Musk's SpaceX Faces Negligence Lawsuit Over Worker's Coma

Elon Musk's SpaceX finds itself entangled in a negligence lawsuit filed by Ydy Cabada, the wife of Francisco Cabada, a SpaceX technician who suffered severe injuries during a rocket engine malfunction in January 2022. 

The incident, previously undisclosed, was brought to light by a Reuters investigation that uncovered over 600 unreported workplace injuries at the aerospace company, including amputations, electrocutions and one fatality.

The lawsuit, filed in a Los Angeles state court, alleged negligence on SpaceX's part, claiming that the severe injuries sustained by Francisco Cabada were a result of systemic problems within the company. The incident occurred during the testing of a Raptor V2 engine at SpaceX's facility in Hawthorne, California, when a part of the engine broke away, striking Cabada's head and fracturing his skull.

Former SpaceX employees, familiar with the accident, assert that the incident underscored broader issues within the company, citing warnings about rushing the engine's development, inadequate staff training, and insufficient testing of components. Reuters sources claim that a flaw in the part that caused the accident had been identified but not rectified before the testing took place.

SpaceX, known for its ambitious projects and collaboration with NASA, has not responded to inquiries regarding the specific allegations in the Cabada case. The company has not commented on the broader Reuters investigation into workplace injuries. NASA, which has invested USD 11.8 billion in SpaceX as a private space contractor, has yet to issue a statement regarding the lawsuit.