Family sues Elon Musk's Tesla alleging he was 'trapped' inside car in 5,000 degree inferno
A family is suing Elon Musk’s Tesla after an owner was allegedly ‘trapped’ inside the car in a 5,000 degree inferno.
The owner of a Tesla Cybertruck tragically lost his life after he was effectively buried alive inside the vehicle last year.
The car burst into flames, causing his bones to disintegrate in a 5,000 degree fire, according to the wrongful death lawsuit filed by Michael Sheehan’s family.
The 47 year old died just three months after first purchasing the vehicle back in April 2024.
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The incident occurred when the Cybertruck swerved off the road and hit a culvert near Beach City, Texas.
The truck caught fire, leaving Sheehan trapped inside due to the batteries failing, according to the court filings.
Speaking to the Independent, attorney S. Scott West said: “He was eight inches shorter in length than he was before he burned. That’s thermal fracture.”
West continued: “Michael was a Mensa-level guy, very, very smart, but when Tesla delivered this [Cybertruck] to him, the instructions they gave him were woefully inadequate to handle a situation like this.”
He added: “Not only are you riding on top of 3,000 pounds of batteries, this ‘spaceship’ design is a double-edged sword.”
West went on to acknowledge that Sheehan had alcohol in his system but argued ‘that shouldn’t sign his death warrant’.
Sheehan’s parents and his widow, Shannon, filed the lawsuit that accuses Tesla of selling a Cybertruck so defectively designed that it turned a crash that should have been survivable into a fiery death.
In the suit, it details: “This was a single-vehicle crash. The crash forces were survivable… except for the fire, ergonomic shortcomings, and deficient crashworthiness.”
According to the filings, the doors of the Cybertruck cannot be opened when the power is cut and instead there are manual release latches which are ‘unreasonably difficult to locate in an emergency’.
The lawsuit argues that owners are given ‘insufficient warnings or training’ on how to get out of the vehicle in the event of a crash or emergency.
West said: “Every religion has a version of hell, and every version of hell has fire.
“It is the most excruciating and longest torture of any death. The nerves are literally exposed to everything. It’s horrific.”
He went on to say: “There’s my challenge to Elon. Put me out of business. Make these vehicles so safe that I don’t have to do this anymore.”