Judge Upholds $243M Verdict Against Tesla in Autopilot Crash That Killed Woman; Tesla Rejected $60 Million Settlement Before Losing $243 Million Autopilot Verdict

Judge upholds $243M verdict against Tesla in Autopilot crash that killed woman:

A federal judge 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 decision 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 aside.

Tesla, led by Elon Musk, is expected to appeal. Its lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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 phone, 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 found Tesla 33% responsible for the crash.

They awarded compensatory damages of $19.5 million to Benavides’ estate and $23.1 million to Angulo, plus $200 million of punitive damages to be split between them. McGee previously settled with the plaintiffs.

The verdict was the first from a federal jury concerning a fatal accident involving Autopilot.

Tesla blamed driver for striking victims --->READ MORE HERE

REUTERS

Tesla rejected $60 million settlement before losing $243 million Autopilot verdict:

Billionaire Elon Musk’s electric vehicle company Tesla (TSLA.O), opens new tab rejected a $60 million settlement proposal in a lawsuit over the 2019 fatal crash of an Autopilot-equipped Model S before a jury this month awarded a $243 million verdict in the case.

Lawyers for the plaintiffs disclosed the settlement proposal in a filing, on Monday in the federal court in Miami, Florida, as part of a request for legal fees from Tesla.

They said Florida law entitles them to the legal fees the plaintiffs accrued since May 30, when the settlement was proposed.

Tesla and a lawyer representing the company in the case did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Attorneys for the plaintiffs had no immediate comment.

The trial focused on an April 2019 crash involving a 2019 Model S featuring Autopilot driver-assistance software. The driver’s Tesla struck the victims' parked Chevrolet Tahoe as they were standing beside it on a shoulder. --->READ MORE HERE

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