Lawsuits have been filed after several people died when their electric car battery exploded or caught on fire after a car accident.
What You Can Do & How We Can Help
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting electric car accident induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been injured in an electric car battery fire or explosion, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Accident & Personal Injury Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
UPDATE: Chevrolet Bolt EVs Recalled for Battery Fire Risk
In December 2020, a class action lawsuit was filed after GM recalled 51,000 of the 2017, 2018, and 2019-model-year Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicles due to a risk of battery fires. At least 5 fires occurred when the cars were fully-charged, or nearly fully-charged, parked, unattended, and not plugged in. One of the fires spread to a home. Two people suffered smoke-inhalation injuries.
What is the Problem?
Teslas and other types of electric cars are powered by lithium-ion batteries. These batteries pack a lot of power into a lightweight design, making them ideal for vehicles — but the benefits come with a risk.
Several people have died due to inaccessible door handles and sudden explosions involving the battery packs on electric vehicles.
Electric Car Battery Fires & Explosions
Fires and explosions can occur when the lithium-ion battery pack is damaged in car accidents. The intense blaze is fueled by chemicals in the battery pack. In many cases, the fire spreads uncontrollably, and it is often impossible to extinguish until the battery burns itself out.
Tesla Fires vs. Traditional Gas-Powered Car Fires
Tesla claims their electric cars have a 10-fold lower risk of fires than traditional gas-powered cars. The difference is that when electric car fires occur, they are far more intense, hard to put out, and dangerous.
For example, it often takes hours for firefighters to put out a Tesla fire, as well as thousands of gallons of water. In comparison, it usually only takes a few minutes for firefighters to put out a fire in a gas-powered car. Furthermore, electric car batteries can re-ignite multiple times after the fire is seemingly extinguished.
Lawsuit Blames Tesla Door Handles on Doctor’s Fiery Death
In October 2019, a lawsuit was filed against Tesla by the family of a South Florida doctor who died in a fiery car accident when he veered his Model S off a road and hit a palm tree. The doctor was uninjured in the accident, but the battery on his electric vehicle quickly exploded.
Tragically, a nearby police officer was unable to open the doors of the vehicle because the handles were inaccessible. Furthermore, the lithium-ion batteries in the Tesla caused a massive fire that spread quickly and forced bystanders to watch helplessly.
The lawsuit calls the Tesla Model S a “death trap,” because it has inaccessible door handles, no other way to open the doors in an emergency, and a serious fire hazard associated with the batteries.
The complaint (PDF) was filed on October 10, 2019 in the Broward County Judicial Circuit Court of the State of Florida — In RE: Awan v. Tesla Inc. — Case Number 19-021110.
Lawsuit Filed After Teenager Dies in Tesla Fire After Accident
In January 2019, another lawsuit was filed against Tesla by the parents of a teenage boy who died in a car accident, blaming his death on an intense fire that occurred when the battery exploded in the accident.
The Tesla 2014 Model S was driven by another teenage boy who also died tragically. He was going 116 mph when he lost control, crashed off a wall, hit a street light, and caught on fire, killing both teenagers.
The parents blamed the boys’ deaths on a Tesla employee improperly removing a device that limited the vehicle’s top speed to 85 mph.
They also blamed the boys’ deaths on the battery design on the 2014 Model S, which is “prone to extremely intense fires incapable of being extinguished,” according to the complaint. They also claim that the battery was not treated with a fire-retardant material to reduce the risk.
The complaint (PDF) was filed on January 8, 2019 in the 17th Judicial Circuit Court of the State of Florida — In RE: Edgar Monserratt v. Tesla Inc et al. — Case Number CACE19000422.
Do I have a Electric Car Accident Battery Fire Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting electric car accident induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been injured in an electric car battery fire or explosion, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Accident & Personal Injury Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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