The Law Office Of David W. HolubThe Law Office Of David W. Holub

The Law Office Of David W. HolubThe Law Office Of David W. Holub

Tesla’s Autopilot Causing Accidents and Injuries

It seems Tesla is back in the news again. And it’s not good news. Apparently the electric car manufacturer is under investigation as their cars are being reported responsible for causing accidents into emergency first-responder vehicles.

Federal safety regulators are investigating at least 11 accidents involving Tesla cars. Each Tesla automobile was using a feature called “Autopilot” that put the car in autonomous mode (meaning the car was driving itself).

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration released information regarding these accidents and stated that seven of the accidents resulted in 17 injuries and one death.

The accidents occurred over a 3-1/2 year period from January 2018 to July 2021 and all happened after nightfall. The accidents occurred as the Tesla owners approached post-accident scenes involving first-responder vehicles, flashing lights and road cones.

According to Tesla’s website…

“Autopilot is an advanced driver assistance system that assists your car with steering, accelerating and braking for other vehicles and pedestrians within its lane. They assist with the most burdensome parts of driving and work alongside features like emergency braking, collision warning and blind-spot monitoring.”

https://www.tesla.com/support/full-self-driving-subscriptions

Unfortunately, either the computers controlling the autopilot cannot adjust to flashing lights of a nighttime accident or the feature hasn’t evolved enough to be used at night. And since it seems this is a recurring problem that has the attention of the NHTSA, you would think Tesla would make adjustments to this feature.

However, if you clicked the link above to learn more about Tesla, you might notice that the feature in question makes Tesla lots of money. In fact, when you calculate the monthly fee by the number of Tesla owners who elect to have autopilot the amount is in the millions per month.

Tesla, like many auto manufacturers, has put profit over safety and has shown a history of disregard to human life with the continued advertisement and use of their autopilot feature.

Tesla’s attorneys might argue that the use of such feature is the sole responsibility of the driver of such vehicle, however knowing that feature has caused accidents and could continue to cause future accidents, if I was a betting man I would say Tesla instead of removing the feature will just add a warning for the driver that pops up prior to engaging the feature. Something like… “Engaging the autopilot of this vehicle is the sole responsibility of the driver and by activating it you indemnify Tesla in any accident or injury caused by using this feature.”

An auto accident can change the course of a person’s life in a split second. An injury can have a far reaching impact on an entire family if a family member is unable to work, if hospital or home nursing care is required, or if the injured person’s ability to contribute to the operation of the household is altered.

If you were injured or involved in an accident, it is critical that you consult with an attorney who has extensive trial litigation experience. If your case cannot be settled, it is crucial that your attorney understand how to prepare your case for trial and how to win your case.

We are committed to providing high quality legal service which includes an uncompromising pursuit of our client’s legal interests, while being accessible and attentive to our clients during times of personal challenge. We understand that auto accidents also bring emotional stress over how to pay medical bills and replace damaged property. We are devoted to serving our clients by assisting them in dealing with their auto insurance company, their health insurance carrier, and the other driver’s insurance company. If a prompt settlement cannot be negotiated we promptly file suit to recover compensation for not only physical and emotional injuries, but medical bills, lost wages, and property damage.

If you have been in any kind of a car accident caused by the negligence of someone else, and were injured or sustained property damage in a car crash in Merrillville, Crown Point, Gary, Hammond, Highland, Portage, Valparaiso, or in Lake or Porter County, or any part of northwest Indiana contact our firm for help. We put our experience and resources to work for car crash injury victims throughout northwest Indiana with one object in mind: to maximize your compensation. Call our number (219)736-9700 for assistance today.

The Law Offices of David W. Holub is a personal injury law firm located in Merrillville, Indiana, focused on providing efficient and effective client-centered representation. Our mission is to provide top quality legal representation, which includes an uncompromising pursuit of our client’s legal interests, while being accessible and attentive to our clients during times of personal challenge.

The firm concentrates in personal injury cases of all types, medical malpractice, and wrongful death litigation. We work tirelessly to serve each client aggressively and with empathy, to communicate regularly and clearly, and to obtain prompt and favorable results, while adhering to the highest standards of excellence and integrity. Our team considers it a high honor to be called upon to serve our clients whom we often come to regard as our friends.

*If you would like to learn more about personal injury law, we encourage you to listen to our Personal Injury Primer Podcast where we break down the law into simple terms, provide legal tips, and discuss topics related to personal injury law. And read “Fighting For Truth: A Trial Lawyer’s Insight Into What It Takes To Win” an entertaining and enlightening book pulling readers into the courtroom giving them a glimpse of the legal process and what it takes to win at trial.