Cristina Balan was fired from Tesla for raising security concerns
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Cristina Balan, a former Tesla engineer who raised safety concerns about a potential braking flaw in 2014, has won a significant victory in her years-long legal battle against Elon Musk and the company. After being fired and initially losing her defamation case when a judge upheld an arbitration ruling against her, Balan’s fight took a turn when a California appeals court overturned that decision, reviving her claim and marking a major step forward in her pursuit of justice.
Balan told BBC News that her legal battle with Tesla is effectively starting over, with hopes of launching a new lawsuit that would allow her to face Elon Musk in front of a jury and judge.
Once a prominent engineer at the company—with her initials engraved on Model S batteries—Balan remains determined to clear her name, driven by a desire to prove her innocence for her son. In a previous interview, she also revealed she was in remission from stage-3B breast cancer and feared she might not live to see the end of her court fight.
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For the unversed, Balan raised concerns about a safety hazard in Tesla vehicles, claiming that curling carpets under the pedals posed a potential danger. After her warnings were dismissed by management and tensions escalated, she was fired—though she later won a wrongful dismissal case.
However, her legal journey didn’t end...
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