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Legal action has been initiated against Tesla by the parents of another victim who died during a Cybertruck crash in the peaceful community of Piedmont, California. This is the second suit filed against the car maker within the past few days alleging a design flaw in its vehicle is responsible for the fatalities of those inside involved in the accident, according to court filings.

Claims Regarding Pre-Existing Flaws

The parents of Jack Nelson assert that the corporation which assisted Elon Musk become the world’s richest man knew about the flaw for years and could have moved faster to resolve the defect but did not, trapping the occupants stuck in the fire and smoke that eventually killed them.

"This case arises from severe manufacturing flaws in the Tesla Cybertruck that turned a survivable crash into a deadly blaze," states the legal filing, which was filed on Thursday at the local courthouse.

Another Parallel Case

An analogous legal claim was filed against Tesla on Thursday by the family of Krysta Tsukahara, who also perished in the accident. Tsukahara, 19, along with 20-year-old Nelson, were traveling in the back of the Cybertruck late last year, with one other passenger and the driver. The car smashed into a tree while traveling rapidly and ignited into flames, according to an official traffic incident document.

Tragic Circumstances

Once the electrical supply to the vehicle's doors was disrupted by the flames, the occupants became trapped within with no way out. The driver also died. The remaining occupant was pulled from the car following the shattering of a window by emergency personnel.

"These four individuals inside the electric truck were dear companions and remarkable people, all poised to making meaningful contributions to society," Todd and Stannye Nelson declared publicly. "They all suffered due to hazardous vehicle engineering. Their deaths and injuries have devastated everyone who knew them."

Government Probe

The new legal threats facing Tesla come just weeks after federal transportation authorities initiated a formal inquiry regarding the automaker concerning their electronic door mechanisms, designed to sit level with the car's exterior.

Authorities are additionally examining reports from vehicle owners that said after exiting their cars, they could not open back doors to retrieve their children and, in some cases, had to break the window to reach them.

Recurring Safety Concerns

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

"The backup mechanical release for that door was concealed beneath the liner of the map pocket at the bottom of the door – concealed, unmarked, and impractical to locate or use in the smoke and chaos of a post-crash fire," said the Nelsons. "As a result, the vehicle's engineering left Jack and the other occupants without viable means of evacuation."

Previous Legal Precedents

These electric truck legal cases come after multiple instances which have alleged various safety problems with Tesla cars. Earlier this year, a Florida jury ruled that the company must compensate $243m in damages to the family of a 22-year-old woman who lost her life in an accident involving their car using the autonomous driving feature.