A Florida federal court has upheld a staggering $242.5 million verdict against Tesla following a 2019 crash that killed a woman and left another man severely injured.
On Friday, Judge Beth Bloom denied Tesla’s request to overturn the jury’s decision, effectively closing a high-stakes legal battle over the safety of the company’s Autopilot system.
The case originated from a tragic accident in Key Largo. George McGee was driving his 2019 Tesla Model S on Autopilot when it struck a parked vehicle, which then hit pedestrians Naibel Benavides Leon and Dillon Angulo. Benavides Leon was killed, while Angulo suffered life-altering injuries. The jury ultimately found Tesla liable for defective design and a failure to warn drivers about the system’s limitations.
Tesla had argued for a new trial, claiming the verdict lacked reliable expert evidence and that the company provided “extensive warnings” to users. Judge Bloom rejected these claims, stating that Tesla’s arguments were “virtually the same as those Tesla put forth previously.”
In her final ruling, the judge noted that the evidence presented at trial “more than supports the jury verdict.” She concluded that “the interest of justice does not require the grant of a new trial or judgment in Tesla’s favor,” and officially directed the clerk to close the case.
The total award includes roughly $42.5 million in compensatory damages and $200 million in punitive damages. This decision serves as a significant blow to Tesla as it continues to face mounting legal pressure over its driver-assistance technology across North America.
