Tesla hit with wrongful death lawsuit over faulty Model S doors that allegedly trapped occupants in a fiery crash.
A US family has filed a lawsuit against Tesla, alleging that the company's design flaw in the lithium-ion battery pack caused electronic door systems to fail, trapping and killing five people in a car accident. Jeffrey Bauer, 54, and Michelle Bauer, 55, of Wisconsin, were passengers in a Model S when it crashed off the road and into a tree on November 1, 2024. They died the next day.
According to the complaint filed by four of the Bauers' children, Tesla knew about this potential risk due to earlier fires but chose not to implement safer designs. The family claims that Tesla's design choices created a highly foreseeable risk: that occupants who survived a crash would remain trapped inside a burning vehicle.
The incident is the latest in a series of lawsuits against Tesla over its electric vehicles. In September, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration disclosed an investigation into possible defects on some Tesla doors, following reports that handles could fail. A nearby homeowner told 911 that she heard screaming from within the Bauers' vehicle during the crash.
Tesla's design flaw has been criticized by experts and regulators alike. The company has been accused of prioritizing profits over safety, and its stock price actually rose after news of the lawsuit was announced on Monday.
A US family has filed a lawsuit against Tesla, alleging that the company's design flaw in the lithium-ion battery pack caused electronic door systems to fail, trapping and killing five people in a car accident. Jeffrey Bauer, 54, and Michelle Bauer, 55, of Wisconsin, were passengers in a Model S when it crashed off the road and into a tree on November 1, 2024. They died the next day.
According to the complaint filed by four of the Bauers' children, Tesla knew about this potential risk due to earlier fires but chose not to implement safer designs. The family claims that Tesla's design choices created a highly foreseeable risk: that occupants who survived a crash would remain trapped inside a burning vehicle.
The incident is the latest in a series of lawsuits against Tesla over its electric vehicles. In September, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration disclosed an investigation into possible defects on some Tesla doors, following reports that handles could fail. A nearby homeowner told 911 that she heard screaming from within the Bauers' vehicle during the crash.
Tesla's design flaw has been criticized by experts and regulators alike. The company has been accused of prioritizing profits over safety, and its stock price actually rose after news of the lawsuit was announced on Monday.
... can't believe a company as big as Tesla would put profits over people like that 
. It's just so sad for the Bauer family, five innocent lives lost because of a design flaw that could've been prevented with some basic safety measures 
. And now they're suing them? I don't blame them one bit. The thought of being trapped in a burning car is just... no words 
. As a consumer, it's unsettling to think about the risks we're taking when we buy electric cars from companies like Tesla 
. Have we become too reliant on tech and not enough on human judgment? 
. I've been hearing about Tesla's dodgy design choices for years now and it's getting old. They should be held accountable for this! The stock price going up after the lawsuit announcement is just gross 
i feel bad for the bauer family and their kids it's crazy that tesla might have known about this risk but didn't do anything about it 
the fact that they chose to ignore this risk is so reckless... i mean i know companies have to make profits but not at the cost of human lives! 
. I feel like the company should've prioritized safety over profits, you know? 
. The stock price even went up after the news came out? That's just crazy talk 
. We need more safety features in our cars, no doubt about it 
. It's a good thing that these families are speaking up and fighting for justice 
.
. We need to hold them accountable for this and make sure they start prioritizing safety over profits 
.
It's like, you'd think Tesla would've figured out how to make their cars safer by now. But nope, they're still getting sued over it 
. And get this - their stock price actually went up after the news broke 
. What's wrong with people? Don't they care about these families who lost loved ones in a preventable accident? 
.
It's like they're putting profits over lives, which is just not right