Tesla Ordered to Pay $243M in Autopilot Crash Verdict
A federal jury in Miami found Tesla Inc. partially liable for a fatal 2019 crash involving its Autopilot system, ordering the company to pay $243 million in damages. The verdict, delivered after less than a day of deliberation, assigned 33% liability to Tesla and 67% to the driver. The crash, which occurred in the Florida Keys, resulted in the death of Naibel Benavides Leon and severe injuries to Dillon Angulo.
Lead attorney BRETT Schreiber called the ruling "justice for Naibel’s tragic death and Dillon’s lifelong injuries," accusing Tesla of prioritizing self-driving hype over safety. Tesla swiftly denounced the decision, citing legal errors and vowing to appeal. "Today’s verdict is wrong and only works to set back automotive safety," the company stated.
