Tesla Sudden Acceleration Accidents in Ontario

Trial-Tested Attorneys Serving Clients in the Inland Empire

Tesla vehicles are known for their high-tech driving capabilities, power, and sleek design, but now they’re gaining attention for another reason altogether—unintended acceleration. Unfortunately, these classy cars aren’t without their flaws. In recent years, dozens of Tesla owners have reported issues with unintended acceleration for Model S, Model X, and now, Model 3 vehicles. More specifically, these claims state that the vehicle accelerates radically without the driver’s initiation. As a result, numerous crashes have occurred, some of which have caused substantial property damage and injuries.

If you were injured in a Tesla vehicle because of a glitch or mechanical issue, make sure you know your legal options. If you were injured being hit by a Tesla vehicle, understand that it may be the result of something other than the negligence of the driver. Our experienced team of Tesla SUA (Sudden Unintended Acceleration), attorneys can help you seek compensation after an accident.

Do you have a case? Call (909) 345-8110 to schedule a free consultation with our firm.

The Issue with Tesla Acceleration

As described in a Class Action Complaint filed by McCune Law Group in 2016, Tesla acceleration glitches have been cited in crash reports since 2014, though recent issues with 2017 and 2018 models have also been reported. In these reported crashes, many drivers experienced the sudden acceleration glitch when traveling at very low speeds (less than 10 mph), such as when parking, though some occurred while driving at higher speeds. In all reported instances, the drivers say that they did not initiate acceleration when the car suddenly jumped forward, accelerating of its own accord.

According to a report by Consumer Affairs, Tesla owners say that their vehicles took off by themselves without any prompting, which ultimately caused the vehicles to collide with curbs, buildings, shrubbery, and more. In a recent Tesla acceleration accident in China, a driver was even thrown off the road and into a nearby river. And even more recently, a 31-year old woman was critically injured when a Tesla Model 3 accelerated suddenly while approaching a red light, crossing through the intersection and slamming into a sales office.

Tesla Blames User Error

After reviewing a few of the reported incidents, Tesla representatives come back with the same response: user error. Tesla analyzed the logs retained from the vehicles that were involved in these sudden acceleration crashes. From these logs, they determined that the accelerator was pushed right before the crash occurred—which would indicate a user error.

Drivers do occasionally accidentally hit the gas instead of the breaks. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, unintended acceleration incidents happen in the United States at a rate of 1 per 100,000 vehicles per year. But issues with Tesla vehicles are too frequent to be dismissed by user error. For instance, within the first year of the Model X being released, 13 incidents of unintended acceleration were reported, when there were only 18,240 Model X vehicles on the road in the United States—a rate of 71 per 100,000 vehicles.

Additionally, the drivers involved in these crashes insist that Tesla made a mistake and that the company failed to identify a pedal glitch or a system error that caused the vehicle to accelerate autonomously.

Do You Have a Case?

If you were injured in a crash involving a Tesla vehicle that exhibited unintended or unexplained acceleration issues, you may have a personal injury case. Our team at McCune Law Group has ample experience representing clients injured by automobile defects and false advertising, and we’re comfortable handling auto defect class action cases that affect large groups of people. We’ve handled cases involving Tesla SUA, (Sudden Unintended Acceleration), and Toyota SUA, and we’re comfortable Whatever your situation if you think you have a case, we want to hear from you.

Contact McCune Law Group to discuss your Tesla accident case with our experienced attorneys.