Tesla is facing a new wrongful death lawsuit after a fiery crash in Wisconsin that killed five people inside a Model S sedan, with the victims’ family alleging that the vehicle’s design left them trapped in the burning car. The suit claims that a defect in the Model S’s electronic door system prevented the occupants from escaping after the vehicle’s battery ignited following the collision.
The crash occurred on November 1, in Verona, a suburban community near Madison. Jeffrey Bauer, 54, and Michelle Bauer, 55, of Crandon, Wisconsin, were among the five passengers traveling in the Model S when it veered off the roadway and struck a tree. Both Jeffrey and Michelle Bauer survived the initial impact but died the following day from injuries sustained in the fire, according to the lawsuit filed by four of their children.
The complaint argues that the Model S’s lithium-ion battery pack caused the vehicle’s electronic systems including the door release mechanisms to fail when the battery ignited. The Bauer family alleges that because of this failure, the occupants were unable to open the vehicle’s doors to escape the flames. They contend that Tesla was aware of the risk based on previous incidents but “made a conscious departure from known, feasible safety practices” by relying heavily on electronic door systems without ensuring adequate mechanical backups.
Tesla, headquartered in Austin, Texas and led by CEO Elon Musk, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the lawsuit.
The case echoes recent litigation involving the automaker. Families of two college students who died in a Cybertruck crash in California last year also sued Tesla, claiming that the truck’s door handle design trapped the victims inside a burning vehicle following the collision.
Federal safety officials had previously raised concerns about Tesla’s door systems. In September, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched an investigation into potential defects in Tesla door handles, following reports that some handles could malfunction and fail to open during emergencies.
The lawsuit notes that rear seat passengers in the Model S, such as Michelle Bauer, were particularly at risk. According to the complaint, those seated in the back must lift carpeting to access a small metal release tab to manually exit the vehicle an action the family argues is not intuitive and difficult to perform in a panic or fire situation. The filing recounts that a nearby resident who called 911 reported hearing screams coming from inside the burning car, underscoring the plaintiffs’ claims that the victims were alive but unable to escape.
“Tesla’s design choices created a highly foreseeable risk: that occupants who survived a crash would remain trapped inside a burning vehicle,” the complaint states.
In addition to Tesla, the lawsuit also names the estate of the vehicle’s driver, accusing them of negligent driving that contributed to the crash. The case, titled Bauer et al v. Tesla et al, was filed in Dane County Circuit Court under case number 2025CV003601.
As the legal proceedings move forward, the lawsuit adds to mounting scrutiny over Tesla’s vehicle safety systems, particularly in emergency situations where seconds can determine survival.