

A fan of Project 2025? No adherent to responsibility and integrity? Per chance a rugged individualist driven by freedom and independence?

[Johonny]

4. Musk is an awful person

And his cars suck

[sop]

5. Manufacturers also have a duty to protect.

Duty to protect is a manufacturer's responsibility to design and market safe products, which may include implementing safety features in addition to or in lieu of warnings. Duty to warn focuses on informing users of risks, duty to protect encompasses the entire process of ensuring the product itself is safe.