Tesla Car Fires: Know Your Legal Rights and Options

When you’re shopping for a car, you probably don’t think to yourself, “OK, I need a car that won’t catch on fire,” because that is something that should never happen, period, no matter what you drive. Well, apparently Tesla didn’t get the memo. In November 2019, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) launched a probe into Tesla’s batteries, citing an “alarming number of car fires that have occurred worldwide.”

Among Teslas’ many worrisome malfunctions, their propensity for going up in smoke is one of the most concerning. For some, the Tesla fires call to mind Samsung phones and other electronic devices that have been known to overheat, scorching consumers. Why do these cars keep catching fire, and what can injured Tesla drivers do about it?

Tesla Car Fires

When a buyer is in the market for a new vehicle, they don’t typically consider the possibility of a car fire. No motor vehicle should present a serious risk of catching fire.  

Unfortunately, some vehicles manufactured by Tesla have this exact problem. According to research from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the batteries used in Tesla vehicles have led to an alarming number of car fires around the globe since 2019.

Needless to say, motorists shouldn’t have to worry that their vehicle might unexpectedly begin burning. If this has happened to you, you may be eligible to receive compensation. 

The accomplished legal team at Morgan & Morgan has decades of experience representing the victims of faulty consumer products. If your vehicle has malfunctioned and caused you personal or financial harm, you deserve justice. 

Reach out to our knowledgeable tort attorneys to discuss the facts of your case. Many victims can successfully recover the costs of medical bills, lost wages, and property damage resulting from Tesla car fires.

Timeline of Tesla Recalls

Since 2017, Tesla has issued a series of troubling recalls that affect tens of thousands of cars:

• April 2017: Tesla issues a recall of 53,000 Model X and Model S cars due to faulty parking brakes. More than half of the Model X and Model S vehicles sold in 2016 are recalled.
• October 2017: Tesla recalls 11,000 Model X SUVs because of a defective rear seat locking mechanism.
• March 2018: Tesla recalls 123,000 Model S sedans because of a dangerous issue with the power steering.
• January 2019: Tesla recalls 14,000 Model S vehicles equipped with potentially explosive Takata airbags.

Notice anything? None of the above recalls were related to the fire issue. That’s because Tesla and founder Elon Musk have argued that the problem is overblown, despite numbers that suggest otherwise. From February 2018 to April 2019, Business Insider counted five Tesla fire-related deaths. The outlet also noted that “firefighters cannot put out a lithium-ion-battery fire with foam or dry chemicals. These fires cannot be fought with anything but 500 to 8,000 gallons of water and patience.” This is a scary prospect for Tesla drivers.

Tesla Car Accident Fires

Business Insider says there have been at least 20 Tesla fires since 2013. Here are some of the most notable incidents:

• On February 12, 2020, in Cerritos, California, a Tesla charging in a garage caught fire, sending a child to the hospital.
• On January 18, 2020, in Pleasanton, California, a Tesla Model S jumped a curb, slammed into a brick wall, and caught fire, killing its driver.
• On June 1, 2019, in Antwerp, Belgium, a Model S caught fire while charging. To douse the flames, firefighters had to drop the car in a tank of water and leave it submerged overnight.
• On May 13, 2019, in Hong Kong, China, a Model S parked in a public garage caught fire. As a result, Tesla issued an Over-the-Air (OTA) update to the model’s thermal management system.
• In February 2019, in Davie, Florida, Omar Awan died after his Model S crashed into a median and erupted in flames. His widow, Lilliana Awan, filed a lawsuit arguing that Tesla’s special doors prevented rescuers from reaching her husband in time.
• On June 15, 2018, “West Wing” actor Mary McCormack tweeted about her husband’s Model S catching fire “out of the blue, in traffic on Santa Monica Blvd.”
• On March 23, 2018, on Route 101 in California, a Tesla Model X P100D collided with a safety barrier and caught fire. The driver died from injuries sustained in the crash.

The Drive has compiled a more extensive list of these types of incidents.

Has the Tesla Company Recalled Vehicles Before?

Yes. Tesla has a history of recalling vehicles that have flaws or problems. This troubling pattern of recalls has affected tens of thousands of Tesla vehicles.  

In April of 2017, the company recalled more than 50,000 of its Model X and Model S vehicles due to problems with the parking brake systems. 

Of those Model S and Model X cars sold in 2016, more than 50% have since been recalled. Many consumers rely on these potentially dangerous vehicles to transport them safely. 

In October of 2017, Tesla recalled 11,000 of its Model X sport utility vehicles. The reason for the recall was a faulty seat locking mechanism. 

Tesla recalled more than 120,000 of its Model S cars in March of 2018 due to a serious flaw in the vehicles’ power steering system. Despite all these recalls, the company’s founder still claims that the car fire issue is exaggerated. But the data contradicts this claim.

According to information from Business Insider, there were at least five Tesla car fire deaths from 2018-2019. The same source cites at least 20 battery-related fires in Tesla vehicles since 2013.  

The nature of these battery fires also makes them difficult to extinguish. It often requires between 500 and 8,000 gallons of water to successfully put out Tesla lithium-ion battery fires.

What Types of Compensation Can a Tesla Car Fire Victim Claim?

If your Tesla vehicle caught fire because of a malfunctioning battery, it’s important to secure legal representation. With the help of an attorney at Morgan and Morgan, you can pursue compensation for the costs and losses that you’ve experienced.  

Victims of car fires often sustain serious property damage and potentially suffer catastrophic injuries. Most personal injury claims allow the victim to pursue at least two common types of compensation, or “damages.” 

The two main kinds of compensatory payments in tort cases are “economic” and “non-economic” damages. The compassionate team at Morgan & Morgan will review the circumstances of your Tesla car fire case to determine which type of damages you’re eligible to receive and help you calculate the value of your claim.

Economic damages are a type of compensatory payment meant to pay back direct financial losses. Some typical examples of economic damages include: 

• Current and past medical expenses
• Medical-related travel, including ambulance rides
• Expected future costs of ongoing medical care
• Lost income and wages due to missed work
• Inability to earn income long-term
• Vehicular damage caused by the car fire 
• Not every type of harm from a Tesla car fire takes the form of a monetary loss. If you were injured in the accident, you likely suffered physical and psychological damage. 

Even though this type of harm doesn’t always result in financial loss, victims deserve compensation nonetheless. Non-economic damages are intended to compensate injury victims for these intangible losses. Common examples are:

• Physical pain and suffering
• Emotional anguish and turmoil
• Panic attacks, anxiety, and depression
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Decreased long-term quality of life 

If a Tesla car fire resulted in the death of a loved one, you might be able to pursue a wrongful death claim. Through this type of civil legal action, the survivors of deceased victims can pursue financial compensation for the following costs and losses: 

• Funeral and burial costs
• Lost future earnings from the victim
• The victim’s pain and suffering
• The family’s pain and suffering
• Loss of companionship or consortium 
• Regardless of the specific consequences of a Tesla car fire accident, it’s important for victims to seek legal representation. The legal experts at Morgan and Morgan know that accident and injury victims face many financial and personal difficulties. We will fight tirelessly to ensure a positive outcome in your car fire claim.

What Type of Legal Claim Can I File Following a Tesla Car Fire?

When commuters purchase vehicles, they should be able to trust that the car is reasonably safe.

Driving any type of motor vehicle presents certain risks. However, most motorists understandably don’t expect their vehicles to catch fire spontaneously. When a Tesla vehicle catches fire unexpectedly, those who are harmed may be able to pursue a product liability claim.

Product liability cases involve a plaintiff claiming they were injured by a faulty or malfunctioning consumer product. Product liability claimants may argue that the dangerous product — in this case, a Tesla vehicle — features either a design defect or manufacturing defect.

Manufacturing defects occur during the vehicle’s production phase. For this reason, they usually only affect a few of the vehicles of a particular make and model.  

Design defects, on the other hand, occur when a flaw in the product’s blueprint results in it being unreasonably dangerous. Even if the manufacturing process is carried out appropriately, poorly designed vehicles will still present hazards to consumers. 

If you’ve sustained financial or physical harm from a Tesla car fire, consult with a Morgan & Morgan tort lawyer immediately. Our veteran team of legal professionals will review the circumstances of your claim to help you decide the best course of action. 

When you hope to recover financial compensation through a product liability suit, you need premier legal representation. Our firm has the skills and resources needed to hold large corporations like Tesla accountable for any harm their negligence may cause.

How Will I Pay for a Tesla Car Fire Attorney?

When your vehicle has caught on fire, you’ll probably experience many financial costs and losses. Because of this, you may wonder how you can afford to hire a high-quality personal injury lawyer. 

Fortunately, Morgan and Morgan understand the challenges that Tesla car fire victims face. Because of this, our firm won’t charge you a single dime unless and until we recover the money you’re rightfully owed.

As America’s largest and most trusted tort law firm, our lawyers are paid through contingency fees. During your free consultation, our attorneys will agree to work for a specific percentage of the monetary recovery from your case.

We’ll fight tirelessly to ensure that you receive the compensation you’re due. Once our team has successfully negotiated a settlement or won your case at trial, the agreed-upon percentage will be used to cover the costs of our services. 

At Morgan & Morgan, we do not get paid unless you get paid. The fee is free unless we win for you.

What if My Tesla Car Fire Leads to a Collision?

If you’re involved in a traffic accident due to a car fire, you may wonder which type of claim you should pursue. It’s worth noting that some victims can file for damages with both a product liability claim and a collision claim.

This is especially true if a negligent driver was operating a malfunctioning Tesla vehicle at the time of the accident. When you consult with a seasoned legal advisor at Morgan and Morgan, we’ll help you determine which parties are legally responsible for the financial and personal harm you experienced.

Whether your injuries were the result of a faulty Tesla or an irresponsible motorist, you have a right to see justice done. Let us fight to get the money you need to move forward.

How Will an Attorney Help in My Tesla Car Fire Case?

Even if you know you’re owed financial compensation, you may be unsure about how a lawyer can help you. When you hire our firm, our team of experienced professionals will handle the following elements of your claim:

• Gathering relevant evidence to support your testimony
• Discovering which parties are liable for the harm you experienced
• Speaking with experts and specialists about defective vehicles
• Calculating the value of economic and non-economic damages
• Negotiating on your behalf with the opposing party
• Determining the type of defect that led to the fire
• Filling a legal suit if negotiations are unsuccessful

When seeking compensation from a large vehicle manufacturer, it’s critical to hire a law firm with the resources you need. At Morgan & Morgan, we’ll handle every aspect of your legal claim, from the initial filing to the final negotiation or trial.