Judge upholds $243M verdict against Tesla in Autopilot crash that killed woman | Latest Tech News
A federal choose rejected Tesla’s request to overturn a $243 million jury verdict over the 2019 crash of an Autopilot-equipped Model S, which killed a 22-year-old woman and severely injured her boyfriend.
In a choice made public on Friday, US District Judge Beth Bloom in Miami said the evidence at trial “more than supported” the August 2025 verdict, and Tesla raised no new arguments to set the verdict apart.
Tesla, led by Elon Musk, is predicted to appeal. Its legal professionals didn’t immediately reply to requests for remark.
A federal choose rejected Tesla’s request to overturn a $243 million jury verdict over the 2019 crash of an Autopilot-equipped Model S, which killed a 22-year-old woman The inside of a Tesla Model S, above. REUTERS
The case arose from an April 25, 2019, incident in Key Largo, Florida, in which George McGee drove his 2019 Model S through an intersection at about 62 mph while he bent to look for his telephone, which he had dropped.
McGee crashed into Naibel Benavides Leon and Dillon Angulo’s SUV, which was parked on a shoulder and which they stood beside.
Jurors discovered Tesla 33% accountable for the crash.
They awarded compensatory damages of $19.5 million to Benavides’ property and $23.1 million to Angulo, plus $200 million of punitive damages to be cut up between them. McGee beforehand settled with the plaintiffs.
The verdict was the first from a federal jury regarding a deadly accident involving Autopilot.
Tesla blamed driver for putting victims
In in search of a reversal, Tesla said McGee deserved sole blame for the crash, his Model S wasn’t faulty, and the verdict defied common sense.
In in search of a reversal, Elon Musk’s Tesla said McGee deserved sole blame for the crash, his Model S wasn’t faulty, and the verdict defied common sense. Tesla is predicted to appeal. AP
Tesla said automakers “do not insure the world against harms caused by reckless drivers,” and punitive damages must be zero because it didn’t exhibit “reckless disregard for human life” under Florida law.
Adam Boumel, a lawyer for Benavides’ property and Angulo, said his purchasers had been happy with the choice.
“From day one, Tesla has refused to accept responsibility,” Boumel said in an e mail. “Autopilot was defective, and Tesla put it on American roads before it was ready and before it was safe.”
Tesla has confronted many comparable lawsuits over its automobiles’ self-driving capabilities, but they’ve been resolved or dismissed without going to trial.
Musk, the world’s richest individual, has long touted Tesla as a chief in autonomous driving for personal automobiles and robotaxis.
Stay informed with the latest in tech! Our web site is your trusted source for breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, gadget launches, software program updates, cybersecurity, and digital innovation.
For contemporary insights, knowledgeable coverage, and trending tech updates, go to us frequently by clicking right here.
