Tesla ordered to pay $242 million for fatal crash involving self-driving cars

An eight-member jury decided Friday, following a trial in federal civil court in Miami, Florida, to award the plaintiffs a total of $328 million in damages, said Darren Jeffrey Rousso of the Rousso Boumel law firm, which represented the claimants. He said the jury set Tesla's damages at $200 million.
The jury also awarded $59 million to Naibel Benavides Leon's estate and $69 million to her boyfriend, Dillon Angulo, in damages for pain and suffering. Two-thirds of this amount is to be paid by the person responsible for the accident and one-third by Tesla. These findings were confirmed by the U.S. federal court ruling database.
The Austin, Texas-based group is ultimately expected to owe $242 million, said Darren Jeffrey Rousso. "Justice has been served. The jury heard all the evidence and reached a just and fair verdict for our clients," he said.
According to the lawsuit filed against Tesla in April 2021, the Chevrolet Tahoe SUV the couple were traveling in on April 25, 2019, in Key Largo, Florida, was struck at full speed by the Model S, after the driver assistance system "Autopilot" failed to detect it. The young woman, 22 years old at the time of her death, was propelled several dozen meters, the lawsuit continues. Dillon Angulo was injured, but no details on his condition are available at this time.
"Today's verdict is wrong and only sets auto safety back in motion and threatens Tesla's and the (auto) industry's efforts to develop and implement life-saving technology," the automaker said in a statement. It said it intends to appeal "given the significant legal errors and irregularities at trial."
SudOuest