KNOXVILLE(AP) — The families of three people killed when their vehicles crashed into a guardrail end have filed lawsuits that alleged the "defective" Lindsay X-LITE system caused their relatives' deaths.

News outlets report the families of Jacob Davison and Lauren Beuttel filed lawsuits in Cumberland County on Wednesday, while Wilbert Byrd's son filed in Hamilton County.

The lawsuits allege the guardrails were improperly installed by Cumberland Guardrail due to insufficient instructions by Lindsay Corporation and Valmont Industries.

Lindsay said in a statement that the equipment's inability to prevent every tragedy doesn't indicate a flaw. Cumberland didn't return a request for comment Wednesday

B.J. Doughty, Tennessee Department of Transportation spokeswoman, says the guardrail ends failed to absorb the impact in several fatal crashes. TDOT's findings prompted it to replaced roughly 1,800 X-LITES.